Any cutting for TKO600 or T56 install into a 68-70 B Body?

I am looking at buying a TKO600 or T56 for my 1968 Charger. Anybody here had any experience installing one in a 68-70 B Body or seen one that was installed with no cutting involved OR is there alot of cutting involved.

You definitely have to cut. FWIW, I helped with a 69 RR and a 70 Cuda. Both floor humps partially cut out and if I remember right the B was worse than the E. Both cars were fit and cut on a lift going up and down numerous times and lifting the trans. in and out. It was at a working collision center so I just did the cutting and fitting and was not involved in welding and replacing.

T56 is way fatter than any mopar trans from back in the day. To get that in you will have to cut floor and torsion bar crossmember.

I think the TKO kits that used to be a big thing can go in a factory torsion bar crossmember but in order to clear it the transmission has to sit way too low at the back for a good pinion angle. Floor mods still required and I believe torsion bar crossmember cutting if you really want the transmission to sit right.

If cutting is a problem for you, there's always the OD transmission from Passon that bolt right in.

These guys are making a bolt in crossmember for the area that has to be cut. Todd Ron Restorations https://www.facebook.com/ToddRonRestorations/ , or look up "Todd Ronald Johnson"
https://www.facebook.com/groups/10767364...y&ref=notif

If not cutting your tunnel is a option then wait for a passion 5-speed but if cutting your tunnel is an option and you want an awesome new experience in banging gears like never before than I highly suggest you do it. Got to finally drive my close ratio T-56 Magnum XL from SST last week and unbelievable. Glad I didn’t wait on the passion.

I really dont want to pay $6K for a transmission from Passon so I will need to research how much cutting is needed.

Do you have any pics or video of what you had to cut in order to make that T56 fit in your Charger?

That sounds interesting but facebook isnt my thing really. I wish there was some other way of contacting them.

there was an article, hotrod maybe, where they put a t56 in a 68 or 69 charger. google it. they had some good pics of what cutting the corssmember looked like.
i keep coming back to it for my 67 coronet, i could cut and weld up the crossmember but i will probably just keep a 727 in it...less work and money and i don't mind autos i guess.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2085531/1.html

I have two of them, an A-body and a B-body version, best money you'll ever spend. Beautifully built brutes, zero cutting, 100% bolt in.

Don't be fooled, there will be cutting required for either transmission to provide clearance and proper driveline angle, don't rely on the kit mfg for the optimum install for your particular application...if your not inclined to modify your vehicle, then don't bother with a TKO/T56, go join the decade long Intergalactic waiting list for a bolt in transmission...

IMHO If your going to go for maximum performance and OD advantage, go with the T56 Magnum .50 OD, otherwise a TKO600 in the .64 OD can fill out most OD requirements...tailor your OD ratio choice to either your existing engine/gear/tire combo, or build a driveline around the OD ratio of your choice, as well as intended usage for said vehicle...

Depending on how much you want to spend, expect to start off in the $4K range and up depending on your requirements and choice of transmission, IMHO if you choose either a TKO or T56, Silver Sport Transmission is your best source for a one stop shop, and their kits are a more refined product, where as other kit mfg offerings are based/copied on earlier kit offerings from assorted mfg's and have seen no updates like SST's offerings

Yeah my budget for a new transmisison would be somewhere in the 4k to 5k range all in.

If I dont have to cut the transmission tunnel or modify the shifter opening hump then I would be fine with a TKO600 or T56magnum but it sounds like the T56 would require cutting of the tunnel since it is alot wider.

