LS Swap with TKO 500/600

[Malihoochie-]

I used a modified stock crossmember. I would suggest buying a aftermarket one, just because they are a nicer starting point.
I cut some of the abundant casting off the back of my TKO600. It comes with a multitude of mounting holes and I got rid of the ones that were for a torque arm bar mount, like a 3rd gen Camaro. Doing that let me use my standard crossmember after shortening the mounting tab that the trans bolts to.

 

[RabbitHoleSS]

Silver Sport Transmissions | Shift Into High Gear

shiftsst.com

If you just want a bolt in solution.They'll give you a quote for tkx,tko,or magnum. Expect 5500-6500.

 

[Supercharged111]

OP if you're not aware, TKX is the replacement for the TKO.

 

[black_aerocoupe]

Step 1: make sure the TKO and rear gear are the ratios you actually want to drive long-term.

Step 2: measure the output yoke center height and crewmember height of stock parts. If your new trans. has the same output shaft height with a thick (I am looking at you, Energy Susp.) mount with a modded crossmember, you'll be fine there. If you can dream it, you can have someone weld it.

Step 3: Don't buy a "kit." It won't save you a dime, and a G-body shouldn't run a 621 for fork location, and they will send you what they want. There is value buying parts from a vendor who rebuilds transmissions. A kit hustler is just that.

 

[64nailhead]

Just swapping to an overdrive will up your mpg.

Haha.

I’m getting about 13 with my 4l80.

Should add too much cam and E85 😉

Just pick in’. An OD should yield another 3-4mpg at a minimum.

 

[08Malibu]

I’d swap the trans and rear gear, then do the engine swap. That rear gear kills the fun factor of the car. I went from 2.43 to 3.08’s. Even with an anemic 305 the car is way more fun. Swap an od 5 speed and a little steeper gear and it would be really fun.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

If you're not comfortable doing fabrication, I would suggest you DON'T LS swap or especially TKO swap you're vehicle. Because I GUARANTEE you'll be making all sorts of parts to get to work all together. Mainly the crossmember, exhaust, and clutch pedal/hydraulics just to name a few.

SixSpeedMonte Pedal assembly using LS1 Fbody Hydraulics, internal slave on the TKO 600 and the proper bell housing will work. He can Google search for the other parts, the stuff is out there. Tons of parts out there in the last few years.

So I have an 87 El Camino that I put a brand new sbc 350 in it with a 2.73 open diff and a th350 to build a daily driver. it has been great but I am quickly realizing the limitations to what I thought would be a good daily driver. I do have access to another car while this swap happens but I have always wanted to convert it to manual. The problem is I want this to be a daily driver that also can at least run a respectable 1/4 mile. maybe high 13s. So I met a guy that did an LS swap and I am all over that but I also want to do a tremec tko 600 swap. I have had almost exclusively stick cars and I desperately want to turn my elky into one. Has anyone ever done this swap? I have heard of the ls with the t-56 but I am not willing to do that since I am trying to save money and I got a good deal on a tko 600. What would be involved with the swap? specifically the crossmember? Is an ls the same length as a sbc because I know they make a crossmember that can fit it. Anybody that has done the swap or something similar please leave some info because I have not seen anybody do it. I consider myself very mechanically inclined but the only thing I cannot do is welding so everything has to be bolt in. On a side not, is it possible to maintain AC with an ls swap? I have the ac box but nothing hooked up but I definitely want it now after a couple 100+ degree days. Thanks guys for any help

As far as everything else, it all comes down to your skills. I have a 6.0l & Built T56 6spd Manual in my SS, using the Jegs Double Hump 700R4 Crossmember with a little modification, all that was available almost 11 years ago when I built the car. Been in there since with $33 eBay adapter plates on the block. Don't need to buy "kits"... plenty of parts out there work. AC has been done in these swaps for years, easy to do. Crossmember is to hold the Transmission up, frame can be drilled anywhere to mount it, think outside the box and make it happen.

 

[Streetbu]

SixSpeedMonte Pedal assembly using LS1 Fbody Hydraulics, internal slave on the TKO 600 and the proper bell housing will work. He can Google search for the other parts, the stuff is out there. Tons of parts out there in the last few years.



As far as everything else, it all comes down to your skills. I have a 6.0l & Built T56 6spd Manual in my SS, using the Jegs Double Hump 700R4 Crossmember with a little modification, all that was available almost 11 years ago when I built the car. Been in there since with $33 eBay adapter plates on the block. Don't need to buy "kits"... plenty of parts out there work. AC has been done in these swaps for years, easy to do. Crossmember is to hold the Transmission up, frame can be drilled anywhere to mount it, think outside the box and make it happen.

Yeah, I'm using the Sickspeed pedal, and still had to modify it to get it to work correctly. Ive had a dozen conversations with Bernie concerning it.. he knows all about the problems. Poor manufacturing tolerances on the master cylinders.. Many others have had the same issues. They don't all just bolt in and work unfortunately.

 

[Built6spdMCSS]

Is his made for the LS1 Fbody Master Cyl? Pretty sure that I've seen it is. I reshaped the firewall in my SS to mount the LS1 Fbody Master with a Clutch Pedal I built and it seems to work well, I've seen how he does his.

 

[Streetbu]

Is his made for the LS1 Fbody Master Cyl? Pretty sure that I've seen it is. I reshaped the firewall in my SS to mount the LS1 Fbody Master with a Clutch Pedal I built and it seems to work well, I've seen how he does his.

Yes, his is made for the LS1 clutch master cylinder.