The trans is IN and the car drives fine but there are some details left like electrical connections. 6th gear with 3:08's is just impossible to cruise in at 55... but the 1-2 shift SNAP is a joy! and the 2-3 shift is a shallow drop in RPM.. very drivable but I don't know that I'll like it on the strip. The ease of the 4-5 shift leaves a little to be desired and reverse (far right, foreward) is a BUGGER compared to the T-5's straight down pattern. I have a little clatter that I hope works itself out... I did everything right in the install. I was very meticulous in getting the thing hung on the clutch without stressing the clutch hub in the process.

A few "gotchas" with the swap... (things an amateur like me would miss)

The rear pivots UPWARD when the TA is totally removed.. and reinstalling the TA must include either tilting the rear DOWN somehow, or opening up the clamshell clamp on the trans to release the arm UPWARD.. this method makes the front of the TA re-install a PITA because there ain't enough room up there to get a socket wrench in, and an open-end is at a bad angle. Who designed that thing anyway? Also-- removal of the front bolt on the rear of the TA requires lifting the BODY up another 5 inches. (yes, I know all of you know this.. my audience is the more common folk ;-) I dropped one of my bolts in from the bottom and this made it much easier. (I know, I know.. but if the car ever rolls over at the exact moment that the nut falls off.. my TA is screwed if I leave it where the factory had it!! :0))

Next gotcha is the 4th gen clutch (master side) mounting has a bushing in it where it can only be used in a 4th gen pedal setup. I have the pedals but that sucks.. so I swapped the bushings with the T-5 bushings. Well the T56 rod hole (eyelet) is about 15% wider than the T-5 rod hole. enter Mr-Grind-it-all... he dices, he slices.. he reduces the thickness of components engineered to perform a safety-oriented function! For whatever reason, the T-5 eyelet.. even though the pedal effort was considerably higher in the T-5, was THINNER than the T-56. anyhow.. it fit well but in the process I busted the T-5 little bushing so I have to find one of those. The alternative.. and I use this to diminish safety concerns.. is that the T-5 MASTER could be re-used with the removal of one roll-pin and the installation of the T56 slave and its longer braded line to the PULL type plate. Essentially I found a way to re-use the existing pedal assembly and avoid the expense / hassle. anyone want a 4th gen pedal set? OH! Heres a tip! never press the clutch all the way down when the slave cyllinder is disconnected... POPPP! oops.. whats those little plastic bits under my car? OH! the end blew off the slave and the clip blew the plastic end apart! oops.. glad I didn't try that AFTER the T56 slave was in! I guess if I'm writing to an audience of novices/amateurs then I should say to mark the driveshaft too (one of the things I did RIGHT)

The metal under the console is listed on Andris' page as "to be cut 2 inches". I'll have pics of how WIDE (half inch wider than the shifter-plate on the trans) to make the cut and where to center it (slightly left of center). The clutch master cyl I had in and out 6 times. I can do it in 3 minutes now. that sucker is BURIED under the brake booster. Hopefully when I'm finished I'll have details on the electrical connections so folks can have an easier time then I had.. twas fun though. 11 inch clutch graps second gear pretty hard.. guess I'll see if the 305 can bust my rear end before its subjected to the 406 ;-)

Last thing.. the electrical connector for the REVERSE switch needs extended 16 inches. the head matches the T-56 but the head for the VSS connector does not.

... and now the LAST last thing.. the stock T56 shifter is a good piece.. some people replace it. HERE is a picture of what you can do to it to shore it up a bit. The plate will slide around about a few milimeters or so if the rivets are loose (Thanks Kevin C!) so I tapped the edges of the rivets down and the shift action is much smoother!


Here is an interesting spreadsheet I made quick. Put in gear ratios and RPM and rear ratios to see different trap speed RPM's.

excel 97 sheet

June 16 '01
HERE is a link to a page describing how to save some bucks on a VSS conversion box, if your F body is set up like mine. Basically I found out how to change the PROM bits to scale-down the VSS signal to the speedometer AND to the ECM.