The TKO600 shifter location for the 68-70 B body comes up in the tunnel center line, an offset bracket brings the shifter into the factory opening on a 4spd CONSOLE equipped vehicle, the BENCH mount shifter will not fall within the factory opening, although the kits on the market supply you a piece of sheetmetal to simulate the factory 4spd hump, I'd suggest you install a factory/repro 4 spd hump (unless your vehicle is already equipped?) as you'll need the clearance for the tranny as well as underfloor cooling, as an OD generates some good heat in prolonged OD operation

The TKO kits all drop the tail end somewhat to make concessions, this results in driveline angle changes, I like to avoid that, and will trim out what's necessary in the torsion/tranny crossmember to achieve a proper drive line angle, as well as modify the kits tranny crossmember to achieve proper drive line angle

Mike

You could get a 4spd overdrive gear set for your 833 from Passon or Brewers if having overdrive within a budget is your goal.

I've thought of that a time or two. Brewer's offers one?

Just Passon.

I can get you either T56 Magnum or TKO transmission for way less than the big name Elite Tremec dealers. I am a new Tremec dealer and a Veteran owned small business and have a reference from Tremec themselves. I personally have a T56 Magnum close ratio in my Cuda and would never use anything else.

Both units will require cutting. There is modified TKO600RR designed to fit better due to the revised shifting position but it shifts worse and cost more that the T56.

I can also get Quicktime bells for Big & Small Mopar/Gen3 Hemi as well as Mcleod flywheels and clutch kits.

I’m sorry, tried to post a pic but having problems. In the T-56 Magnums they have, they offer 2 ratios. A close and a wide, .50 and .63. I like the close ratio a lot better because it’s geared better. The wide ratio is geared to low in the first 4 gears then drops off big in the 5 and 6 gears. SST gave me an option to go glose ratio the first 4 gears and then install the wide ratio gears for 5th and 6 thus giving a little bit more RPM in drop while cruising but I really didnt like my motor lugging down in that RPM range so I passed.

Yes! I feel that the close ratio is the way to go. The RPM is very usable between the gears from 2nd-5th. I have a 3.91 rear. First goes pretty quick and 6th I mainly use for saving gas on long trips. I have had the T56 Magnum in my car for over 4 years and never any issues.

Tremec stated that the wide ratio will be phased out eventually though as the demand is simply not there. They sell way more close ratio versions. I became a dealer and got a second Magnum to have as a spare haha!

Sounds like the passon OD gear set would go a good option and be the closest to fit in your budget and be totally stock-fitting. The .8 OD ratio is a bit of a bummer though.

with a .80 OD, it's not even worth the effort or expense for so little a gain IMHO, besides the fact the OP never alluded to any indication if his car was already 833 equipped?

Here is a video of a T56 magnum in a Charger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zdov8liz7A

Personally I would either get the Passon 4speed OD or a close ratio T56 magnum.
The TKO trans is not worth cutting up your car. It would be my last choice.
Depending how you are geared now a .80 OD might be fine.

I am assuming he does seeing his post on rebuilding a 833
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbt...tml#Post2455719

Yeah the car is a 1968 Charger factory 4speed 383 car so I really didnt want to alter the shifter hump in it.

Basically it wouldnt bother me to alter the trans crossmember but I didnt want to alter the cars sheetmetal on the trans tunnel or the shifter hump itself.

The Passon .80 ratio OD gearset is really not even worth the trouble as it wouldnt drop the RPM by much at all.

Your choices are limited then, stand in line for the Passon 5 spd, but your limited to a .70 OD

Or just cut the car and be done with it and go either TKO or T56, IMHO the T56 is the way to go...

T56 all the way even if you have to cut the floor, if the Passon blows you probably won’t be even able to get parts for it.

I'm another who says t56 is the way to go... cut it and once you drive it, you'll have no regrets.

I'm sure parts would be available...might take a few years to receive them though?...

Parts might be available, but say in a few years the transmissions start failing ,the place goes out of business, or something happens to the owner.....you might wish you cut the floor.

My post was in jest, seeing how long (years) some are still waiting for a transmission, never mind spare parts..lol!

