Well, after about 10 hours of cutting the new floors, modifying my trans cross member, cussing and fighting, the new G-Force 6 speed transmission is in the car :yes: The next step will be to fabricate a removable tunnel cover. I will use Zues fasteners to keep it tight to the floor and to allow easy removal in the future. There is virtually no way to get this transmission in from underneath. With the modifications I have made I can pull the tranny in about 10 minutes. I also installed Second Skin Damplifier Pro sound deadener throughout the interior and inside the doors. I installed it on the deck lid as well prior to installing a new package tray. This sound deadener really makes a big difference. I especially noticed a difference in the sound of the doors. I will cover the trans tunnel with it as well after I get done fabricating it. Big thanks to my best friend Gordon Warren for hanging in there all day and providing a ton of help!

I got my fill of transmission work for the weekend. Tomorrow I will attempt my first headliner install :D

Looks good Ken, any second thoughts about staying with a th400?

Ken looks awesome! I'm about to get into the same ordeal. Any major setbacks or regrets?

bad ass man :)

6 speed, very cool. I have broken 2 Richmond 6 speeds in my 69 vette....what are the stength capabilities of the G-force 6 speed?? Gear ratios??.

Looks good Ken, any second thoughts about staying with a th400?
Thanks, Bob. No regrets. I decided not to put a roll bar back in the car. No more racing this car. I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
Ken looks awesome! I'm about to get into the same ordeal. Any major setbacks or regrets?
Thanks. Really, it was just a lot of hard work. We had the transmission in and out several times triming and measuring in between. I had to notch the floor a good bit further back (right up to the front cross member) than I originally thought I would in order for the input shaft to clear the face of the bell housing. I also had to lower the mounting point on the transmission cross member by 2" to get the right angle on the driveline. I made a new bracket using 1/8 steel.

bad ass man :)
Thanks!
6 speed, very cool. I have broken 2 Richmond 6 speeds in my 69 vette....what are the stength capabilities of the G-force 6 speed?? Gear ratios??.
The G-Force 6 speed is rated at 800ft lbs. This same transmission has gone 7.98@180+ in a 3,600lbs twin turbo Viper. It should hold up to my measely 800 hp :D

Cost ?? gear ratios you chose ??

This is going behind your new 540 ?? What a killer street car combination. I assume you plan on drag racing it also...what clutch are you going to put it in it?

Cost ?? gear ratios you chose ??

This is going behind your new 540 ?? What a killer street car combination. I assume you plan on drag racing it also...what clutch are you going to put it in it?

The transmission cost $5,695 plus an additional $400 for a modified Lakewood bellhousing. The gear ratios are:

1st - 2.98
2nd - 1.99
3rd - 1.35
4th - 1.00
5th - .77
6th - .51

Yes, this is behind the pump gas 540 that I built last year. The clutch/pressure plate is made by a company called Advanced Clutches:

http://www.advancedclutches.com/

It uses a 10" sintered iron disk, has adjustable plate pressure and centrifugal apply. Should be a pretty fun street car with the EFI. I will run at the track occasionally, but without a roll bar I'm not sure how many full passes I will be able to make. Next year I will tame the cam down a bit (maybe even a hydraulic roller) and go to a lighter spring set. Should be a real cruiser then.

No roll cage?

Edit: Sorry I didn't notice you aren't going to install one. Looks great!

dam ken i would think you would have left the cage in just to keep all the twist out of the car with your set up.your car is going to be alot of fun to drive and im sure you will be talking to alot of people about it as you drive around in it.but i believe you will realy miss racing .

Ken,

Coming along nicely. Just a question....why not put a cage in it? I mean, the floor has already been cut extensively so a couple more holes shouldnèt make a big diff.

I do understand that you may want to load up the kids in the car though so maybe this is the reason.

At any rate, looks real good.

I appreciate everyones comments. Regarding the cage (or lack there off)...
I don't plan to competitively bracket race this car anymore (as in never again). I'm certain I will miss racing as it completely dominated my life for the past several years. Having said that, I don't want to commit the time/resources to running points at this time in my life. To seriouly compete as a bracket racer you need to make every race, and do well in a number of them, in order to qualify for the divisionals.

