| The Tremec TKO is a great choice for retrofitting | | | | you are fabricating a new crossmember. |
| into the old muscle cars, but it isn't quite a direct | | | | The TKO at 24.07" long is not exactly the same |
| bolt-in replacement for a four speed. There are a | | | | length as any factory four speed, although it is very |
| few areas that will require modification and/or | | | | close to some versions of the Ford Toploader. Plan |
| custom parts for a TKO conversion into any muscle | | | | on either having your old driveshaft modified or |
| car. | | | | having a new one built to work with the TKO. The |
| The Tremec TKO's three rail internal shift mechanism | | | | TKO requires a Ford C6 pattern 31-spline slip yoke, |
| is positioned at the top of the transmission, making it | | | | but there are slip yokes available that will adapt the |
| taller, wider and flatter across the top than most of | | | | TKO to common 1310, 1330 or 1350 universal joints. |
| the old four speeds that were common in the 1960s | | | | You may want to keep your original driveshaft intact |
| and 1970s. Some cars such as the 1967-1981 | | | | in case you ever decide to sell your car and want to |
| Camaros and Firebirds typically have ample room to | | | | convert it back to the original configuration. |
| install a TKO without any tunnel modifications. Other | | | | Most four speed transmissions use a solid bronze pilot |
| muscle cars have transmission tunnels that are barely | | | | bushing in the crankshaft, but a roller pilot bearing is a |
| big enough for the old four speeds, and will interfere | | | | good idea with almost any transmission. The TKO |
| with the TKO. Body mounts that are in bad condition | | | | requires one. Make sure you install a roller pilot |
| will make things worse, so make sure your body | | | | bearing along with the TKO. |
| mounts are in good shape before installing a TKO. | | | | The Tremec TKO has tapered roller bearings |
| Some cars can get by with just dimpling the | | | | supporting the input shaft, and is designed with |
| transmission tunnel in a few areas, but on others | | | | relatively tight tolerances. It doesn't have the "slop" in |
| there just isn't any way to get around cutting the | | | | the input shaft that the old 4-speed transmissions |
| tunnel and reshaping new sheetmetal around the | | | | have. Tremec requires that you perform a bellhousing |
| transmission. However, the modifications can almost | | | | runout check to make sure that the transmission is |
| always be covered by the factory carpet, and with a | | | | properly aligned with the crankshaft. If you have |
| console may be completely invisible from inside the | | | | more than 0.005" of misalignment, you will need to |
| car. | | | | install offset dowel pins to correct it. |
| Your transmission crossmember or its location will | | | | Some cars have other challenges to overcome, such |
| have to be modified in some way due to the mount | | | | as the torsion bar front suspension on Mopar muscle |
| pad location on the TKO being further rearward than | | | | cars. The support structure that the rear ends of the |
| the mount pad on most four speeds. On some cars | | | | torsion bars attach to interferes with the TKO. A |
| you can just move the crossmember further back on | | | | Mopar installation will either require a specially modified |
| the frame rails and drill new holes, but others may | | | | transmission, a serious amount of fabrication and |
| require sectioning your factory crossmember and | | | | reinforcing after removing the torsion bar support |
| welding it back together, or possibly fabricating a | | | | structure, or a new front suspension that eliminates |
| new one. Before removing your old transmission, it is | | | | the torsion bars altogether. |
| wise to record the height of the transmission output | | | | The areas of concern above are common to almost |
| shaft relative to some fixed point on the car so that | | | | all TKO installations. Even considering these obstacles, |
| you have a reference point to shoot for when | | | | the benefits of increased fuel mileage and decreased |
| modifying your crossmember or building a new one. | | | | noise, heat and engine wear are worth the effort if |
| The transmission height may need to be raised or | | | | you plan on driving your muscle car any further than |
| lowered slightly in the end in order to obtain | | | | just across town very often! |
| acceptable driveline angles, so keep that in mind if | | | | |