But I agree with you, cut the car, it's just a machine, modify the piss out of it...

i agree ! if NO modifications are allowed, that means no change over to disc brakes, or alternator bypass upgrades to the electrical system, better wiper blades, etc. and you shouldn't want an o.d. in the first place. it's only sheet metal you are cutting. get the MOST bang for your buck transmission wise. you will only LOVE it that much more, and in the future, you or the next owner can restore it back to stock. then wonder why it is not as much fun to drive, or just sit around [the campfire] and admire it in the "museum".

I was updating my website and found that there are actually 6 different part numbers for the T56 Magnum

-Part# TUET11009 hydraulic clutch 
-Part# TUET11010 mechanical clutch 
2.66 1st 
1.78 2nd 
1.30 3rd 
1.00 4th 
0.80 5th 
0.63 6th 
2.90 Reverse

-Part# TUET11012 hydraulic clutch 
-Part# TUET11011 mechanical clutch 
2.97 1st 
2.10 2nd 
1.46 3rd 
1.00 4th 
0.74 5th 
0.50 6th 
2.90 Reverse

-Part# TUET16885 hydraulic clutch 
-Part# TUET16884 mechanical clutch 
2.97 1st 
2.10 2nd 
1.46 3rd 
1.00 4th 
0.80 5th 
0.63 6th 
2.90 Reverse

The 2.97 1st and 0.74 5th, 0.50 6th will eventually be phased out so get one while you still can!

T56 is huge. I put a viper t56 in my duster in 2010. I like the way it drives and shifts but I have mixed feelings on The 2 overdrives and The .5 od. The close ratio sounds like a better option but I didn't have that choice. I'd like to regear and maybe make the .5 a little more useable. I made a whole new tunnel and modified the crossmember. I just made a separate trans crossover that mounts to the frame connectors.

My buddy has a TKO600 in his 69' Camaro. The 5th gear overdrive is awesome in this car for freeway cruising. He is thinking about pulling it out & installing a Turbo 400 back in it since he doesn't like rowing the gears any longer. I was thinking about buying it off of him when we remove it. I wonder what would be different other than maybe shifter location to make it work in a Mopar B Body. Obviously, his clutch, pressure plate, flywheel & bell housing will not work. I am talking about just the gear box itself.

The GM location is different than the 69-70 or 71-4 B body, but you could ship the tranny to SST and have them mod the case for either B body location, compare costs on used/modified over NEW from SST before you pull the trigger on a purchase

Mike

the passon 5 speed might be $5-6k or what ever it is but that is basically all you have to buy and maybe a clutch disc. if you go buy a tremec you need a cross member, drive shaft and yoke, bell housing, clutch linkage might change, a clutch, which all adds up and after all that you have trial and error making sure everything fits and driveline angles are correct. passon 5 speed is a true bolt in deal that can be done on a Saturday morning and out cruising by lunch time and keep your stock floor pans.. just my 2 cents

I agree, but seems like the 5 speed Passon is unavailable, so it boils down to what is the car being used for, and how much money it will cost, and skill level for the install of a TKO. If it is a manual already, and if a Passion 4 speed is good enough, all is needed is an 18 spline clutch, then plug and play. On my 4 speed at 2500, I get around 75 mph with 3:54 gears.

Very true!
The beauty of a Tremec T56 Magnum though is that you can have it right now! Yes, there is surgey involved but it's not rocket science. The conversion can take a few weeks vs. waiting years, so buy one now and be driving by the summer.

Yes,the costs do add up but that is if you purchase at retail prices. There is no way for us small guys compete with Summit, Jeg's, SST, American Powertrain or other Elite Tremec distributors directly so I have to sell my kits at below retail just to be competitve which saves my customers in the long run.

Yes but try getting your hands on one before you end up in the old folks home!

Have you priced getting one of those Passon 5 speeds to Canada...

I now have 2 Passon A855's, no cutting direct bolt in, I wouldnt use anything else in a car I didnt want to hack on, awesome transmissions, well worth the wait.

*international exchange rates apply to any brand you buy, no US vendor can control what the Canadian dollar is doing

Thats another reason I went with the T-56 Magnum. I’ve heard they’re some people thats already had problems with the 855 jumping out of gear and stuff.

