Tremec TKX first cuts

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DC Dart

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This will likely be slow progress. So sorry for that. But here are a few pics of the cuts I made so far to install a TKX in a Dart. The pics may help someone to decide if they want to go this direction or not. I looked at a few threads on TKOs and T56s to get mentally prepared to start cutting my self.
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Is that the mid shifter TKX, I’m installing one in my 69 Charger.

I hope I don’t have to cut that much. According to silver sport transmission, there’s very little I’ll need to cut.
 
I believe it's the standard shifter position. I think I can rotate the shifter plate and move the shifter forward a couple inches. A few company's make a low profile shifter to the side. Does the B body clear the torsion crossmember? The A body does when the tail shaft is 3 inches low as pictured.
 
I was told the TKX will not need the torsion crossmember modified in a B body.
 
I have the TKO in my '70 Charger....

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The torsion bar crossmember wasn't touched. The trans tunnel was though.

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Not a problem though. They provided a segment to shape and weld over the opening. They didn't illustrate how to shape it or provide any measurements to do so. I had to figure that out on my own.


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That is good stuff right there.
I wonder if a bench seat is out of the question with that shifter placement. My 72 factory car if I move the seat fwd I hit the pistol grip e-body shifter. If I go that route - and I may. I bet I’m limited to only a old school round shifter that originally came in the car.
Thank you for sharing!
 
I believe it's the standard shifter position. I think I can rotate the shifter plate and move the shifter forward a couple inches. A few company's make a low profile shifter to the side. Does the B body clear the torsion crossmember? The A body does when the tail shaft is 3 inches low as pictured.
3 inches low?
What happens to the driveline angles?
 
The first pics had the torsion bar crossmember intact and the transmission was 3 inches low. The last two the crossmember is cut and is about 1/4 inch low. The transmission is sitting on a small piece of plywood on the original transmission mount bracket. Going to build a new bracket as well as replace what was cut out of the torsion bar crossmember. The modifications to adapt the TKX in an A body are similar to the TKO and not far from a T 56 as you are cutting away the crossmember anyway.
 
The TKX may fit the B body's slightly better as the top of the transmission is curved instead of flat. On the A body's you can still use the bracket mounting area of the torsion bar crossmember like the TKOs.
 
DC Dart can you give us a follow up on the TKX trans shift quality after you get your car up and running and drive it for a few thousand miles. My experience with Tremec transmissions namely the TR6060 6 spd is the synchro's are absolute junk, real notchy and feels like the synchro's are not working right from the get go. I am on my second one in my 2012 Challenger and will never own another one. Now Tremec said they fixed the problem in the TKX but they said the same thing about the TR6060. I am hoping they got it right on your TKX trans. because Tremec says the TKX can be shifted at 7000+ rpms and I truly do not think a TR6060 will shift that high. I shift both my TR6060 at 6500 and they both shift under extreme protest.
 
That is good stuff right there.
I wonder if a bench seat is out of the question with that shifter placement. My 72 factory car if I move the seat fwd I hit the pistol grip e-body shifter. If I go that route - and I may. I bet I’m limited to only a old school round shifter that originally came in the car.

Lokar makes a shifter that is slightly adjustable.
AXISHIFT
The Tremec shifter is right on the center of the tranny. In a Mopar, that looks abnormal to me.

The TKX in DC Dart"s picture has the shifter in the rear position. It can be rotated 180* which moves it about 3" forward. Unfortunately, probably right where the new upper crossmember wants to be. Not insurmountable.

The TKX looks like it fits a lot of GM cars with maybe very little surgery. Unfortunately, the Mopar A body upper crossmember has to come out for the TKO and TKX.

@DC Dart can you take a picture like your 4th one but looking from the passenger side? I'm doing this in my 68 cuda.
 
DC Dart can you give us a follow up on the TKX trans shift quality after you get your car up and running and drive it for a few thousand miles. My experience with Tremec transmissions namely the TR6060 6 spd is the synchro's are absolute junk, real notchy and feels like the synchro's are not working right from the get go. I am on my second one in my 2012 Challenger and will never own another one. Now Tremec said they fixed the problem in the TKX but they said the same thing about the TR6060. I am hoping they got it right on your TKX trans. because Tremec says the TKX can be shifted at 7000+ rpms and I truly do not think a TR6060 will shift that high. I shift both my TR6060 at 6500 and they both shift under extreme protest.

