LS T56 BBC stock bell housing and linkage 70 Chevelle console

[Rucumn]

Parts arrived Yesterday!
- McLeod Adapter Plate
- McLeod Super StreetPro Clutch & Pressure Plate
- AllStar Long Pilot Bearing

- Transmission Jack

I will try to post some pictures of the car and trans tonight. Still need to tear into the transmission, but might not get to that until next week.

[Rucumn]

I did take some measurements of the overall length of the 700R4 and the T56. It appears that might need to have my driveshaft shortened even further, but I am going to remeasure once I bolt the adapter plate and bell housing to the T56.

Here is what I got from my rough measurements.

700R4 is around 31" long from bell to back of tailshaft housing
T56 comes up to around 32" with the LS1 bell housing attached. When I add the McLeod adapter plate as well as the factory bell, I calculate the overall length will be around 33". The stock BBC bell housing is 1/2" deeper than the LS1 bell.

I will remeasure once I have them side by side on the bench.

[BonzoHansen]

One of these plates?

[Rucumn]

Yep, here she is!

One of these plates?

[Dave Pratt]

I'm in the process of putting together parts for my T-56 conversion in my 69 Camaro...this thread has been a big help,thanks!

[Rucumn]

I'm in the process of putting together parts for my T-56 conversion in my 69 Camaro...this thread has been a big help,thanks!

Great to hear! I will keep it going through the install. Most parts have arrived, so will be starting soon.

[TheJDMan]

Let me start this post by saying I am a big advocate of mechanical clutch linkage over hydraulics. One item I have found to be very effective at improving the feel and performance of a mechanical Z-bar setup is to install spherical rod ends on the two clutch rods. Or more accurately, to fabricate two new linkage rods which incorporate rod ends. In order to do this you need to use one of these HD clutch forks from Speedway Motors which will allow you to connect a rod end but is otherwise a standard GM clutch fork.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedw...ork,37080.html

[Rucumn]

Thanks for this info Steve. I am going to complete the install with the factory style fork and linkage and will plan to upgrade to this linkage in the future so that I can gain a direct comparison in feel. I should just do it now, but what fun is there in doing it all at once;-)

Let me start this post by saying I am a big advocate of mechanical clutch linkage over hydraulics. One item I have found to be very effective at improving the feel and performance of a mechanical Z-bar setup is to install spherical rod ends on the two clutch rods. Or more accurately, to fabricate two new linkage rods which incorporate rod ends. In order to do this you need to use one of these HD clutch forks from Speedway Motors which will allow you to connect a rod end but is otherwise a standard GM clutch fork.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedw...ork,37080.html

[Rucumn]

Only had a few minutes to spare in the garage last night. Here are a few pictures.

The Patient


The Tranplant



With McLeod Adapter Plate




With BBC Bell Housing

[Rucumn]

Got a few hours out there today and I wrestled that 700R4 out. A lift makes the job so much less painful, can't believe I used to lay on the ground and wrestle with those heavy beasts! Anyway, all went well and actually quite fast until I tried to pull the flex plate off the back of the crank! What a PITA! I probably spent 40 minutes on that damn thing cuz I was trying not to bend it. I will have to hit the crank with some emory cloth before I put the flywheel on.

I was able to get it out without removing the headers which saved some time.



Trans jack worked great, but it doesn't extend up past 5.5 feet, so I had to lower the lift some and then stand a little hunched over, but better than laying on the ground.



Here is a shot of the crank with some corrosion that caused some headache.

[AU Doc]

You'll be rowing gears in no time!!!

[Rucumn]

Waiting on new flywheel bolts to arrive. Also going to pull mid plate off of T56 and check run out relative to bell housing and adapter plate.

Laying out approach for tunnel surgery also.

[Rucumn]

installed flywheel, clutch, and bell housing.

[Rucumn]

Trial fitting trans to approximate floor cuts. It just looks like it will fit without completely cutting the tunnel.

First clearance issues were the aluminum ears on the tranny as others have called out. I cut them off where I could see possible interference.

[Rucumn]

Next area of obvious interference is the shifter portion of the tail shaft.





So first tunnel cut was for the shifter section. Had to make the opening large enough for my forward offset shifter and the console tunnel hump.

[Rucumn]

It has been awhile, some slow progress has been made. I am just not finding the time to get out there with spring here.

So, I came to the conclusion that the tunnel was going to have to be cut no matter what. I did sort of approach it in a different manner, but I will likely end up where everyone else has been. My dilemma is that I don't really want to be welding in the car unless I am going to go through the extra work of taking the rest of the interior out and covering all the glass.

You can see in this picture that I first relieved the section of the tunnel that had contact which was just rear of the bell housing.


Then I did have to cut down the center cuz although it fit once all my driveline angles were set, it was within millimeters in some spots which would have been noisy going down the road. So, I will split the tunnel and add around 1.25" of metal in the center and then reform a piece toward the firewall and back near the shifter.

[Rucumn]

I had to modify my cross member also and that was kind of a bear of a job, but a came up with a unique approach to that as well. First, I determined that the rubber mount from the 700R4 had the same bolt pattern, so it attached right to the T56. Then I used a straight edge to extend from the tranny mount boss out toward the rear of the output shaft. I then measured from the centerline of the output shaft down to the straight edge. Comparing these same measurements to the 700R4 I came up with a difference of around 1.375". From this difference, I cut the mounting pad off the cross member and then flipped it and reworded to the crossmember to give me this extra 1.375" drop.



The next issue I had was that with the T56 being a bit longer and bulkier at the back, i just couldn't get enough clearance to get the crossmember in and out. So came up with an idea to modify one side and mount a heft angle iron to the frame that I can bolt to.

[Rucumn]

Here are the next steps:

Add the metal to expand the tunnel.....thinking I am going to just rivet or screw so that I minimize weld splatter damage. Also, if I want to return it to original some day it will be easy to remove and reform to the original cut.

Pick up driveshaft from shop...currently being shortened 1.5" (from the 700R4 length I was already running).

Fit the manual console floor hump as it will require some pretty serious mods. Along with modifying the shift boot console tunnel.

Waiting on the following parts:
- F-body Quik Stik forward offset 4.1" shifter
- Boot, retainer, shift console tunnel
- Dakota Digital speedo electric to manual speedo box
- 6 speed shift plate for console top plate
- Hurst shifter for T56
- white 6 speed shifter ball

A lot to do before Power Tour 2017!!! Plus I won't be around for more than a week....

[outragis]

Looking good, I am using a lt1 t56 in my 68 Nova with a 496 bb, I wonder if that plate would work with my transmission? I would love to use a 168 tooth flywheel with bigger clutch! Im using the rear position shifter, because I moved my seats back 4"!

[AU Doc]

Keep the updates coming!

I'm still hoping I won't have to do any tunnel surgery, but I have a feeling it's inevitable.