While my car isn't the caliper of a Foose or Coddington, I've tried to do the very best job I was capable of during this restoration, and I've used the best parts I could afford so as to have something that will perform to my expectations and look real nice. I've beat on this car plenty over the 8 years I've owned it. Now I'm just going to enjoy driving the car and making the occassional jaunt down the 1,320.

As for the floor being cut extensively... Rest assured, I will spare no effort or expense in ensuring the modification is both structurely sound and asthetically pleasing once completed. This car is a resto mod, not a concours show piece. Lastly and most importantly, I'm building the car exactly how I want it to be. It ain't for the masses :thumbsup:

Lookin good Ken .......Damm that's one serious looking trans ...

I put a similar sound deadner in my car but one thing I would do different is run it all the way up the inside of the firewall behind the dash ......mine stops about where yours is .. I think engine noise is amplified because the rest of car so insulated even with a new firewall pad engine noise is realy audible .....if your dash still out give some thought to running more deadner up the inside firewal where you can

Headliner !!!! geez you are a sucker for punishment ......if you have an early build car you will have the "earmuff" type sail panels ......Good luch getting those installed tight ........hopefully you have a mid year 66 and the sail panels are all one piece .even so I helped my installer do mine and it was tedious ........neat trick I saw him do on mine was use some of that white fluffy furniture stuffing to glued to roof insulation when you stretch the liner over that it really gives it a tight pronounced look at each section FWIW

Thanks, Bill. Yes, this transmission is a bad mo-fo. The throws on the shifter (Long shifter) are incredibly close. I can't wait to get it on the road.

I have about 5-6 sheets of the sound deadener left. I intend to cover the remainder of the firewall as well as under the dash. I'm also going to put some inside the front part of the rear quarter (behind the quarter glass). I just haven't had time to finish it yet (I never realized how much work one of these projects entailed).

I'm glad you mentioned the ear muff. My car is a February car and should have the ear muff. That's what came in the kit I bought for it. I don't think I've ever seen one installed. You wouldn't happen to have any pictures would you?

Thanks!

Ken,
looks good, you mentioned this will be removable, is there going to be an easily removable section of carpet specifically for this?
Not a bad idea, and i wouldn't mind having something similar just around the bellhousing in my car, as long as it was very neat, and the dzus fasteners couldn't be seen from the engine bay.

Ken,
looks good, you mentioned this will be removable, is there going to be an easily removable section of carpet specifically for this?
Not a bad idea, and i wouldn't mind having something similar just around the bellhousing in my car, as long as it was very neat, and the dzus fasteners couldn't be seen from the engine bay.

Thanks, Brian. I'm not planning on r&r the tranny on a regular basis (famous last words, lol). I haven't given any thought to a removable section of carpet. The carpet in a Chevelle comes in two piece. The front section stops at the forward front seat mounts. Removing that section would entail removing both sill plates and kick panels (not really a big deal).

Speaking of fasteners.... Do you know of any specific fasteners for this application? I've seen the DZUS hood fasteners. I'm hoping they make something that is a little lower profile (e.g., maybe .375" or so).

I'm glad you mentioned the ear muff. My car is a February car and should have the ear muff. That's what came in the kit I bought for it. I don't think I've ever seen one installed. You wouldn't happen to have any pictures would you?




OK good idea with the deadener ....put it over the inner rear wheel wells too .....I'm pissed I did not do the inner firewall .....I dont have a heater box and i can hear evrry mechanical movement innthe motor

Ear Muff headliner .....!!!!! assume the headliner in your was not original so you dont have the old parts to remove so you can tell how it was installed ........ basically the sail panel gets installed first like a late car then the small piece installs over the headliner material the clips/ pins fit into the cardboard stiffener that the earmuffs have under the material and you pierce the headliner into holes in the roof brace ......... real pain to get it to fit tight and stay in place ........If I recall he used a heat gun to massage the sailpanel into a curve ........it realy is a nice fit when its done ......I can take a pic of my car and will look and see if i have any pics of that part of roof before the headliner install ..........do you have all the stock cardboard filler stuff behinf the sail panel ??

Give me a couple of hours I going back inthe garage to finish will get some pics later some more details hopefully will come back to me
Thanks![/quote]

I'm glad you mentioned the ear muff. My car is a February car and should have the ear muff. That's what came in the kit I bought for it. I don't think I've ever seen one installed. You wouldn't happen to have any pictures would you?




