Cheating The Reaper
- Thread starter DRIVEN
- Start date
Shame post...
Hasn't been touched in a year. Haven't really even though about it much. In the next few months I'll be pulling the A833 out of it. Then I'll swap the original Muncie back into the El Camino and pull the A833 out of it too. Planning to sell all my A833 stuff in the spring and put that money toward a Tremec TKO 600 with a forward shifter. This close ratio with deep overdrive is what I'm looking at.
I'll also do an inventory on all my handles, emblems, rubber pieces, etc and order everything up. There are a couple pieces that I want to send out for chrome as well as some powder coating I'd like to get done. Gonna talk to my buddy Greg about cutting all the new glass too.
Basically, I'm going to do every possible thing I can aside from body and paint. At that point I'll need to go one of three ways. (1) Get a solid commitment from my brother to GET IT DONE! NOW! (2) Shop for another bady/paint guy. Or (3) Just put it all together and drive it.
But first, I'll need to finish the 510. I'll be getting back to that in a couple weeks.
Hasn't been touched in a year. Haven't really even though about it much. In the next few months I'll be pulling the A833 out of it. Then I'll swap the original Muncie back into the El Camino and pull the A833 out of it too. Planning to sell all my A833 stuff in the spring and put that money toward a Tremec TKO 600 with a forward shifter. This close ratio with deep overdrive is what I'm looking at.
TREMEC TKX 5-Speed TCET17805 GM 26-Spline .68 5th Gear - American Powertrain
https://youtu.be/RKM2iM1qvhc <em><strong>Taking Pre-orders now! Please note: Product will be in mid February. Call now to get your order in! 931-646-4836</strong></em>
americanpowertrain.com
I'll also do an inventory on all my handles, emblems, rubber pieces, etc and order everything up. There are a couple pieces that I want to send out for chrome as well as some powder coating I'd like to get done. Gonna talk to my buddy Greg about cutting all the new glass too.
Basically, I'm going to do every possible thing I can aside from body and paint. At that point I'll need to go one of three ways. (1) Get a solid commitment from my brother to GET IT DONE! NOW! (2) Shop for another bady/paint guy. Or (3) Just put it all together and drive it.
But first, I'll need to finish the 510. I'll be getting back to that in a couple weeks.
No shame. It's indoors, which less of a shame than leaving a survivor out in the weather among the pack rats.
Looking forward to seeing some progress. What future engine plan drives a honkin' TKO?
Looking forward to seeing some progress. What future engine plan drives a honkin' TKO?
Hey, was that a dig about how I've been treating the El Camino?
The TKO is just a T5...sturdier but no bigger. There's a couple reasons. First, is the shifter position. The A833/Saginaw/Muncie shifter rides really close to the seat and up against my right leg. The TKO shifter in the forward position gives a lot more leg comfort. Second, better gear splits, including a little taller overdrive. Third, its part of my effort to reduce clutter and sell parts I won't ever, ever use.
To be clear, I like the A833 and think it's a great transmission. I'm just heading in a different direction right now.
Can you mod the shifter location yourself? What custom bits are required to make the change?Hey, was that a dig about how I've been treating the El Camino?
The TKO is just a T5...sturdier but no bigger. There's a couple reasons. First, is the shifter position. The A833/Saginaw/Muncie shifter rides really close to the seat and up against my right leg. The TKO shifter in the forward position gives a lot more leg comfort. Second, better gear splits, including a little taller overdrive. Third, its part of my effort to reduce clutter and sell parts I won't ever, ever use.
To be clear, I like the A833 and think it's a great transmission. I'm just heading in a different direction right now.
When I wrecked it there was a Saginaw with an old Hurst shifter in place. It was mounted to a forward locating bracket already. Not even sure I have it anymore. The shifter had an S-curve bent into it for leg room. These cabs are pretty cramped, even in comparison to your 3100s. Column mount automatic makes a huge difference. The Tremec will have a shifter about 6" to the right and 6" forward of the Hurst.
Nothing special to get the Tremec in there. Obviously a shifter. The crossmember will need a couple new holes drilled. I'll probably have to get the driveline shortened about an inch...maybe. And I'll need a 26 spline disc.
Nothing special to get the Tremec in there. Obviously a shifter. The crossmember will need a couple new holes drilled. I'll probably have to get the driveline shortened about an inch...maybe. And I'll need a 26 spline disc.
I was wondering about inside the TKO - what's involved in swapping the shifter location. All three top plates look similar, but I've never removed any of them to explore.
That really is a cool little truck. I'm excited to see it come together. I think you know I'm familiar with managing multiple projects. Stuff winds up sitting but you always get back to it, even if it takes a while.
Don't hold your breath just yet. I mostly just bumped the thread because it was almost a year old and I didn't want it to get locked.
