Difference between Keisler tko Mopar and tko for gm ?

[Haddixj]

I have been searching around lately and want to put a tko600 in my car with a juice clutch amd have found the trans for around 2300$ on eBay for gm/ford. QuickTime makes a bellhousing for 600$ to convert ford to new hemi (what im running) I know the tunnel will have to modified this seems like a way to save money and still get the same trans. I did see on their website that the shifter fits the factory location so that's a plus.
Thoughts?

[moprr]

The shifter will end up in the center of the crossmember.  You would need to cut the crossmember to clear the tranny.  If you look at the mopar specific tranny it is machined down at the rear.  You can install the gm version that is  the way I went only because I got a tranny and quick time bell really chaep.  This is alot of work and the car needs to be cut up so price it out before you go this way it is not worth it if you are only saving a few hundred dollars

[Haddixj]

I throug the Kisler trans required modifying also? So the gm trans fits better as far as shifted location where does the shifter end up? I thought they made adjustable shifters to help locate them? What pilot bearig did you use for the gm trans?

[moprr]

The keisler e body tranny is machined to clear the cross member  Keisler is not the only one with modified trannies. My shifter ended up center of the crossmember (no good).  You can get offset shifters but there is still interference with the crossmember.  If you want the shifter at the original location you would nee a modified tranny.  There is a member here bigblue73 (Tony Edler) he can supply you with many parts,  that is were I got my pilot bearing.  He will probably chime in on this and is very helpful. 

[Haddixj]

Thanks for the input so far. Did you build your own console? And do you have any pics of where your shifter ended up? How much of the floor did you have to cut and modify or do you have a build thread I could go through? Thanks

[bigblue73]

The installation of a Tremec into an E-Body using a non-modified transmission tail housing will require major modifications to your chassis.

Your first question regarding Ford Vs. GM transmission - The Ford based TKO has a different input shaft length that better suits the installation of a custom roller pilot bearing into the torque converter register.  That is it.
The next item would be the bell housing.  The standard depth mopar bell housing works with the Ford based TKO however Quicktime has a bell housing to work with the Chevrolet to Mopar application.  The cost difference between the Ford and Chevy TKO's is ZERO!  They cost the same, they use the same 1 1/8-26 spline, etc.

The value added that any of the aftermarket transmission companies provide are the modifications that are required to the tail housing to offset the shifter to the correct E-Body location and also fit under the torsion bar / floor pan support.  The tail housing requires milling to remove the stock shifter locations that are cast into the Tremec.  An internal shifter rod is required to extend out the back of the transmission for the offset shifter.   The shifter is offset 3 inches left and 4 inches back.  This requires a "Bracket" to bolt a shifter to.  A linkage - Please pay attention to the connection method as this effects the shifting of the transmission - is required to connect the now-external shifter rod to the shifter.  As you can imagine, there are a bunch of modifications to the Tremec TKO tail housing to fit into the chassis of an E-Body.  This is where the price escalates.

I'm not saying that you can't take a stock TKO and get into the E-Body.  You can....however you will cut and modify your car.  It's entirely up to you.  Feel free to ask more questions and I'll answer them the best that I can.

[Haddixj]

How much do you have to cut and where does the shifter end up? I am short so if it's forward that's fine for me and the tunnel isn't an issue if I can save a few grand on the trans. My car is an auto now so I have to put the hump for the 4 speed in regardless. So far I am just looking at collecting parts as they come up. Thanks for your help

[brads70]

All I know is the Keisler one will take you 6 months to get after you have paid!  .... that was my experiance anyhow.

[Haddixj]

Damn really? What the price of the trans?

[blknout]

I have been researching this swap for a few months. I got alot of mesurment off the internet and what parts to use, and what to modify. I will be starting a thread this winter when i start the install and i will include lots of pics and detailed parts list.

[brads70]

Damn really? What the price of the trans?

Just over 5K.... I got the auto OD kit. Car was up on jackstands all summer waiting for Keisler to get me all the parts I paid for in April. I just got it back on the road last week!  Be careful!   Do your homework!

[bigblue73]

The cost of a new TKO is around $2200.00 - that is stock unmodified. 

Things that you will need that are Mopar specific:
Bell Housing - SB or BB you never did say.
clutch disc - to 26 spline.
drive shaft mod - Local drive shaft shop can do this.
roller pilot bearing
cross member
Ford poly trans. mount.
Mopar Speed-O cable.

Please note that an alternative to offsetting the shifter is to use the "B" or mid-pod position.  You will still have to modified the tail housing to fit in the chassis by removing the back shifter mounting boss and plugging the oil drain back hole in the top.  You will need to purchase the mid shifter as an option on top of the transmission.  You would have to either use a Mopar 71-74 B-Body non-console pistol grip or make your own stick.

This is not rocket science but please research this to death.  By doing it yourself you take on the head aches and heart aches when those 17 needle bearings fall into the case.....and all the other little things that can crop up.  If you have the time - go for it.  I'll help you out the best that I can.

[Haddixj]

I appreciate all the advice and my engine is a 6.1 hemi. So I have found the QuickTime bellhousing and stuff and I heard you can set me up with the rest of the parts so I would get them fr you as far modifying the back of the trans my neighbor is a machinist with a something axis mill he may be able to mill these things off for me. I could weld up a plug in the case if I had to with my tig welder or add whatever bosses and bracing required to get it done. Does anyone have A few pics or measurements of what needs to be removed? If I could spend some time Milling and fabbing stuff up I wouldnt mind. Keeping it contained in the factory 4 speed hump would be ideal and if I could run a factory console even better. Thanks again

[Mopar_Mudder]

I will bet it is one of these things that sounds good in the begining. But buy the time you buy: clutch, flywheel, bell housing, crossmember, shifter, shifter handle, speedo cable, tranny mount, ect......

You will find out that you didn't save much over buying the entire kit, and then you have something that fits. I can tell you that my TKO600 from Bigblue fit perfect, the shifter lined up right in the stock location like it is suppose to. Only mod needed was making the hump a little bigger on the passanger side floor area, and you are going to have to do that no mater what.

[blknout]

you have to mill the shifter mounting down to the shift rod like the pic i included