5 or 6 speed manual trans? • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Adrian Worman** » 19 Apr 2010 18:15

Any body installed a Tremec or similar behind a 440? My A-833 23spline box is very tired and noisy, a rebuild will quieten it but it won't be very strong, so I'd like to fit a modern 5 or 6 speed box. A Keisler kit looks ok, and a mate of mine has a brand new 6 speed Viper box, but that'll need a bellhousing. Clutch linkeage fab is no big deal for me, any ideas :?:

by **dave-r** » 19 Apr 2010 18:51

Been done lots of times. Not always without initial problems though. Check out Moparts as the guy from Keisler is a member there.

I think Fabian on here has one fitted?

by **Adrian Worman** » 19 Apr 2010 20:24

Ta Dave

by **fbernard** » 20 Apr 2010 9:18

Adrian Worman wrote:Ta Dave

From what I've seen (I have a Tremec 5-speed), 6-speeds do not fit without extensive tunnel work and trans crossmember rework.

The Tremec is OK for street and road-racing. It does not like to shift far over 6K RPM at full load, however. Get it from Keisler or Classic Mopar 5-speed (I did - they are called Hurst Driveline Conversions now : http://www.hurst-drivelines.com )

I had a look at Viper T56s before I bought mine, I don't think those will fit without work either (if it was easy, there would be kits - there are for GMs and Fords, so I think the trans tunnel shape is the limiting factor).

Too bad though, for the T56 is a good transmission and can be made even better (lookup Transzilla).

For even tougher transmissions, there's Jerico and Liberty (if you want to drag race with a stick). If you're going that far, cutting a crossmember or fabbing up a new tunnel is in order...

One last thing : if you get a Tremec, unless you really plan to use the 5th on the highway only (cruising at 2400 RPM), don't get the .64 final ratio, get the .80 (that's the "road-race" TKO-600). The .64 really feels like a 6-speed without a 5th gear (going from 1.0 to 0.64 is a really wide spread on a racetrack).

[Or if you really want a .64 final ratio, get a .80 and we'll swap! :lol:

]

by **Adrian Worman** » 20 Apr 2010 12:01

I just been on that site for a quote for a kit, looks very comprehensive, even a complete propshaft insstead of just a yoke. Don't expept cheap but by the time I'd have fitted a new clutch,flywheel,had the prop machined, fabbed a crossmember,linkage etc I would have been into £2k plus easily supplying my own box. Keisler kits I have'nt always heard good things about, but I'll get a quote from them anyway, as well as Bouchilon ,etc. Can't wait to get started on it now, it'll drive so much better

by **dave-r** » 20 Apr 2010 15:06

Give me an automatic any day. :lol:

Even a manual valve body auto would be better than a manual trans. :p:

by **fbernard** » 22 Apr 2010 11:18

dave-r wrote:Give me an automatic any day.

I bought a manual trans for racetracks, but if I had to make that choice again now with the availability of the Keisler 4-speed overdrive auto transmissions, with sequential (paddle) control, and decent engine braking on downshifts, that would have been a serious contestant...

And now that I've bought a friend's 73 cuda (small-block, manual trans), I'm thinking about switching to an auto trans on the Challenger.

EDIT : I've just found this looking on Moparts :

http://smrtrans.tripod.com/smrtransmiss ... /id33.html

I don't have the time to look into it now, but that looks like a shorter overdrive unit for the TF727 (still using Gear Vendors internals).
Retaining the stock trans mount!