OK good idea with the deadener ....put it over the inner rear wheel wells too .....I'm pissed I did not do the inner firewall .....I dont have a heater box and i can hear evrry mechanical movement innthe motor

Ear Muff headliner .....!!!!! assume the headliner in your was not original so you dont have the old parts to remove so you can tell how it was installed ........ basically the sail panel gets installed first like a late car then the small piece installs over the headliner material the clips/ pins fit into the cardboard stiffener that the earmuffs have under the material and you pierce the headliner into holes in the roof brace ......... real pain to get it to fit tight and stay in place ........If I recall he used a heat gun to massage the sailpanel into a curve ........it realy is a nice fit when its done ......I can take a pic of my car and will look and see if i have any pics of that part of roof before the headliner install ..........do you have all the stock cardboard filler stuff behinf the sail panel ??

Give me a couple of hours I going back inthe garage to finish will get some pics later some more details hopefully will come back to me
Thanks![/QUOTE]

Thanks, Bill. I appreciate your help as always. The sail panel cardboard that I took out was pretty beat so I tossed it (it was warped). I need to buy some aftermarket ones I suppose. Any pictures you have would be great!

I don't want to commit the time/resources to running points at this time in my life.

Lastly and most importantly, I'm building the car exactly how I want it to be. It ain't for the masses :thumbsup:

Very well said. A man who knows what he wants in life. Cool....:beers:

Thanks, Brian. I'm not planning on r&r the tranny on a regular basis (famous last words, lol). I haven't given any thought to a removable section of carpet. The carpet in a Chevelle comes in two piece. The front section stops at the forward front seat mounts. Removing that section would entail removing both sill plates and kick panels (not really a big deal).

Speaking of fasteners.... Do you know of any specific fasteners for this application? I've seen the DZUS hood fasteners. I'm hoping they make something that is a little lower profile (e.g., maybe .375" or so).

They make two different size Dzus fasteners, and two different lengths.

Only thing i have ever seen for this is Dzus fasteners, or stainless button head (allen key) machine screws....which might look nice with Flanged nuts TIG welded to the inside of the edge of the tunnel. I would also roll the edge on the trans tunnel and the factory floor, it looks much nicer.

Ken, did not have your correct e-mail ....posted pics in my Showroom ......you will notice in pic of my car ( bronze Interior the trim moulding along bottom of sailpanel and you cant see it but there is a mld at end of package tray ......both these mld help alot in getting the ear muff to stay put ..........alot of work with heat gun and spray glue ........Have fun ........I posted a pic of a black interior one that does not fit so well I know the car and the mlds were missing .let me know if you need more info .one thing I did not have a pic of is the clips that fit inthe ear muff cardboard that push thru the main sailpanel

Looks sweet man, I'm definitely going to look at that outfit when my current tranny takes the proverbial crap here soon. Since you said you wont be removing the tranny a lot, which would be suprising if you had to anyway... lol, you don't really have to have quick fasteners like those you mentioned would you?

I would use those low profile 10mm body fasteners like new vehicles use, shallow head, wide shoulder. After the jute padding and the carpet, you'd barely notice. Heck, that's still be pretty quick to get out.

That looks great. That tranny looks huge in their but I am sure the picture is adding a few pounds to it (lol). We went with a Mcleod twin behind our 540 and I have never heard of this clutch company. I like the idea of it being adjustable too. As for the cage, I can understand not wanting one for a street car. We opted to not put one in her car. They limit putting anyone in the back seat and they can just get in the way. With the power you are making, you won't get to make but a handful of passes before you get an invite to the lecture hall at your local track. But it's your car and you make of it what you want. That is why I love a resto mod.

