t-56?
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... not without tunnel modifications.
Dave
hmm...guess i better look into whether or not i'll be able to do it with my daily driver lol. i'll prolly just swap a t5 in there and wait till i'm out of college for anything more. the c4 didn't shift into 2nd till i hit 45 mph, and that can't be good on gas lol
The tunnel mod is not necessarily required. I have a T56 in my 65 FB. I used the Darkhorse kit and the tunnel piece supplied is still in my garage. It takes a bit of doing and some massaging of the existing tunnel but it can be done and you can end up with the correct driveshaft pinion angle. Mine is dead on at 3 degrees. The advantage in the end is that you do not have to go with custom rugs and you can use your center console.
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As someone who is looking into putting a T56 into his '66, do you have any additional info on the Darkhorse kit? I wonder what they did differently that no one else seems to be able to offer...
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Whether you "massage" or cut, some mods will be required....
The only way I'm aware of to not modifying the tunnel when fitting the larger T-56, is to drop the engine lower in the mounts....
Something has to "give" to keep the driveline angle within acceptable parameters (3 degrees)... either the rear of the trans needs to go "up" or the front of the engine needs to go "down".
It's much easier to mod the tunnel to get the rear of the trans up than it is to get the front of the engine down.
What makes you think DarkHorse isn't selling the T-56/Authorized Tremac Dealer? Have you talked to Fred?
Dave
The only way I'm aware of to not modifying the tunnel when fitting the larger T-56, is to drop the engine lower in the mounts....
Something has to "give" to keep the driveline angle within acceptable parameters (3 degrees)... either the rear of the trans needs to go "up" or the front of the engine needs to go "down".
It's much easier to mod the tunnel to get the rear of the trans up than it is to get the front of the engine down.
What makes you think DarkHorse isn't selling the T-56/Authorized Tremac Dealer? Have you talked to Fred?
Dave
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There's no up and down adjustment on the small block TCP motor mounts. They're fixed. I'm not sure about the BB mounts...
When we installed a TKO600 last year, we used the TCP mounts. Supposedly, the TCP mounts lower the engine enough to preclude making any tunnel modifications, but this is debatable. However, FWIW, we did use the TCP mounts and we didn't have to mod the tunnel... I don't know how it would have fit if we had tried using stock mounts... we didn't try it...
Dave
When we installed a TKO600 last year, we used the TCP mounts. Supposedly, the TCP mounts lower the engine enough to preclude making any tunnel modifications, but this is debatable. However, FWIW, we did use the TCP mounts and we didn't have to mod the tunnel... I don't know how it would have fit if we had tried using stock mounts... we didn't try it...
Dave
Dave,
You are right that "something has to give." In my case by using the TCP mounts and just a little massaging it worked. My angle is dead on at 3 degrees. I think it is better than modifying the tunnel because I did not have to go to custom rugs and my center console fit like it was designed to fit. Except for the Hurst shifter and ball w/the 6 speed double H you'd never know. The whole car was apart anyway so putting in TCP mounts seemed a lot easier than cutting & welding in the new tunnel piece. Although my car will never again be stock someone who wants to put in a 6 speed rather than a 5 speed and thinks someday he may want to go back to stock, for whatever reason, changing the motor mounts back to stock is a lot easier than cutting out the tunnel and welding back in the old piece. But either way will work. My only point was that you can install the T56 w/o cutting the tunnel and still end up with the correct pinion angle.
As for Darkhorse I cannot remember where I heard it but if you go on his website he no longer states he is a Tremec dealer and it seems he no longer offers the T56 kit.
You are right that "something has to give." In my case by using the TCP mounts and just a little massaging it worked. My angle is dead on at 3 degrees. I think it is better than modifying the tunnel because I did not have to go to custom rugs and my center console fit like it was designed to fit. Except for the Hurst shifter and ball w/the 6 speed double H you'd never know. The whole car was apart anyway so putting in TCP mounts seemed a lot easier than cutting & welding in the new tunnel piece. Although my car will never again be stock someone who wants to put in a 6 speed rather than a 5 speed and thinks someday he may want to go back to stock, for whatever reason, changing the motor mounts back to stock is a lot easier than cutting out the tunnel and welding back in the old piece. But either way will work. My only point was that you can install the T56 w/o cutting the tunnel and still end up with the correct pinion angle.
As for Darkhorse I cannot remember where I heard it but if you go on his website he no longer states he is a Tremec dealer and it seems he no longer offers the T56 kit.
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There's the problem... the DarkHorse website is hosed. The only Ford application listed is for a Falcon.... Give Fred or Linda a call, AFAIK, they're still a TKO dealer and still putting together great Mustang conversion packages. I've told him he needs to fix his website, but he says he's too busy.
Dave
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I'll say so. Do a Google Search for "Dark Horse Performance" and you'll see that the title for them is "default meta tag description"...DaveSanborn said:
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http://www.ddperformance.com/
Ask to speak with Don Walsh.
Don't get too excited about tunnel mods, you won't be doing many.
It'll fit relatively easiy in a 65FB...Essentially just resection a 4" x 6" portion at the top of the tunnel and make room for the shifter.
Don makes a custom aluminum mid plate (aka bellhousing) that will bolt up very very nicely to your SBF.
Someone should be able to fab you up a crossmember.
Ask to speak with Don Walsh.
Don't get too excited about tunnel mods, you won't be doing many.
It'll fit relatively easiy in a 65FB...Essentially just resection a 4" x 6" portion at the top of the tunnel and make room for the shifter.
Don makes a custom aluminum mid plate (aka bellhousing) that will bolt up very very nicely to your SBF.
Someone should be able to fab you up a crossmember.
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