T56 install in a '78

I found the Mcleod hardware (460350), and the Fidanza and Centerforce flywheels come with a removable weight which I would assume makes it zero balance (with the weight off). Due to the shorter length of the input shaft, I am beginning to think that swapping to a pull style clutch is the best route. I have also read some horror stories about using the Mcleod hydraulic throwout (pn# 1400-22) because it sometimes requires a custom machined bellhousing spacer for the right clearance... In the end, the cost to convert is just about the same as cobbling together some system to make it work push style.

The Mcleod bearing is a really nice part. I had to put a .04 aluminum sheet sandwiched in between the tranny and bell but it really was not that big of a deal.

Probably easier than getting the pull clutch to work and it entirely hydraulic.
 
I found the Mcleod hardware (460350), and the Fidanza and Centerforce flywheels come with a removable weight which I would assume makes it zero balance (with the weight off). Due to the shorter length of the input shaft, I am beginning to think that swapping to a pull style clutch is the best route. I have also read some horror stories about using the Mcleod hydraulic throwout (pn# 1400-22) because it sometimes requires a custom machined bellhousing spacer for the right clearance... In the end, the cost to convert is just about the same as cobbling together some system to make it work push style.

The Mcleod bearing is a really nice part. I had to put a .04 aluminum sheet sandwiched in between the tranny and bell but it really was not that big of a deal.

Probably easier than getting the pull clutch to work and it entirely hydraulic.

I laughed at the number of shims McLeod provided. On the Buick, I didn't need any; on the Corvette, one thin one...
 
I ordered the bullshark mounting plates from Ray cause they are slicker than shit. My tail housing is enroute to Dan to have the speedo setup retrofitted. I ordered the accutach reverse lockout solenoid setup.. and have the Mcleod hyraulic throwout on its way. I am going to order a wilwood master cylinder once i see what lines the mcleod comes with... and I have a 4.11 rear that i am going to rebuild and throw in there
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This is better than christmas!!
 
Do hydraulic ..... it makes life so much easier

I would sure like to know what I was doing wrong the. I have tried running a hydraulic clutch on three projects and have had a very bad experience every time. Leaky HTBs are usually my problem. Tried running a Howl and a McLoed on my T5 before switching to a Z bar setup.

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Do hydraulic ..... it makes life so much easier

I would sure like to know what I was doing wrong the. I have tried running a hydraulic clutch on three projects and have had a very bad experience every time. Leaky HTBs are usually my problem. Tried running a Howl and a McLoed on my T5 before switching to a Z bar setup.

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there's an exception to every rule? :beer: I guess I'm just glad it's not me (this time). That said, if I had a dollar for every time a doctor said "I've never seen that before" to me, I'd be rich
 
Man, it's been forever since I had a chance to even work on my car. I ended up smoking the Saginaw hooning it at the Lone Star Corvette Classic back in May, and then the Texas summer set in and it was too damn hot for me to want to go out and work in the shop. That's my excuse, anyway.. so here we are in November and I've finally got the t56 hung. I used the Bullshark crossmember plates to mod to make the crossmember removable.. and I used the plasma to trim out the crossmember for the trans mount. I just have to box it and clean it..

I've got the wilwood 5/8 master cylinder that I have to build the mount for.. and I need to either buy or mod my shifter so the offset comes up in the right place.

The bigger issue is I'm not 100% sure I've got the proper throw out to pressure plate clearance. I won't be able to touch the car till the weekend, but I'm going to use plastigauge to see where I'm at. I might have to space the trans to bellhousing back a thousandth or 4 to make it fit correctly.

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On top of that, i've still got the 4.11 rear on the floor to install.. and I had issues with the TRW composite rear leaf I had.. Those are not arched properly and will rub your tires. I've now got a vansteel narrowed leaf ready to install.. and vansteel trailing arms with johnny joints. So much work.

Oh, and I'm supposed to finish this and somehow move to colorado in the next two months. sweet.
 
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I am glad I don't get paid piece work cause I am slower than molasses in january. I finally heard my car run again today.. first time since mid-may. I have completed the t56 install, added the rebuilt 4.11 rear end.. swapped the rear spring.. which...

So. Don't buy the TRW spring composite spring. Ever. It's arched wrong, and physically too long to fit in our cars. It rubs the tires and requires 12" c4 springs to get the ride height right, which then puts your spring bolt lower than the 15" rim. I installed a 360lb hyperco from Vansteel that was shortened so it can't rub.

I used the Accutach VSS Reverse Lockout box to control the reverse lockout solenoid. It's pretty slick. And the Mcleod 1400-22 hydraulic throwout with the gm truck master cylinder works well..I caution that it requires a pressure bleeder to bleed it correctly.

I put side pipes on it. I'm probably going to get a ticket cause they don't have baffles and they're stupid loud. That was dumb of me. I'll be looking for some inserts now.

