The Tremec TKO is a great choice for retrofitting into the old muscle cars, but it isn’t quite a direct bolt-in replacement for a four speed. There are a few areas that will require modification and/or custom parts for a TKO conversion into any muscle car.
The Tremec TKO’s three rail internal shift mechanism is positioned at the top of the transmission, making it taller, wider and flatter across the top than most of the old four speeds that were common in the 1960s and 1970s. Some cars such as the 1967-1981 Camaros and Firebirds typically have ample room to install a TKO without any tunnel modifications. Other muscle cars have transmission tunnels that are barely big enough for the old four speeds, and will interfere with the TKO. Body mounts that are in bad condition will make things worse, so make sure your body mounts are in good shape before installing a TKO. Some cars can get by with just dimpling the transmission tunnel in a few areas, but on others there just isn’t any way to get around cutting the tunnel and reshaping new sheetmetal around the transmission. However, the modifications can almost always be covered by the factory carpet, and with a console may be completely invisible from inside the car. Continue reading ‘Tremec TKO Transmissions Part 5 – Will it Fit My Car?’ »