Shifter might possibly be partially to blame? I've hear the shifter was upgraded for 2015 and the prior MY cars had a shifter that needed to be upgraded.

My 2015 shifted fine, but I also didn't run it up to 6500. Motor (5.7 R/T) ran out of breath at 5200 so I usually shifted at about 5400. Even the junk trans that got swapped out with a new one shifted fine and the new one wasn't any better or worse. I actually loved how it shifted and drove (sure miss that car).

Don't know, just saying.
 
Lokar makes a shifter that is slightly adjustable.
AXISHIFT




Wow! That is one piece of sexy hardware KosmicKuda. It just shows what is available for these old cars. I have to laugh over back in the 60’s and 70’s Chrysler innovations were miles ahead of Chevrolet and Ford - torsion air suspension, torque flight transmissions, unibody... etc. but now trying to undue that technology with today’s tech is still a PITA. I still love my Chrysler’s - I just hate something as simple as a tranny swap for better revs and mileage cost twice as much as other brands doing the same damn thing. Oh well! Such as life.
 
I am planning on using a bench seat so I will be checking out fitment soon. I think it will be close as the floor will be moved up. We will see. May have to move the shifter forward?
I won't be driving the car anytime soon as it's being fully restored. It will be a while before I can say how the TKX shifts. But the tunnel work and hydro clutch will be in place soon so the rest of the project can go forward.
Here are some pics of the top and passenger side of the trans as requested. If the shifter is moved in the forward spot rebuilding the torsion bar crossmember shouldn't be to bad.
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Having done a TKO 600 in my 69 Dart this looks like the same amount of work. Mine too started as a four speed car.
 
It appears to be identical to the TKO as far as going into an A body. The tunnel may be slightly smaller when done. An automatic floor would be nicer to start with. If no 4 speed tunnel was in place driver side would look like passenger. Or a line down center of tunnel would be cut and spread.
I have this trans bolted to a 400 block using a QuickTime bell housing. SST and American power train also make bell housings that work. Same as TKO.
Made templates of crossmember to be cut. Building my own. Also putting metal back where I cut away material from the torsion bar crossmember.
 
man seeing what you have to cut out to fit these transmissions into an abody makes me really wish that the 855 that passon was selling wasn't such a pile of ****. no way am i cutting all that out of a spotless original paint car like ours..
 
The cutting of the floor is a bummer. Especially the torsion bar crossmember. The four speed hump and Hurst shifter is cool in these cars. Was really on the fence whether it would be worth it or not. My car is not an original hp car, that helps. The fact that the 833 is an awesome trans makes it even harder to justify.
 
Here is an update on my TKX install. I just saw Dion's post looking up my old one. Thought I would share some of my pictures as I enjoy seeing other people's project photos.
Had a friend cut out my trans mount pieces with water jet. I scribed the OEM trans mount and changed the saddle dimensions to clear TKX rubber mount. Made cardboard template.
My preference is to have something in place of the material I cut out. So I welded a brace over the topside. I tied my new floor to the brace.
Since I removed the 4 speed hump I had a lot of floor to build so I did flats. It was easier for me than trying to have a rounded tunnel. My shift bezel will have a flat area to mount to. I also lapped my tunnel like the original 4 speed hump. Easier than butt welding.
I set the tail shaft at the same elevation as the 833.
If someone started out with an automatic floor there would be less work. As far as my car goes I believe a TKO would bolt in as I have a bit of room around the trans other than the torsion bar cross member area.
I think like the TKO the TKX speedo cable could be in a better location as it is in line with the trans mount and will be close to header maybe.
This tunnel will clear my bench seat.
I went with a juice clutch as I was going to big block and needed to change clutch linkage anyway. I installed a stiffener plate on my firewall a little bigger than the sandwich plate SST supplied with their master cylinder bracket. I was thinking it may need a brace? But the bigger plate made it a bit more solid.
Hoping to be able to get the tunnel and firewall seam sealed and painted this month. After paint work I will clean garage and continue assembly on the 451. This project will not be on the road any time soon.

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What is your new floor pan brace made from? You're doing some really nice work. It will look pretty much factory when you're done.
 
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