Chevy 5 Speed Transmission - Four Plus One

If you've tried to exchange that slushbox for a stick, only to be told "No" by the better half, then you're doing it all wrong. Just be sure to remind her of the extra coin you'll be saving with the increased gas mileage from lower-rpm cruising speeds. Of course, in reality, we're really just jonesing to bang the gears and scratch the tires at every opportunity.

Now if you're wondering why we aren't keeping the four-speed, the short answer is that our projects are not "collectible" Z/28s, Yenkos, or other limited-production models. They're actually being built to be driven, so why not have the best of both worlds?

Of course, swapping over to a manual transmission isn't particularly difficult. In fact, the real challenge comes from gathering all the parts in the first place. Considering we had two projects tossing the factory four-speed Muncie-a '67 Chevelle and a '67 Camaro-in favor of a Tremec overdrive five-speed transmission, finding a complete swap kit was key for a trouble-free installation. Our choice was Classic Chevy 5-Speed's TKO-600, which is offered as one of the most complete conversion swaps on the market for both vehicles. The Classic 5-Speed kit features a McLeod flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, and scattershield for the LS2 mills we're using. The complete hardware package for the conversion includes a new crossmember for the Camaro. (The stock crossmember in the Chevelle works for the swap.) While stock mechanical linkages and pedal assemblies are offered, we opted for the hydraulic-clutch conversion kit. Follow along as we show you the ins and outs of a complete Classic Chevy 5-Speed conversion.