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Anybody done this in their luv yet? I finally blew my saginaw 4-speed up and kinda want to replace it with a TKO 600 5 speed. Just wondering if any anyone has ran into any problems with this set up. Any help would be much appreciated.

TKO is pretty big, most likely will have to do a custom trans tunnel...

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FIAA!

SFPP!

Did some measurements on my saginaw and based on the dimensions of the TKO, the TKO is only about 2 or 3 inches longer. Since the TKO has multiple shifter locations the shifter should line up just right too. I might have to carve a little bit out of the trans tunnel but nothing major i dont think. Im also going to have to modify my trans mount but that shouldnt be a problem. Maybe a new driveshaft too. It will probably take me little while to save up the money for the new tranny but i'll try and post the install on here if anyone is interested. It'll be a lot nicer to cruise down the freeway at a 2000 RPM's vs 3200. Heres what happens when you put a weak 4 speed in between a 388 sbc and a 9 inch though. Oops. .

Might want to put some thought into a tranny mount too....

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Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy horsepower...and that's kind of the same thing...

Yeah the trans mount i have i think will work, im just going to have to cut about 3 inches off of it. I had to custom make one for that saginaw but it was real long coming off the frame. Anyone just hack that whole crossmember out that holds the torsion bars and tranny and put like a camaro type crossmember in there. Im thinking about doing the coilover conversion in the process anyways and kinda want to know what needs to get cut out and what stays. I would love to get rid of the torsion bars.

I have coil overs. They bolt in place of the shocks. My crossmember is a piece of channel that bolts to a piece of angle welded to each side of the frame...

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FIAA!

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Ive seen your coil overs on here before. Nicely done. I just need to figure out what shocks to get. Also when you pull the torsion bars out what holds the bottom suspension arm in? Not really sure i know what im talking about with this but it looks like the torsion bar holds the arm in place. Im clueless when it comes to chassis work.

The a arm is held in by a bolt, the torsion bar has a spline that sticks in the a arm, but the a arm will stay on if you remove the bar...

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If you think no one cares, try missing a couple of payments...



FIAA!

SFPP!

yea easy upgrade and you can cut out the entire torsion bar crossmember. My crossmember is a piece if tubular bolted in.

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Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy horsepower...and that's kind of the same thing...

Here is the one i built

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Aaahh it all makes sense now. Thanks for the pics guys. That shouldnt be too hard to do. Do the coil overs make a huge difference in handeling or is it more for just clearance under the truck? I would imagine after taking all that out it would help a little with weight too? Also did you have to beef the shock mount up any other than just welding in the new mount?