Tremendous 5 Speed

[wtatoy]

Anyone convert to a tremendous 5 speed, any thoughts, regrets? L

[737driver]

I put a TKO 600 5 speed in my 72 Firebird. I really love it ! Has a 3.23 rear axle ratio with a .64 fifth gear. All the ratios provide great shift points. Works great all the way around. 5 th gear at 70 mph at about 1900 rpm.
Jim

[JJ 109]

What’s a tremendous 5 speed?

[ryeguy2006a]

probably autocorrect for Tremec haha

[scarebird]

I ran the 0.82 OD TKO-600 and 3.08 gears

If I did it over I would run the 0.67 OD and 3.42 or 3.55's. 

I did have 3.42's and it would lunge fiercely off the line - a STi found this not to his liking one day!

[wtatoy]

probably autocorrect for Tremec haha

Yup lovely auto correct lol

[JJ 109]

T56 with 373s. Perfect set up for me.

[tajoe]

I ran the 0.82 OD TKO-600 and 3.08 gears

If I did it over I would run the 0.67 OD and 3.42 or 3.55's. 

I did have 3.42's and it would lunge fiercely off the line - an STi found this not to his liking one day!

"STI" (?) Isn't that a Volkswagon? 

[71455formula]

I ran the 0.82 OD TKO-600 and 3.08 gears

If I did it over I would run the 0.67 OD and 3.42 or 3.55's. 

I did have 3.42's and it would lunge fiercely off the line - an STi found this not to his liking one day!

"STI" (?) Isn't that a Volkswagon? 

STI is a Subaru or medical issue
GTIis for VW.

I'm running a t56 with 3.42s and love it. I think if i would change one thing; it would be goin to 3.73s or 3.90s.

My dad is running a tko600 with the .62 5th and 3.55s in his 70TA and loves it. He can get out on a cruise with it more.

[tajoe]

I did have 3.42's and it would lunge fiercely off the line - an STi found this not to his liking one day![/color]

"STI" (?) Isn't that a Volkswagon?  [/quote]

STI is a Subaru or medical issue
GTIis for VW.
[/quote]

I'm still not understanding the context of the phrase. "STI" not to "HIS liking. ????
As if an STI is a person. Too many new words to learn. I've already lost the words "far-out", and groovy" in my vocabulary.
Had to have the response, "word" explained to me. And it bugs me to no end to hear my 25 yr old daughters saying "like" after every other word in a sentence.
And with the computers on the phones, no-one wants (or can) write out the entire word, (cause the buttons are so small), so everything is abbreviated. "OMG", OFN, ect. ect. Now I need to learn what an STI is. I do know what an "STD" is , and not just an abbreviation to the word "standard".

[Jeremy]

I run a tremec with the .68 OD and 3.08 gears with a 455.  I had 3.73's in it and first gear was too much combined gearing for me.  With the 3.08's I can get to a little over 60 mph in 2nd gear.  With the 3.73's I had to shift into third to reach 60.

For me, 4th gear and the 455 is all the fun I can have on the street.  Back roads are a blast--leave it in 4th and do whatever you want.  No need to shift from 45 to 70.

Cruises at a nice rpm in 5th.  I have gotten 24 mpg on flat interstate with the AC on on several occasions.  Most highway trips are 20 plus no problem.

In my opinion, best modification I have made.

[ryeguy2006a]

I did have 3.42's and it would lunge fiercely off the line - an STi found this not to his liking one day![/color]

"STI" (?) Isn't that a Volkswagon? 

STI is a Subaru or medical issue
GTIis for VW.
[/quote]

I'm still not understanding the context of the phrase. "STI" not to "HIS liking. ????
As if an STI is a person. Too many new words to learn. I've already lost the words "far-out", and groovy" in my vocabulary.
Had to have the response, "word" explained to me. And it bugs me to no end to hear my 25 yr old daughters saying "like" after every other word in a sentence.
And with the computers on the phones, no-one wants (or can) write out the entire word, (cause the buttons are so small), so everything is abbreviated. "OMG", OFN, ect. ect. Now I need to learn what an STI is. I do know what an "STD" is , and not just an abbreviation to the word "standard".
[/quote]

Haha, STI is not a person or slang term. Rather it is a model for a car. Look up what a Subaru WRX STI is. Very impressive car.

[tajoe]

OMG. I know, I'm slow. I finally get it. Thanks.

[71455formula]

I grew up with using the acronym std, but they changed it to sti for some reason.

Back to the trans and gearing.

