There are lots of choices out there when it comes time to select your transmission supplier. Keisler Automotive Engineering clearly stands at the top by supplying a complete kit for each transmission conversion. Keisler transmission kits offer a choice of two five- or six-speed trannys suited to the engine's output. Keisler also includes all of the components needed to install and support the transmission and transmit the power to the rearend. For the Hotchkis Performance Camaro, we chose its T-56 with the 0.80 and 0.62:1 Fifth and Sixth gear, particularly since it has the 2.97 Low gear that will complement the 3.73:1 rear axle setup.
Note: A good rule of thumb for a street-driven car with a moderate engine is to multiply the First gear ratio by the rearend ratio; for a quick launch on the street the result should be in the 10-11 range. (In our setup it equates to: 2.97 X 3.73 = 11.07.) That means shove-you-into-the-seat acceleration, dudes and dudettes, and out on the highway you get the fuel-saving equivalent of a 2.31 rear gear. Depending on tire diameter, the motor will be turning less than 2,000 rpm at legal highway speeds. (Check out the unique Keisler Speed Analyzer for your tire and transmission selection results.)
We elected Larry Pollard to inspect our stock 10-bolt rearend. Wear wasn't excessive, but the open 2.71 gear just did not get the juices flowing. Larry's built rearends for NASCAR and short-track racers in the central North Carolina region, and since he is a competitive short-track racer himself, he knows how to make one that will provide years of dependable service in a street car. He wanted to rebuild the stock case with the 8.2-inch 3.73:1 ring-and-pinion and tie them to an Eaton posi unit.
Hang with us through the photos and captions and you will soon be rowing the Hurst shifter in that T-56 with ease. It really is as smooth as silk!
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Keisler Automotive designs its PerfectFit kits with everything needed to upgrade an automa
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The First-Gen Camaro is unique in its outie speedometer hump. As you can see, the hump wou
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Checking inside for clearance shows that everything will bolt up much better with a flat f
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The cutoff wheel makes short work of the firewall, but it sure blisters the primer!
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We had to mount the master-cylinder reservoir but had limited space to do it. We utilized
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...Initially, we used stainless nuts and bolts to attach the reservoir, but if you ever ha
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...We opted for nutserts and stainless button bolts to allow easy servicing. Note the Detr
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Checking for clearance revealed...
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...that one of the attaching bolts on the power-brake booster would be too close to the in
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Moving back inside, we see that the master cylinder and brake pushrods exist in harmony wi
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Note how Bobby "stitched" the weld. He also made one circuit of spot-welds and then let th
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...The key to a good paint job is smoothing the irregularities as you go.
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AJ, Larry's assistant, installed the ring-and-pinion and the Eaton posi unit. After coatin
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...then adjusted the backlash and spacing with a dial indicator. Larry and AJ also install
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Once again, only professionals work on certain parts. This is a textbook example of how di
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Pictures are worth at least a thousand words, so I will just say that the LP Gear rear, Ba
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Keisler's kit includes all the electrical pigtails for the backup light and reverse lockou
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Keisler's new bellhousing included in the PerfectFit transmission kits has superb fit and
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Kurt Binkley, who works for one of the local NASCAR teams, attached the bellhousing to the
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...then installed the hydraulic clutch to the mounting plate. He torqued all fittings to K
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...(Do not apply excessive torque to aluminum threads.)
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Although Keisler supplies a braided-steel line and block-off plate, Joe VanSickle and Jack