Six speed manual

[C63]

Anyone have info on putting a six speed behind a 230? Read some info on what T-5's work best. Picked up a '63 C-10 last year for a daily driver and if there was a slower lane on the freeway, I'd be in it. 373's in the rear now, but apparently to change to 342's requires a carrier change. Above my knowledge range.

[jayoldschool]

The T56 is much stronger than the 6 needs. 94-up are rated for 450ft-lbs. 93-97 versions will bolt on. 3.73s are about as high as you would want with a T56. 6th is 0.5 OD (on 94-up). You can get a good used T5 for a couple hundred. Used T56s are usually four times as expensive.

[TJ's Chevy]

Richmond 6 speed would be your best bet. You want your motor to have a trans that does not require a high amount of rpm travel between shifts. A richmond 6 speed gives you 5 direct gears and an od gear. Giving you minimal rpm travel and very nice acceleration. I like richmond better then tremic because the rpm travel is less between shifts. Both are priced around the same.

[Sharps40]

Watch your high gear ratio and final drive in the punkin...with a 6 yer gonna run out of power in our heavy trucks if you push the rpms too low.

Might want to talk to Tom Langdon, Stovebolts Engine Company. GM Engineer. Doubt he has a six speed for sale but pretty much a guru for building up the Chevy 6 for modern performance and reliability.

My T5 is .76 in fifth with a 3.73 rear and that is a 700 to 800 rpm drop over the old peanut three speed. It keeps my 250 pullin hard and strong in the 1400 to 2500 rpm range in all gears and that rpm range seems to dovetail neatly with the torque curve.

[kerber63]

A t56 with your 3.73 rear will be overkill. 6th gear would be wasted - you'd need to be going 75 mph+ just to keep from lugging. I put in a t56 behind a 454, then swapped my 3.73s for 4.11s. It made a huge difference for highway drivability in 6th.

I used to have a 350 with a t5 and 3.73s and the setup worked great. I recommend using a t5 for your current setup. 1 overdrive gear would be all you need for your current rearend. Plus, as stated before, you can pick up a t5 for a fraction of what t56s are going for.

Just 2 cents worth ...

[TJ's Chevy]

That's the reason why I recommend a richmond 6 speed. It is 5 DIRECT gears and a 6th gear OD. NOT like some 6 speeds with a dual overdrive.

[C63]

Thanks for the input. The guy before me put in a saginaw 4 speed. The truck (wants) to shift into fourth at around 40MPH and at sounds like its at the top of fourth by 55 or 60. Was thinking that a t-5 would get me to cruising speed, but would still be at the top of 5th gear at around 65-70. Basically the speed limit is 75 and I'm going 55. I like the slow cruise and am growing used to the honks, but if I forget to make my coffee in the morning I have to "push" to 60. No tach, and this is my first 6 ever so I can't guess the rpm's very accurate. Sounds like she's spinning high enough to me.

[jayoldschool]

I should add I have a T56 in my 95 Impala SS. 4.10 gears, and I wouldn't go higher (lower numerically).

TJ, one big strike against the Richmond is the price. Size is another. Third strike would be lack of used units.

[Sharps40]

Originally Posted by C63

Thanks for the input. The guy before me put in a saginaw 4 speed. The truck (wants) to shift into fourth at around 40MPH and at sounds like its at the top of fourth by 55 or 60. Was thinking that a t-5 would get me to cruising speed, but would still be at the top of 5th gear at around 65-70. Basically the speed limit is 75 and I'm going 55. I like the slow cruise and am growing used to the honks, but if I forget to make my coffee in the morning I have to "push" to 60. No tach, and this is my first 6 ever so I can't guess the rpm's very accurate. Sounds like she's spinning high enough to me.

Like I said, if yer considerin a T5 on an I6 ya really need to make phone or email contact with Tom Langdon. Email is easiest. He'll make a short and direct response to yer most critical points. Often, he has called me back on weekends and we've talked at length.

Yep, top speed on any of the old trannies (peanuts, sags, 4 speed muncies and M20s and such have such a low first its almost more than the 6 has nuts to pull) and a six is pushin it at 65.

I put the Astro Van T5 from Langdon behind my new I6 250. With the weber deuce and electrosparky dizzy, I'm regularly lookin down and seein the needle at 70 and the tach at or below 2500. Its not hard to push the truck well past 60 on the country highways without even knowing it. ..... this is with 3.73 out back. Had it on the interstate last month for about 40 miles and 70 75 was pretty comfortable. Have not pushed it higher cause 65 70 in the right lane is down right comfey and power to pass when ever I need it.

