[som2002]

My Dad is having a bigger tri-power motor built (by Wayne Schicantek) for his 64 GTO to replace the four-barrel 389. He is pretty seriously thinking of going with one of these new overdrive trannies while we switch motors this Spring. He now has a Muncie/3:73's and kinda wanted a lower rpm for cruising the Interstate and so on without losing the off the line grunt.

My question is....Has anyone out there done this swap? Was it not too difficult? Any regrets? Any tips? I appreciate everyones input so I can show him the responses(he's got no access to internet). Thanks guys.

[eric65]

som2002 I am in process of doing this retro now .. Several here have done this and have given very positive feedback on it.. I dont have mine all the way in yet and it will be a bit yet but cant wait..
One thing many here recommended ClassicChevy 5 Speed for the tranny and kit vs Keisler due to their excellent customer support and I for one can vouch for that.. The guys at ClassicChevy are excellent and trustworthy to a tee. I recommend getting their kit. They have been most helpful for me...If only they could get a better name for their company......

http://www.classicchevy5speed.com/

[som2002]

Originally Posted by eric65

som2002 I am in process of doing this retro now .. Several here have done this and have given very positive feedback on it.. I dont have mine all the way in yet and it will be a bit yet but cant wait..
One thing many here recommended ClassicChevy 5 Speed for the tranny and kit vs Keisler due to their excellent customer support and I for one can vouch for that.. The guys at ClassicChevy are excellent and trustworthy to a tee. I recommend getting their kit. They have been most helpful for me...If only they could get a better name for their company......

http://www.classicchevy5speed.com/

We are assuming he can still use his shifter console with the new set-up. Is that correct? I know it usually says that on the websites, but can I get some verification for him that it actually does?

[eric65]

I have no console but if did they have a shifter kit with some kind of offset that will accomidate the console...

[som2002]

Thanks Eric, I see on their website that they have a nice detailed walkthrough of an install on a 67. I'll have to print all that out and show him. Thanks for the heads-up on that site, all we knew about was the Keisler one, didn't know that we had other options.

[som2002]

Anyone else have any experiences or insight?

[Jim Doran]

My buddy Phil posted a pretty detailed experience here: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...ht=tremec+phil

[gearbanger]

I did the swap on a 67. Actually mine is the one on the classic chevy site. I would definitely, without a doubt say to go with their kit.

You will have to cut your tunnel to do this. If you are not willing to do major floor surgery, hit the BACK button now. Okay, your still here. What you will want to do if you are going to use a factory console is this. Cut the entire tunnel off down to the floorboard the full length of the console and the a few inches for good measure. Make some marks so that you can line it back up directly above where you cut it out later. You'll thank me for this later. Install your tranny and all that. Then lay something about 1/2-3/4" thick across your tranny. Like heater hose you could zip tie around the tranny at the high points or whatever. You are doing this to get your clearance so you won't have any rattles or vibrations off the floor. Lay the piece back over the tranny and make the hole bigger if necessary for you shifter. Probably won't be necessary. After you have it in place, use a couple of pieces of scrap, to tack it in place and then refabricate the gap that is all the way around the new relocated tunnel. This way your console bolts up just exactly the way you took it off and you carpet fits the contour nicely. you have made you tunnel bigger so you may need to go with a new piece of carpet because it may not reach the sides anymore. It will be the best thing you ever did to your car, but it is work.

[som2002]

Hey, thanks alot guys. This will really help him out!!! And ClassicChevy sounds like the way to go.

[67GTONUT]

Originally Posted by gearbanger

I did the swap on a 67. Actually mine is the one on the classic chevy site. I would definitely, without a doubt say to go with their kit.

You will have to cut your tunnel to do this. If you are not willing to do major floor surgery, hit the BACK button now. Okay, your still here. What you will want to do if you are going to use a factory console is this. Cut the entire tunnel off down to the floorboard the full length of the console and the a few inches for good measure. Make some marks so that you can line it back up directly above where you cut it out later. You'll thank me for this later. Install your tranny and all that. Then lay something about 1/2-3/4" thick across your tranny. Like heater hose you could zip tie around the tranny at the high points or whatever. You are doing this to get your clearance so you won't have any rattles or vibrations off the floor. Lay the piece back over the tranny and make the hole bigger if necessary for you shifter. Probably won't be necessary. After you have it in place, use a couple of pieces of scrap, to tack it in place and then refabricate the gap that is all the way around the new relocated tunnel. This way your console bolts up just exactly the way you took it off and you carpet fits the contour nicely. you have made you tunnel bigger so you may need to go with a new piece of carpet because it may not reach the sides anymore. It will be the best thing you ever did to your car, but it is work.

