young olds

not really sure how this tech works but i wanted to add something ive been working on. How to mount an lt1 t56 behind an olds. I used a mcleod 8770-10 bellhousing and a crank bushing for a chevy that originally had a turboglide trans. The bushing pressed right into the existing hole in the auto crank. the bell housing hold the trans back far enough to work with the bushing and is big enough to clear an olds flywheel. I didnt have any machining done, cut or drill anything.
GOPR0013_zps1874630e.jpg
Maybe this should be in the transmission section? ill leave it up to the mods.

Eric Anderson

Have you put any miles on this setup? Has anyone else tried this setup with any luck?

young olds

I havent ran it yet but i dont fore see any problems, and i hope i dont get any.

The_Jeremiah

Check out my build, I am doing a T56 behind an olds, I used a mcleod 8617 pilot, I have an LT1 T56 trans with an LS input shaft, then I have an adapter plate from the gearbox transmissions that allows me to use an Oldsmobile bellhousing since I already had the lakewood bellhousing. I have lots of pics on the last page

The_Jeremiah

Also I should point out the reason I went with the gearbox adapter plate is because its puts a standard style bearing retainer into the bellhousing which allows me to use a standard throwout and clutch fork, then I plan to have an externally mounted slave cylinder. I have done some searching around, havent found a lot of info, I have been paving my own way on this swap

RetroRanger

sounds pretty cool I would be interested in hearing if there are any issues once you get some miles on it

is it a SBO or BBO and just so I understand its an auto trans crank w no mods ?

RetroRanger

schnikes I just looked up the bell housing !!!! thats some pricey stuff

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mcl-8770-10

allyolds68

Quicktime makes one too for pretty much the same price

Eric Anderson

I was thinking about this setup as the lt1 has the short input shaft it wouldn't need the crank to be drilled as posted. Thist is the first that I have seen it done pretty cool
Also the lt1 t56 transmissions are everywhere pretty cheap. Keep us posted on this one.

Eric Anderson

That pilot bushing The Jeremiah used looks like it would do the trick. Cool stuff I hear you about the lt1 t56 swaps, not a lot out there to go by.

The_Jeremiah

The bellhousing is pretty dang pricey, thats why I went with the adapter plate, and the lakewood scattersheild, I got the lakewood scattershield used though, so I saved a few bucks!

I really like that pilot bushing its a steel sleeve with a bronze bushing inside it, I just miced everything and ordered based on measurements, that bushing is actually made for like a 409 chevy or something, I cant remember. But also you can slide the bronze bushing in the sleeve with a hammer and punch if need be.

I am interested in seeing how this goes down, I have one concern though, isnt the nose cone on the LT1 a funky size? so you pretty much have to use the pull style clutch to make it work, or am I mistaken? I never tried it that way, once I adapted it, it allowed me to use a throwout bearing for a muncie trans basically.

The_Jeremiah

Im interested in an update because your the only other person I know of doing this kind of swap, and you are doing it completely differently from me, so I get a chance to have all the learning, without spending all the money! haha

1964f-85

I machined an aluminum plate that bolts to the stock 4 speed bell housing, i forget how thick, something like 3/8", the adaptor has the Recessed bolts that attach to the muncie holes in the bell housing and it also has the Mustang t-5 mount holes. The thickness of the plate moves the transmission back so the snout of the transmission is the correct depth for the pilot bearing and clutch disc.

Not simple to machine and it took some creativity as some of the bolts interfere with each other. Next time the trans is out i will take measurements and photos.

My set up uses a mustang clutch plate, everything else came from the muncie set up.

Eric Anderson

I believe there is a push type hydraulic throw out conversion.

young olds

It is a bbo, the crank has not been drilled.
yes its pricey but it did what i needed it to do and offers an sfi rating.
I went through your thread before i started my setup. Ive looked into the adapters before and i dont care fore them. I have no need for a clutch fork and i didnt want swap my input. I chose my bushing and bellhousing to accomplish the goal of housing a standard clutch setup for an olds, using the input i already have and having an sfi rating for the track. I am going to run a hydraulic throw out bearing to save room in my car that was never intended to have a bbo and ease of setup. i will post when ive tested it but it will be a while. thanks for the interest and questions, i can get the part number for the bushing if anyone is interested.

young olds

another pic to show what it looks like on the outside
GOPR0011_zps04354903.jpg

The_Jeremiah

Young olds thats looking really good! If I didnt get my lakewood bellhousing for next to nothing at a swap meet, I probably would have done mine exactly like this. Which Internal slave are you thinking of using? When I searched around doing my setup there was lots of controversy over which ones were of the highest quality, that and my Jeep having an internal slave cylinder that has gone bad numerous times led me to use an external slave for mine... if I can make it fit, I might have to can the clutch fork and go with internal, we will see when I get my headers. Keep up the good work my friend, I am very excited for you, I love these transmissions, they were pretty generous with the amount of meat on the gears for strength

The_Jeremiah

Also If its any benefit, When I ordered my clutch, the guys at the parts store don't really look into the books, they just do the computers, and when they looked up clutches for oldsmobiles all the applications I could think of was 10 spline, so I told them like a 79 corvette with a 454 i think, and it was an 11' clutch with 28 splines, bolted right onto the flywheel and the splines fit

young olds

I have not looked into throw out bearings much yet, so ive not decided on one. I havent looked at your thread recently, have you driven your setup yet? Ive never driven anything with a t56 in it before, I chose it for strength out of factory units and that .50 overdrive will help with my 4.30 rear end gears. Thank and same to you

Eric Anderson

I thought the ls1 input shafts were 26 spline.