Through the years I have purchased some cottage industry motorcycles, after a few years you can’t get parts for them and the builders always go on to other things or close shop. In the end you end up with a nice 10 grand piece of garage art when it breaks .... But I’m not willing to spend $7500 Canadian on transmission that could end up being garage art in a few years.
In my opinion they should have sold the design of the transmission years ago to a larger vendor who could have produced 1000s of them every year....so I agree you made the right choice in a t56

I need to call Tremec tomorrow to verify the availablity of the 2.97 1st, 0.63 6th TUET16885 and TUET16884 versions. The part numbers have been released but as for actual transmissions being shipped out, I'm not 100% sure. Even if they are not available yet the wait shouldn't be that long.

An alternative would be the Magnum XL which has the extended tail section and may be a better shifter placement on some Mopars.

-Part# TUET11009 hydraulic clutch 
-Part# TUET11010 mechanical clutch 
2.66 1st 
1.78 2nd 
1.30 3rd 
1.00 4th 
0.80 5th 
0.63 6th 
2.90 Reverse

Isn't the mechanical clutch version just for Fords? Input shaft is shorter. I was told you can't run a mechanical clutch with a T56 Magnum.

FYI For fellow Canadians I priced a t56 here and they are $4200 Canadian so basically the same price as buying out of the States without the shipping or boarder hassle

Yes the TUET11010 is designed for mech. clutch.

Per Tremec:
"GM-types (left) are modeled after the 1998-2002 F-car T-56, and Ford-types (right) follow the formula from the 2003-2004 Cobra (minus the factory 10-spline input shaft). What this means is that the Magnum will interface with nearly any stock or aftermarket bellhousing and many clutch systems intended for those applications."

There are 7 different Quicktime bellhousings for T56 to Mopar applications.
RM-6076 is for Small Mopar to Ford T56 height = 5.525 driver side starter
RM-6077 is for Big Mopar to Ford T56 height = 5.525
RM-8078 is for Gen3 Hemi to Ford T56 height = 5.525 passenger side starter.
Fast Fact: Russ McCombs was the founder of Quick Time bellhousings & why all the part numbers start with "RM".

67autocross: Good find on the $4200 Canadian price! I would be able to sell the regular T56 Magnum for roughly $300 Canadian less but would have to deal with the hassle of shipping over the border.

As for the TUET16885 and TUET16884 part numbers, bad news is Tremec says that no transmissions have been shipped out yet with no definite time table as of now. No dealer has them yet but a bunch of customers have been asking for them. Tremec says they will have an official announcement of the release date for the part numbers above.

Good news is that the
0.80 5th gear TUEN7118 & TUEE6045
0.63 6th gear TUEN7119 & TUEE6046
are available now to swap into a TUET11011 or TUET11012 if one were so inclined.

The 0.80 and 0.63 gears have way more demand than the 0.74 and 0.50 gears and are acutally able to hold up to a little more torque.

Bellhousing is for hydraulic clutch. Not sure why one would use the Ford version?

Not sure either? As you can see in the left to right comparison pic in my above post, the Ford version on the right has the mechanical fork pivot on it.

Typically most people will use the TUET11009 GM hydraulic clutch T56 Magnum in non Ford applications.

Its the same trans I have currently in my car as well as my spare T56 Magnum and it works great!

Im using the RM-8073 for my 440 of course. What is the recommended starter for it? I’m using a mre 644 from Mancinis and it doesn’t fit correct, likes it’s a smudge to big. I had to grind just a tad off of the block just to get it to bolt on and it’s still touching the block a hair.

Hello,
To be completely honest I'm not quite sure why that type of starter does not fit as I have never run a big block? I use the same style Nippondenso starter on my old 340 and now my Gen3.