The transmission cost $5,695 plus an additional $400 for a modified Lakewood bellhousing. The gear ratios are:

1st - 2.98
2nd - 1.99
3rd - 1.35
4th - 1.00
5th - .77
6th - .51

Yes, this is behind the pump gas 540 that I built last year. The clutch/pressure plate is made by a company called Advanced Clutches:

http://www.advancedclutches.com/

It uses a 10" sintered iron disk, has adjustable plate pressure and centrifugal apply. Should be a pretty fun street car with the EFI. I will run at the track occasionally, but without a roll bar I'm not sure how many full passes I will be able to make. Next year I will tame the cam down a bit (maybe even a hydraulic roller) and go to a lighter spring set. Should be a real cruiser then.

i have a few questions about the bell housing. do you go with a hydro throw out bearing? is there a spacer that is being used? i came across a t56 out of a viper and maybe this is a good way to use it. do they sell the bellhousing seperate or only if your buying a tranny from them. do you have any pics? thanks
are they using a spacer

Looks good, Ken! Everything about this car is first class. :thumbsup:

Ken, did not have your correct e-mail ....posted pics in my Showroom ......you will notice in pic of my car ( bronze Interior the trim moulding along bottom of sailpanel and you cant see it but there is a mld at end of package tray ......both these mld help alot in getting the ear muff to stay put ..........alot of work with heat gun and spray glue ........Have fun ........I posted a pic of a black interior one that does not fit so well I know the car and the mlds were missing .let me know if you need more info .one thing I did not have a pic of is the clips that fit inthe ear muff cardboard that push thru the main sailpanel

I got the link to the pics, Bill. Thanks again for that. Your headliner looks awesome. Not sure mine will turn out that nice, but I'm willing to give it a try anyway.

Looks sweet man, I'm definitely going to look at that outfit when my current tranny takes the proverbial crap here soon. Since you said you wont be removing the tranny a lot, which would be suprising if you had to anyway... lol, you don't really have to have quick fasteners like those you mentioned would you?

I would use those low profile 10mm body fasteners like new vehicles use, shallow head, wide shoulder. After the jute padding and the carpet, you'd barely notice. Heck, that's still be pretty quick to get out.
Thanks, Skeeve (name?). I hope this transmission will love up to my expectations. As far as I know there isn't a stronger 6 speed being built. It began life as a Viper core, and those trannies are pretty stout to begin with.

I don't plan on taking the transmission in and out a bunch, but I do like the idea of a quick release fastener for the occassions when I may need to access it. I'm going to see what sort of options are available and go from there.
That looks great. That tranny looks huge in their but I am sure the picture is adding a few pounds to it (lol). We went with a Mcleod twin behind our 540 and I have never heard of this clutch company. I like the idea of it being adjustable too. As for the cage, I can understand not wanting one for a street car. We opted to not put one in her car. They limit putting anyone in the back seat and they can just get in the way. With the power you are making, you won't get to make but a handful of passes before you get an invite to the lecture hall at your local track. But it's your car and you make of it what you want. That is why I love a resto mod.

Thanks, Slopar. The tranny is indeed large (28" long) especially when you factor in the bell housing (another 6" or so deep). I know all about being called to the tower for running under. Several years ago I managed to make it into the third round of eliminations running 10.70s and no bar before another racer ratted me out :D I can't blame them for turning me in. The rules are in place for a reason.
i have a few questions about the bell housing. do you go with a hydro throw out bearing? is there a spacer that is being used? i came across a t56 out of a viper and maybe this is a good way to use it. do they sell the bellhousing seperate or only if your buying a tranny from them. do you have any pics? thanks
are they using a spacer
You can use a hydraulic clutch setup. I opted not to do so. My clutch guy said he would prefer to see me use manual linkage. I did buy spherical rod ended linkage to provide a more rigid structure and more precision movement.

The bell housing can be purchased separately. There is also an adapter that bolts to the face of the stock T56 case. I'm sure G-Force would sell the adapter, however I'm not sure what sort of maching is involved (if any) to mate the adapter to the face of the tranny. Call them at the link below and speak to Bubba:

http://www.gforcetransmissions.com/contactus.asp

They make two different size Dzus fasteners, and two different lengths.

Only thing i have ever seen for this is Dzus fasteners, or stainless button head (allen key) machine screws....which might look nice with Flanged nuts TIG welded to the inside of the edge of the tunnel. I would also roll the edge on the trans tunnel and the factory floor, it looks much nicer.

Thanks, Brian. It looks like most of the Dzus fasteners are .450"-.550" thick. I think if I roll both edges (floor and trans tunner cover) the DZUS fasteners might work nicely. Having double the thickess would also make it easier to weld the bottom of the fasteners in.

You can do that too...if you decide to go the dzus route, you can just drill holes and dimple the floor then install the dzus springs by riveting them, much easier then welding in the dzus tabs.