My t56 is an older one with the 2.66 first and .50 6th gear. 4th gear with a 455 is so much fun at any speed. It just pulls and pulls.

[scarebird]

This is an STI.  They are rarely stock and really move off the line due to their turbo AWD. 

Trifle with them at your peril.

[tajoe]

Too many door handles.

[scarebird]

That may be so, but all 4 will cross the finish line before most Trans Ams.

[JJ 109]

Who cars. Take it to the Subaru forum.

[Fbird]

That may be so, but all 4 will cross the finish line before most Trans Ams.

YUP...and sound "funny" doing it...lol

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

That may be so, but all 4 will cross the finish line before most Trans Ams.

YUP...and sound "funny" doing it...lol

Word. You can make a Yugo go fast, but you can't make it look and/or sound good.

[tajoe]

LOL. "Yugo". I haven't heard that in a while...(fortunately).
You know why they came with a heated rear hatch window? To keep your hands warm in the winter, as your pushing it to the side of the road.
(Now we're sure to hear from the members who owned them, and went 12 second quarter miles, and ran 200K)

[firebirdparts]

I hate to see a thread with an awesome title such as this die such an ugly death.

[firebirdparts]

You all may have already seen this, but somebody just posted some pictures comparing the TKX to a saginaw 3 speed on facebook, and it does look like the TKX is a little nicer fit in old cars, which is what it was made for.  I'm not sure when this came out.  Youtube date is about 1 year ago to the day.  Supposed to be compact, great shifting, and 600 ft-lb.  5 gears with 3 ratio options for GM and 4 options for Ford.

Picture here from FB shows they had the offset shifter on it.  I take this is optional.

There are some other comparison videos on Youtube.

[tajoe]

Looks like the driveshaft would have-ta be cut. Wonder about the crossmember. Good comparison picture tho Joe.

[firebirdparts]

They use the same case for Ford/Chevy but it does look close enough on the mount. 

Here's another view from the same guy (Adam Hoffman) vs. the T-5 he took out.  The TKX is really heavy-duty on the bellhousing end, and it's a little on the big side, but more compact than a T-5.  So it's good, but it did hit the tunnel on his car, which is a first-gen firebird.  That flat plate in front of the shifter is an alternate shifter location.  he says the TKX is about an inch too tall compared to the old Saginaw.

[firebirdparts]

Here's another view of reality:
https://americanpowertrain.com/shop/transmission-kits/1975-81-f-body-camaro-firebird-5-speed-kit/
https://americanpowertrain.com/shop/fields/engine-info/1970-74-f-body-camaro-firebird-5-speed-kit/

[737driver]

I bought the TKO shortly before the TKX came out. The TKO 600 fit pretty good. From what I read the TKX fits easier, but honestly I had no issues with the TKO fitting into the 2nd Gen. I switched from an automatic to manual and placed the tunnel hump in the factory location. The only issue I had was the cross member I got in the conversion kit. The crossmember had two location to mount the rear transmission mount. One position was too high, the second position was too low. I ended up making a simple riser block that was 1” high. This put the transmission at the right angle in relation to the driveshaft angle and rear pinion angle.
I contacted American power train and explained this to them. I was told their original crossmember had three positions but switched to a new design. Either way it wasn’t anything difficult to change or modify.
If an original driveshaft is used it will have to be modified to work due to the spline shaft and length of the driveshaft. The conversion kit included a new driveshaft so I didn’t have to worry about that.

Overall I was pretty satisfied with the TKO conversion, in comparison to the TKX I would say the installation is similar to the TKO600.

Jim

[ryeguy2006a]

They use the same case for Ford/Chevy but it does look close enough on the mount. 

Here's another view from the same guy (Adam Hoffman) vs. the T-5 he took out.  The TKX is really heavy-duty on the bellhousing end, and it's a little on the big side, but more compact than a T-5.  So it's good, but it did hit the tunnel on his car, which is a first-gen firebird.  That flat plate in front of the shifter is an alternate shifter location.  he says the TKX is about an inch too tall compared to the old Saginaw.

I'm pretty sure with some other engine mounts or something he could get the TKX to fit considering I was able to get a T56 Magnum to fit in my Camaro without any cuts to the trans tunnel.

Really cool real world comparison with those transmissions though.

[eschatts]

Does anyone know for tkx is tunnel needs to be modified?  I can’t find anything on YouTube for f body

[poolne1]

No it does not, as i just put one in a 76 Trans Am with no cutting at all. Fit great.

[79T/Aman]

the TKX fits very well with no tunnel mods, the old TKO only had fit issues because some aftermarket cross members put it 3/4" too high.