It'll always have a noisy engine up in the cab, there ain't no sound barrier tween you and the engine and trans but a touch of thin steel. Takes good insulation to dampen it down but a 750 or so rpm drop across all gears by goin to the T5 has been a big change for the better in power comfort and economy.

We poak around town in each gear in the 1600 to 2100 rpm range just like most all the modern 6 cylinders. Ya just hear it more in the old ones.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by C63

Thanks for the input. The guy before me put in a saginaw 4 speed. The truck (wants) to shift into fourth at around 40MPH and at sounds like its at the top of fourth by 55 or 60. Was thinking that a t-5 would get me to cruising speed, but would still be at the top of 5th gear at around 65-70. Basically the speed limit is 75 and I'm going 55. I like the slow cruise and am growing used to the honks, but if I forget to make my coffee in the morning I have to "push" to 60. No tach, and this is my first 6 ever so I can't guess the rpm's very accurate. Sounds like she's spinning high enough to me.

If you choose a T5 with a 0.72, 0.73 or 0.76 OD gear then your RPMs will be perfect for highway cruising at 65 - 70 or even 75. I have a chart showing the RPMs with a 3.73 rear and you can see it on my website if you want, but basically if you have a 29" tire and a 3.73 rear, you will be at 2200 RPMs at 70 MPH, and 2300 RPMs with a 0.76 OD gear. Numbers will be only slightly higher if you use a smaller tire.

[Sharps40]

That bout right, I have 27.4" tires and the 3.73 and my Rs are a bit higher at 70 but not much.

It ain't no racing trans in a heavy truck with a 6 but I'm outrunning smart cars, fart cans and school busses and I couldn't do that before with the peanut and them 20 minute waits as I winded up each gear to 3200+ RPM!

[TJ's Chevy]

With my oem 4 speed it is no surprise if I wind the 6 banger up to 4,000 rpm between shifts. I shift from third to fourth at 4,300 sometimes. lol.

[Desert.Chevy]

Lot of good info in here. Thanks.

[C63]

Yes, thanks for the advice. Sounds like a T-5 would be a good choice. Neat to be subscribed in such a network of like minded people. Actually it's down right exciting.

[lostsheep]

My "66 has a 454 with a Muncie SM465 behind it. The Muncie is an extremely tough trans, but the gearing kinda sucks. First is so low I could creep up on a tortoise and climb over him. I don't know yet what the rears are. The PO put a one-ton running gear under it. It cooks along at 70mph without a fault, but the mileage could be a bit better, especially in town. But, the 454 isn't exactly a fuel miser.
However, I've been toying with the idea of adding either another gearbox to the mix, or an over-drive. My trucking background likes the idea of a two-stick setup, a main box and a 'brownie' as it's called. In the semis, we had 5x4, 4x4, 5x2 etc. The advantage to that would be having possibly 20 gears forward and 4 reverse ( not necessary and beyond over-kill), but guaranteed the average bump and start car thief won't be able to drive it. Heck most can't drive a single stick manual anymore.
So, I've thought about a 2 speed, which would be about right. Could still do the twin stick thing, but really, I think the guys at Gear Vendors have the idea. It splits the gears and increases the ratio in 4th to .78 to1 in overdrive (they say).
BUT...$2995 !!!
Ouch.
Hey, is that Dave Sayer or Ed McMahon at the door with my check?

http://www.gearvendors.com/cg2wdt.html

[argonaut]

Lostsheep, you might want to look into an nv4500 for your application.

[66Submarine]

Lostsheep, have you seen the Advance Adapters aux. transmissions? About $1,400, bolts in between the trans and bellhousing, and has a 27% overdrive.

Here's one in a old 3/4 ton with a SM465 and a 4-53T Detroit.

4-53T 2 stroke detroit diesel and 2 sticks...

[lostsheep]

I love it!!
This totally works for me!

Originally Posted by 66Submarine

Lostsheep, have you seen the Advance Adapters aux. transmissions? About $1,400, bolts in between the trans and bellhousing, and has a 27% overdrive.

Here's one in a old 3/4 ton with a SM465 and a 4-53T Detroit.

4-53T 2 stroke detroit diesel and 2 sticks shifting - YouTube

[argonaut]

Ah, that's right! Forgot about the Ranger over/under drive box.
A good choice if you like to shift a lot

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

I should add I have a T56 in my 95 Impala SS. 4.10 gears, and I wouldn't go higher (lower numerically).

TJ, one big strike against the Richmond is the price. Size is another. Third strike would be lack of used units.

Price of the richmond is about the same as a tremic....both are crazy expensive. lol.