I knew I wanted a 4 speed in my 87 cutlass since the day I bought it at 13 years old. Finally after a few th350s I decided screw it, its now or never and I started looking for parts. I had decided on a 5 speed most likely because I wanted to have overdrive, now understanding what a 4 hour highway drive with 3.42's was about (something 13 year old me couldn't have known). One day scouring craigslist I stumbled on a 94 camaro part out. I figured t56's were out of my price range, but I called him up and when he said $400 for the trans I told him I'd be there that night. He said give me a day to pull it, and I then drove 3 hours to long island to get it. Next was the fun of figuring out how to make this lt1 only designed trans to mate to my small block olds. There's tons of info out there for t56 to a sbc, not so much for BOP cars. Thanks to the help of FE3X CLONE (Andrew) answering all my questions, big and small and tons of internet research, I had some kind of plan in mind and started accumulating parts.
Here's the list more or less, first time I've added the prices too!
lt1 t56 $400
weir performance t56-bop bell and hydraulic throwout $760
4th gen clutch master $50
AN line adapter $20
Clutch line $20
John Bzdel hydraulic manual conversion pedal $200
Stock replacement flywheel $180
Ram muscle car Clutch $200
Iceman t56 crossmember $160
DOT 4 fluid $15
5 quarts dex III trans fluid $25
ARP flywheel and clutch bolts $25
Supercars unlimited pilot conversion bearing $50
That's $2105 so far, I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff too. Still need to install my new rear and get a measurement to have the driveshaft made up.
It was a very straight forward install. I pulled the th350 out, pulled the flexplate, took the power brake booster (for room) and pedal assembly out. The John B pedal went in just as designed, remove old pivot bolt, install new one and new pedal. Done... only other thing to do is cut the old brake pedal pad down to match the clutch pedal. I then reinstalled the pedal assembly with bolts to hang the pedal in place. Pop out the cruise control harness and put the master through this hole. I drilled the lower hole just a little lower and more to the passenger side of the "bump" in the firewall (after doing it wrong the first time.) Then I put a bolt in and lined up the master rod on the clutch pedal so it would have a perfectly straight throw. Then I drilled the other hole and tightened it down. "
From there, I installed the pilot conversion bearing. Not all olds motors were drilled for a pilot bushing. So this goes into the converter hub space on the crank and I trimmed about .375" off the nose of the input shaft per the bearings instructions. After that I installed the flywheel and clutch. I then realized the one piece dust shield goes on BEFORE the flywheel, so I cut it in half and slid the halves in behind the flywheel. Bolted up the bellhousing, the trans (with the shifter removed), then the crossmember. I'm using my old th350 mount. I drilled a little hole up alongside the shifter location to mark where to cut and slowly cut the hole bigger and bigger til it fit right.
That brings me to where I am at right now. Now I need to fill and bleed the clutch, install my ford 8.8 and have a shaft made up.
The ford 8.8 was never in my plans, however after looking for an 8.5 for so long, a mustang friend of mine who was pestering me to go 8.8 got a 97 parts car. I got the rear out of it for $200. So I picked up a new set of 4.10's and a carbon fiber posi rebuild kit for it, new bearings, and now I just need to put it all together. For control arms I went with trick chassis instant center correction kit uppers with upr mustang upper spherical housing ends. For the lowers I have stock boxed arms with rubber in them (so I can still run my stock sway bar). These rears are already disc brakes, and supposedly use the same lines sizes as a g body. I just need to get new rubber caliper lines, move the split block to the other side (drivers like a g body) and make up a few hard line to connect the block to the rubber. As for e brake cables, it looks like a stock g body cable *should* work, but time will tell!
Rear $200
Trick Chassis Suspension $220
UPR Sphericals $80
4.10's $100
carbon fiber ford racing clutch kit $120
bearings, lube, additive $140(?)
Brake lines $50
So about $910 total. Remove the brake lines and suspension components which you'd buy for an 8.5 too at the same cost, its $560 for a fresh rebuilt rear with new gears and a fresh posi that is said to be as strong as a 12 bolt, and MUCH stronger than a stock 9".
I'll post pics later or tomorrow. Gotta get some and upload them!
Here's the list more or less, first time I've added the prices too!
lt1 t56 $400
weir performance t56-bop bell and hydraulic throwout $760
4th gen clutch master $50
AN line adapter $20
Clutch line $20
John Bzdel hydraulic manual conversion pedal $200
Stock replacement flywheel $180
Ram muscle car Clutch $200
Iceman t56 crossmember $160
DOT 4 fluid $15
5 quarts dex III trans fluid $25
ARP flywheel and clutch bolts $25
Supercars unlimited pilot conversion bearing $50
That's $2105 so far, I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff too. Still need to install my new rear and get a measurement to have the driveshaft made up.
It was a very straight forward install. I pulled the th350 out, pulled the flexplate, took the power brake booster (for room) and pedal assembly out. The John B pedal went in just as designed, remove old pivot bolt, install new one and new pedal. Done... only other thing to do is cut the old brake pedal pad down to match the clutch pedal. I then reinstalled the pedal assembly with bolts to hang the pedal in place. Pop out the cruise control harness and put the master through this hole. I drilled the lower hole just a little lower and more to the passenger side of the "bump" in the firewall (after doing it wrong the first time.) Then I put a bolt in and lined up the master rod on the clutch pedal so it would have a perfectly straight throw. Then I drilled the other hole and tightened it down. "
From there, I installed the pilot conversion bearing. Not all olds motors were drilled for a pilot bushing. So this goes into the converter hub space on the crank and I trimmed about .375" off the nose of the input shaft per the bearings instructions. After that I installed the flywheel and clutch. I then realized the one piece dust shield goes on BEFORE the flywheel, so I cut it in half and slid the halves in behind the flywheel. Bolted up the bellhousing, the trans (with the shifter removed), then the crossmember. I'm using my old th350 mount. I drilled a little hole up alongside the shifter location to mark where to cut and slowly cut the hole bigger and bigger til it fit right.
That brings me to where I am at right now. Now I need to fill and bleed the clutch, install my ford 8.8 and have a shaft made up.
The ford 8.8 was never in my plans, however after looking for an 8.5 for so long, a mustang friend of mine who was pestering me to go 8.8 got a 97 parts car. I got the rear out of it for $200. So I picked up a new set of 4.10's and a carbon fiber posi rebuild kit for it, new bearings, and now I just need to put it all together. For control arms I went with trick chassis instant center correction kit uppers with upr mustang upper spherical housing ends. For the lowers I have stock boxed arms with rubber in them (so I can still run my stock sway bar). These rears are already disc brakes, and supposedly use the same lines sizes as a g body. I just need to get new rubber caliper lines, move the split block to the other side (drivers like a g body) and make up a few hard line to connect the block to the rubber. As for e brake cables, it looks like a stock g body cable *should* work, but time will tell!
Rear $200
Trick Chassis Suspension $220
UPR Sphericals $80
4.10's $100
carbon fiber ford racing clutch kit $120
bearings, lube, additive $140(?)
Brake lines $50
So about $910 total. Remove the brake lines and suspension components which you'd buy for an 8.5 too at the same cost, its $560 for a fresh rebuilt rear with new gears and a fresh posi that is said to be as strong as a 12 bolt, and MUCH stronger than a stock 9".
I'll post pics later or tomorrow. Gotta get some and upload them!
Almost got this thing done!