Holy cutting Batman!!!!

Why is this paragraph even on the website?

Optional offset shifter. High performance offset shifter. This direct bolt-on replacement shifter acheives perfect shift stick positioning within your stock console and requires no modifications to your tunnel, console, or to the transmission! If your goal is a "no cut, no modification" installation, this shifter is for you.

[A Body Engineer]

I looked at this route as I am redoing the drive train in my 1964 GTO for the same reasons, more performance, better highway cruising and just plain MORE FUN!

I bought a Tremec TKO II (TR-3550) 5 speed, from www.moderndriveline.com and mocked it up with a bare block to see physically where the stock shifter was oriented and how much "modifying” was necessary to the transmission tunnel and floor boards.

After removing the stock Tremec supplied shifter I ordered a Forte’s (www.fortesparts.com) 67-69 billet Firebird shifter and bolted it in place (the location was perfect when I bolted up a S.S. replica of the factory shifter handle - Bob L's idea) and then made the decision to not use the Tremec.

The reason, too much cutting and modifying of the floorboards for my taste on a 60,000 original mileage numbers matching car. I am in the process of building a Muncie over drive transmission. It uses the basic 3 gear ratio’s and then instead of 4th gear being a 1:1 ratio it is 1:0.86. I plan to use this with a 3.55 or a 3.73 gear in the rear end once I determine the tire size. I see you are in Wisconsin, if you go the Tremec route and you are interested in the Forte’s shifter and a Hurst 5 speed white shift ball w/built in electric push button switch I will make you a super sweet deal (parts brand new, $400.00, sell $200.00).

Hope this helps you out

[guidos]

Some picture of my mods in a 65 GTO, there is one picture with the console on.....might give you some idea. http://members.shaw.ca/rguido just click on the black GTO

[som2002]

Originally Posted by guidos

Some picture of my mods in a 65 GTO, there is one picture with the console on.....might give you some idea. http://members.shaw.ca/rguido just click on the black GTO

guidos, that car turned out beautiful. Nice work.

[guidos]

Thanks, did you see the pictures of the console on after the tunnel mods? I did not put the console in but I am sure it would of fit.

[6 Grrrs]

Originally Posted by som2002

guidos, that car turned out beautiful. Nice work.

For what it started as, it's hard to believe it turned out that nice. Great Job!

[som2002]

Well, we did it. And a big Thanks to everyone with the ClassicChevy5speed tip. They were a great company to work with, and very friendly and helpful. No backordered anything. We actually finished the install at the end of summer but I just got around to setting a car page up for my Dad. There are a few pics of the install in his pictures on the 64 page. http://www.fquick.com/64goat Thanks again guys.

[gearhead78]

Originally Posted by som2002

Well, we did it. And a big Thanks to everyone with the ClassicChevy5speed tip. They were a great company to work with, and very friendly and helpful. No backordered anything. We actually finished the install at the end of summer but I just got around to setting a car page up for my Dad. There are a few pics of the install in his pictures on the 64 page. http://www.fquick.com/64goat Thanks again guys.

Sweet car!!! So did you not use a console? I did not see an interior finished pic.

[som2002]

Originally Posted by gearhead78

Sweet car!!! So did you not use a console? I did not see an interior finished pic.

Yes, we did use the console, just never took picks of inside again. Did have to modify the floor as the console teeter-tottered upon reinstallation. Had to build up the floor a bit in the back to stabilize it.

[SD421]

SOM2002,

I see that the motor is a 455 with a 428 crank?
So that makes it a 440 now?
Im thnking of doing the same thing with my 66 Goat and with those 3.73 gears I was wondering how fast she is?
Don

[som2002]

Originally Posted by SD421

SOM2002,

I see that the motor is a 455 with a 428 crank?
So that makes it a 440 now?
Im thnking of doing the same thing with my 66 Goat and with those 3.73 gears I was wondering how fast she is?
Don

Well, he still hasn't put enough break-in miles to really launch on it, but still it is night and day difference from the old tired 389 it replaces. The dyno showed close to 500 torque, and when in second gear when he gave me a ride, he just rolled the throttle and as the outer carbs opened up it started getting loose. I can't wait to see what it'll do under hard acceleration. Is like a totally different car, especially with the addition of the 5-speed, really alot of fun again. With even more fun to come as it gets broke in