Eric Anderson

If you could, post it up when you get a chance. x2 on that being a great looking setup. I've been researching t56 options for a little while now and both routes discussed here are really interesting.

young olds

They are 26 spline. In 1972 all munchies went to a 26 spline input, like the m22. So a clutch kit for 72 and later cutlass will work and is what I'm going to use.

young olds

the bushing is: dorman 690-035,this is a one-piece oil lite bushing, I got mine from rockauto for a few bucks

The_Jeremiah

I meant 26, my bad

The_Jeremiah

You know whats funny, thats the bushing I was gonna use, but at the time, EVERYONE was sold out on it for some reason, like maybe the manufacturer had to retool or something? So I took the same measurements and found mine at McLeod.

young olds

I actually had a hard time finding a place that had them in stock, most places showed them but then didn't actually have them.

RetroRanger

How does the length compare to a Muncie set-up and or where will the shifter end up in relation to the factory location

1964f-85

My T-5 came up a little to the right and an a little behind the muncie, i solved the issue by remounting the console slightly rear ward and adding aspacer to the Hurst shifter arm. It works perfectly.

young olds

I haven't done any actual measuring but appears that it is the same length as a th400
Idk if you realize this or not but we are discussing a t56, a completely different trans then the t5

young olds

I can take measurement from the block/bellhousing surface out to the mount, shifter and output for cross reference vs a Muncie or any other tranny.

The_Jeremiah

I know I have a completely different car, so this isnt really relevant, but My shifter ended up being a good 6 inches back I think when I swapped in the t56, They make a midshift conversion for these but you have to disassemble the trans, and its expensive! but it would have allowed the shifter to be in the stock location for my rig. I have a welder and a mortgage, so I just made it work haha

Also on a separate note, I just realized Young olds you are in the Northwest like Nonhog and I, I am sure one of these days we will bump into each other! I am in Ellensburg WA, If I wasn't so far away, I would definitely lend a hand for heavy lifting haha!

young olds

That would be cool, I know there are at least three other members including nonhog in washington. I havent met anyone yet but i hope to, Im going to be going to the street drags this year in monroe and i might make the trip to pacific so I can do some full quarter mile runs. unfortunately i wont be taking my cutlass that is using this setup.

The_Jeremiah

That's the beautiful part of bracket racing, you can take any vehicle and still put people on the trailer! its all up to the driver!

young olds

you should post some pictures of how you did it to bring in the other way to get this swap done. It would be great to have both known ways in one spot.

The_Jeremiah

Ill start working on that, I have to dig through my hundreds of pictures haha

young olds

different car now but i got a little further along with this swap. Im using a stock replacement 11" clutch kit for a 72 cutlass. i had the throwout bearing collar on the t56 sleeved to fit muncie/saginaw throwout bearings. i ordered a hydraulic throwout bearing for a muncie, once it gets here ill get more picures. the pilot bushing works well, thought there may have been a problem with the clutch but they dont touch.
F2282BFA-FBF5-428F-9CD8-E0C500C6FB61_zpsle3oqqos.jpg
08402A5C-6F2E-41CF-A4A9-36F8A2FD0F4E_zpsrkk6a5y1.jpg
DF941E6F-4720-4447-81CB-FCB048B9A746_zpsgadv0dao.jpg

young olds

Got my throw our bearing, Did a bit of testing and measuring. Didn't get too far though
15941A3A-8EB0-4244-93CA-6938C0781424_zpsfqewiecj.jpg
BCDF2CBD-E05D-4D65-97B5-1C9C65397236_zpsnoyiqu3m.jpg
AE80FB01-046B-40E2-933A-1710A0208881_zpsucuxrrjb.jpg

young olds

i got the guide stud for the throwout bearing mounted, just waiting for my mount so i can mount the master cylinder, bleed the system, set the throw and make a pedal stop.
EE209CB0-8C38-4C82-8E87-2C62DE1D5540_zpsfkza3bme.jpg

The_Jeremiah

Coming along nicely! My setup is like completely backwards from yours, but I was in the process of doing a 4 speed swap, I had all the linkage, lakewood scattershield, and pedals already. Then in the process of shopping for a 4 speed, I picked up my 97 LT1 T56. So I had to find a way to combine the T56 and the scattershield. Luckily "The Gear Box" makes an adapter plate to bolt the T56 to a standard muncie bellhousing, in this picture you can see the 1/2" plate inbetween the bellhousing and trans. The adapter plate also has a muncie bearing retainer bolted to it, so you can use a standard throwout bearing.
20140209_162246_zpse31325b6.jpg

I had an engine not drilled for a pilot bushing, so I took some measurements and settled on a McLeod 8617
20140209_153135_zps049b8d13.jpg

In order to get proper engagement, I had to order a 98+ LS1 T56 input, this is how it ended up

20140209_162212_zpsd6fb0e5a.jpg

The clutch is just a GM 11" 26 spline Centerforce DF clutch I had the local Oreillys score me for a better deal than summit

20140209_171451_zps2e3f4410.jpg

This setup allows me to utilize a standard clutch fork/throwout bearing, however i did choose to use a push type hydraulic slave and pushrod with a heim joint, hence the funny looking clutch fork from speedway motors. the clutch fork seems pretty close to the bellhousing here, i had the wrong ball stud, I have since changed it.

20140209_173426_zps23b2a763.jpg

young olds

My pilot bushing looks a lot like yours. And my engagement of the input into the pilot appears similar, I'm still using the lt1 input though