I bought one of the offset shifters off of ebay.. it's made by Driveline Components COmpany. It is offset 2" to the left, 1.3" forward. It comes up pretty damn close to where the stock shifter came through.
 
So. Don't buy the TRW spring composite spring. Ever. It's arched wrong, and physically too long to fit in our cars. It rubs the tires and requires 12" c4 springs to get the ride height right, which then puts your spring bolt lower than the 15" rim. I installed a 360lb hyperco from Vansteel that was shortened so it can't rub.

I can't believe they are still selling that spring. That has been at least 10 years!
 
Oh, and I'm supposed to finish this and somehow move to colorado in the next two months. sweet.

Where in CO? Just spent some time in Denver, pretty cold but a nice place.....

You did not know about the TRW lift kit spring ?

I'll be working in Denver and living in Bailey. I just can't wait to get the move over with.. it's such a pain in the ass and the moving company looked in my shop and laughed at me so that means I get to move all the fun stuff.

And no.. didn't know about that spring. That's what I get for looking on corvette forum. I can't remember what the guy's name was at Vansteel.. I think it was the older man, maybe the one who started that company.. and he said he has been fighting with them for a long time to fix it.
 
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That is one of the problems at that place, they prefer keeping the paying vendors happy so you can't just post that that spring is total garbage and they're still selling this dangerous crap..... Once you get that TRW spring to the correct ride height the bolts almost drag on the ground and the spring end is too close to the tire....
The VBP spring that I have is top notch.
 
That definitely is a problem.. It's also packed full of internet trolls which get annoying after a while.

Oh well, it's all fixed now. Maybe I'll make a squirrel catapult out of that trw spring.. that seems like a good use for it.
 
I also swapped off the Holley 770 ultra street avenger that my engine came with for a demon 750. The street avenger just didn't want to work right on this car.. and the demon was damn near perfect right out of the box. I set the transition slots like the manual said, verified there was no slop on the accelerator pump, and slapped it on. It immediately sounded better, idled better, and drove better. My neighbors are not happy with me cause I, uh, didn't put baffles in the side pipes. Well, I ordered them today cause it's stupid loud.
 
What baffles did you buy? I have the maxflows and they are nice but not quiet :D

I ordered the maxflows. It doesn't have to be whisper quiet... but it needed something to take the edge off.

Huge difference to open pipes..... You can quiet them down a lot by welding a short extension onto the insert, at the exit i added a small baffle.....still not a Lexus :D
 
What baffles did you buy? I have the maxflows and they are nice but not quiet :D

I ordered the maxflows. It doesn't have to be whisper quiet... but it needed something to take the edge off.

Huge difference to open pipes..... You can quiet them down a lot by welding a short extension onto the insert, at the exit i added a small baffle.....still not a Lexus :D

I mostly wanted to quiet down the popping on decel when I let out of the throttle. I was coming down the hill to my house and scared the living shit out of the neighbor's great dane.. which was funny, but not very nice.

I'll try them as they are.. and will probably get bored and pull them again. It might be fun to annoy greenies in Denver with uncorked pipes.
 
Oh, and I'm supposed to finish this and somehow move to colorado in the next two months. sweet.

Where in CO? Just spent some time in Denver, pretty cold but a nice place.....

You did not know about the TRW lift kit spring ?

I'll be working in Denver and living in Bailey. I just can't wait to get the move over with.. it's such a pain in the ass and the moving company looked in my shop and laughed at me so that means I get to move all the fun stuff.

And no.. didn't know about that spring. That's what I get for looking on corvette forum. I can't remember what the guy's name was at Vansteel.. I think it was the older man, maybe the one who started that company.. and he said he has been fighting with them for a long time to fix it.

Ha! My brother lives in Bailey and we're going in the next year! Be glad your moving to Park County vs Jefferson County. The property taxes alone are half in Park Co.
 
Oh, and I'm supposed to finish this and somehow move to colorado in the next two months. sweet.

Where in CO? Just spent some time in Denver, pretty cold but a nice place.....

You did not know about the TRW lift kit spring ?

I'll be working in Denver and living in Bailey. I just can't wait to get the move over with.. it's such a pain in the ass and the moving company looked in my shop and laughed at me so that means I get to move all the fun stuff.

And no.. didn't know about that spring. That's what I get for looking on corvette forum. I can't remember what the guy's name was at Vansteel.. I think it was the older man, maybe the one who started that company.. and he said he has been fighting with them for a long time to fix it.

Ha! My brother lives in Bailey and we're going in the next year! Be glad your moving to Park County vs Jefferson County. The property taxes alone are half in Park Co.

Not only that, I won't be subject to the metro area emissions testing. That's really the reason why I chose Park county.. Oh.. and home prices were actually in the affordable range vs in the stratosphere.
 
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