I hear there is acutally a later model truck starter 56029274AA that is a little smaller and may fit better that others have used, but since I have never held it I can't confirm 100%

This 6 speed that is supposed to be the last word in overdrive transmissions is not the holy grail. Your grail is for hot rods and requires skill and fabrication and most of all $$$$ to install. It is not for the person with the 4 speed mopar car that want his cake and eat it too. That's called a "bolt in" 5 speed by Passon.

What does the "skill and fabrication" cost.



Not everyone is a fabricator so you have to pay.

Then there is the rest of the story with all the other "stuff" and labor required to complete the job 100%. What does that cost?

Show me the money on the bottom line

The Passon 5 speed is a home run for those of us that do not want to reinvent the wheel when wanting overdrive without complications.
It's very ideal for 4.10s if you do the math.

Transmissions are shipped weekly and the demand has not waned. There are many factors involved in trying to bring a product like this to fruition so the remarks that have been posted are juvenile at best. If there were any issues of one of Passon's transmissions Jamie has taken care of it - so posting hearsay like has been done is just rude and uncalled for.

Don't forget Dayclona is a paid spokesperson for the holy grail six speeds.

Geez...last time you ran your dribble I was the paid spokesman for Keisler, now it's 6 speeds?...

I'm still waiting to get paid for my "endorsements"..lol!

let's face it, 6 spds are where's it at for the consumer that wants a better performance upgrade, Passon's 5 spd while probably a great product is a decade too late in the making as well as late to the game with customers still waiting YEARS for a purchase, for the dedicated enthusiast cost is secondary to the modifications one needs to make regarding a 6 spd install, or installing the "other" mfg's 5 spds on the market, besides the fact they want to drive their car now, rather than years from now when the other offering gets around to checking off their intergalactic decade old back order waiting list to produce a transmission for purchase or developing their application... personally I don't care what an individual does to their vehicle, but if I can assist them with knowledge or personal experience learned I will, just like other's here do...which unfortunately you have always seemed incapable of?

I'm surprised your still here seeing you bailed out of the hobby sometime ago and upped and sold your junk?..."but hey trolls be trolling" I guess?...

I think that is the issue though. Some guys have multiple and others cant get their hands on even one and are still waiting.

Just cut the car, it's not a Hemi R/T survivor and whatever you cut out can be welded back in ... or get in line and pony up the extra cash for a Passon 5spd.

5 years from now I can get Tremec parts with 100% certainty. If I had issues with a Passion trans, would I be able to get parts? 10 years?

Put me on the list of 6spd proponents, not paid though.

I think it depends on what you are starting with. If was I converting an auto car I would think the t56 would be the way to
go. Since, either way you going to buy all the conversion pieces. The fab work isn't that difficult its not like your building a tube chassis.
If you have a 4sp car it would be a harder decision since in the end both costs about the same. I guess it would come down how modified your existing car is. Never understood guys with 600hp stroker engines and subframe connectors worried about cutting their car.

If you already have a 4 speed I would do the Passon 4 speed overdrive for a couple of thousand bucks.... for a conversion from automatic T56.

How I see it is that ANY old muscle car Mopar, GM, Ford etc. regardless of make will increase in future value as long as it has a 6 speed grafted into the chassis. Why? Look at any performance manual car right now on the market. They all come with a 6 speed. Getrag's, Tremec's, ZF's whatever. Hell the new Corvettes come with 7 Speed TR-6070's.

All the younger generation will want to have a muscle car with a 6 speed trans because it is the thing to have right now and what they are growing up with. Yes the younger generation are all broke right now, but when we are all old and rotting away in nursing homes the kids of today will be all grown up and have the money to buy whatever they want. Do really think they would rather have a 4-5 speed over a 6 speed? Really?

It's not what I wanted!

Well a 5 spd is nice, a 6spd is even nicer...a 4spd isn't even in the equation no more, hasn't been for years (I've been saying this for over a decade)...IMHO anything higher than a .64 OD isn't worth the investment 5 or 6 spd


Mike