Keisler 5speed

[LIRacer]

Last summer I finished (are you ever really finished?) modding my 65 with a ZZ502, VBP race suspension, steeriods PS, new radiator with dual fans. The car ran fantastic except for the sound at highway speeds. It has Hooker Header Sidepipes and with the 4 speed tranny and .373 rear the drone at 60 mph was deafening. I just installed a Keisler 5 speed and the car is transformed in something I can ride in all day. The gearing gives me an equivalent of .456 rear and at 70mph the engine is loafing at 2000rpm. The Keisler is well engineered and the kit is complete. Well worth the effort and cost

 

[Oz's 59]

How much "effort and cost"? I was thinking about going this way for my '59.;help

 

[LIRacer]

The Tranny was about $3500. Install another $1100.

 

[Oz's 59]

I saw the $3500. advertised, but $1100 to install???? Doesn't the ad also say simple install because it's the same size? I bet it's much better at highway speeds (I have the 4sp w/4:11 rearend in my '59).

 

[LIRacer]

It isnt thta easy. The drive shaft is replaced with a shorter unit.Then speical attention needs to be paid attention to the balance of the fly wheel. But once it is complete there is niothing like a car with 456 gears and 2000rpm at 70mph!

 

[firstgear]

It isnt thta easy. The drive shaft is replaced with a shorter unit.Then speical attention needs to be paid attention to the balance of the fly wheel. But once it is complete there is niothing like a car with 456 gears and 2000rpm at 70mph!

you dont mean balance of the flywheel do you? dont you mean alignment of the bellhousing to the crankshaft?

 

[LIRacer]

you dont mean balance of the flywheel do you? dont you mean alignment of the bellhousing to the crankshaft?

I meant the fly wheel. The Bh and crank are aligned too. We had to redo the job as there was a pronounced vibration. Keisler said the tranny wasnt fully isolated. I felt it was a rotational issue. I work in power plants in gas tubines and I know a when something is out of balance. It t0uned out, givene the tightness of the instllation, some how the flywheel was unbalanced slightly. May9be we knocked off a weight.

 

[orlandjoe]

I did the TKO 500 installation in my 1966 coupe back in 2006. I bought the complete kit and the Keisler bell housing (mine had some small cracks starting to form) for $3,400 and did the install myself with the 454 engine still in the car. If I had to do it over, I think I would pull the engine for this install, it was THAT tight under the car and very little room up in the tunnel to do stuff. Having that said, this trans swap was well worth the $$$. I can run on the interstates here in Illinois at highway speeds without all the vibration and high RPM I had with the M21 4-speed. My gear ratio is 3:55 and my tire size is P215-65/15 (26 inches tall) and at 70 MPH I'm turning 2,100 RPM.

 

[firstgear]

I have a 383 and the flywheel is balanced with the crank and rods as a complete assembly. Perhaps that is why I didnt have to balance the flywheel. I had not read of anyone having to balance a flywheel before because of a 5 speed change out.....

 

[LIRacer]

I did the TKO 500 installation in my 1966 coupe back in 2006. I bought the complete kit and the Keisler bell housing (mine had some small cracks starting to form) for $3,400 and did the install myself with the 454 engine still in the car. If I had to do it over, I think I would pull the engine for this install, it was THAT tight under the car and very little room up in the tunnel to do stuff. Having that said, this trans swap was well worth the $$$. I can run on the interstates here in Illinois at highway speeds without all the vibration and high RPM I had with the M21 4-speed. My gear ratio is 3:55 and my tire size is P215-65/15 (26 inches tall) and at 70 MPH I'm turning 2,100 RPM.

I am impressed; no lift.

 

[tracksnblades1]

It isnt thta easy. The drive shaft is replaced with a shorter unit.Then speical attention needs to be paid attention to the balance of the fly wheel. But once it is complete there is niothing like a car with 456 gears and 2000rpm at 70mph!

Was your 502 internally balanced or did it require an externally balanced fly wheel like a 454 did.

 

[LIRacer]

Was your 502 internally balanced or did it require an externally balanced fly wheel like a 454 did.

I believe it came internally balanced.

 

[JohnZ]

I believe it came internally balanced.

The GM 502 crate engine is externally balanced - requires counterweighted flywheel and harmonic damper.

 

[BLACK MOON]

I did my 63 a couple of years ago when the kits were 2400. Had the body off so it was easy. Did have problems with it hitting my tunnel and had to do some cutting and reglassing. The tranny was very hard to shift so i had to remove it and bring it back. Keisler rebuilt the unit for me at no cost. They said the specs were way off from the factory. It shifts better now but is still pretty firm. I'm also having a problem under full throttle shifting into 3rd so I'll probly call them in the future. I also have never gotten my speedo calibrated properly. I've tried a few different speedo gears but it still reads high.

With all that said the swap made it a different car all together. Interstates are comfortable and lower gears are great. A lift isn't necessary but would have made it easier. I have a welded cross bar. If yours is a bolt in it's all the much easier.

Keep us posted.

 

[orlandjoe]

When I installed the 5-speed in my 1966 coupe, the top of the trans barely cleared the tunnel. What I did was made 2 rectangular pads out of treated lumber that matched the top of the welded cross member. I think they are 1 inch thick. Then I painted them flat black, carefully jacked up the floor board and slide them into place on the cross member. The floor board holds them in place and you can hardly notice them. I now have plenty of clearance.

 

[Tampa Jerry]

Tremec

For shimming I used hockey pucks. I cut them down from 1" to 7/8". I froze them and mounted them on a block of wood and cut them on a chop saw. I jacked up the floor pan and mounted them on top of the cross member. You may want to realign the luggage stop inside the car also. It is really tight down there. Jerry

 

[BLACK MOON]

Shims

Keisler makes shims just for this situation. They are a metal bracket with a hard rubber on top. They sit between the floor and frame and bolt to the frame. Ask them to include them when buying a kit for a C2. FYI

 

[JohnZ]

Keisler makes shims just for this situation. They are a metal bracket with a hard rubber on top. They sit between the floor and frame and bolt to the frame. Ask them to include them when buying a kit for a C2. FYI

Here's what the Keisler floor pan shims look like.

 

[BLACK MOON]

Here's what the Keisler floor pan shims look like.

Thanks John. That's them.