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TKO600 install

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cobra5.0Jeep
  • Start date Start date Oct 15, 2008
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Cobra5.0Jeep

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Nov 4, 2005
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Grass Valley, CA
Oct 15, 2008
#1
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #1
Has anyone installed a TKO600 in a 1968 Mustang Fastback or coupe? What did you have to do? any cutting involved?
 
C

C0V3R

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Feb 14, 2003
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Australia
Oct 15, 2008
#2
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #2
Yes.

PITFA. Clunky noisy and average shifting.

If I did it again I would put a box from a turbo supra in instead.
 
G

Gud T.B. Blown

Member
Dec 9, 2004
583
1
18
Oct 15, 2008
#3
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #3
I've got a TKO 600 in my car and it's smooth, quiet and accurate shifting. Of all the mods I've done to the car I think installing the TKO was single best one.
 

Cobra5.0Jeep

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Nov 4, 2005
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Grass Valley, CA
Oct 15, 2008
#4
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #4
pushrod power said:
I've got a TKO 600 in my car and it's smooth, quiet and accurate shifting. Of all the mods I've done to the car I think installing the TKO was single best one.
Click to expand...

Did you have to do any cutting? Did it mount in the same place as the stock transmission mounts are?
 

LW_horse

Member
Oct 31, 2006
37
0
6
Sweden
Oct 15, 2008
#5
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #5
I've got a TKO600 in my 66.

My first approach was "form before function", i.e. no cutting or modification of the body what so ever.


Second approach, next year..., was "function before form", i.e. I cut the transmission tunnel etc to get correct U-joint angles.

Without cutting the tunnel:
1. You have to use a dropped transmission cross member, which will lead to poor oil drain back if you still have the original front sump solution.
2. Also, worth mentioning is horrible U-joint angles, which will cause severe vibraitons, and worn tailshaft bushings etc.

"I've been there, done that, bought the t-shirt."

Rgrds;
 

LW_horse

Member
Oct 31, 2006
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Sweden
Oct 15, 2008
#6
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #6
Have a look at this thread if you are interested in info regarding u-joint angles etc.

http://forums.stangnet.com/690482-driveshaft-angle-question.html
 

69gmachine

Member
Dec 2, 2004
576
2
19
Southern Maryland
Oct 15, 2008
#7
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #7
C0V3R said:
Yes.

PITFA. Clunky noisy and average shifting.

If I did it again I would put a box from a turbo supra in instead.
Click to expand...

What shifter are you using? I have a TKO 600 conversion with a Pro 5.0 shifter. The handle is an original 69 4 speed handle that was cut and welded to bolt to the Pro 5.0 shifter. It shifts just fine except for reverse. Are you sure your clutch is adjusted properly?

For the price it's hard to find a 5 speed that can handle over 500 ft-lbs of torque and bolts in relatively easy. The one draw back is the height of the front cover. To minimize cutting on the floor pan, I had the top cover modified by having a 1/2" milled off the top of the aluminum top piece, and a new sheet metal inspection cover fabricated. I did have to cut the hole oversize for the shifter to fit however.
 

70vert

New Member
Dec 31, 2004
722
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Bay Area, CA
Oct 15, 2008
#8
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #8
Did it in my '70 using the Modern Driveline kit with no problems, no cutting, no vibration, etc. Reading all this makes me want to go back and measure my driveshaft angle. I believe the '70 trans tunnel is as wide and tall as the '70, but I'd research this if I were you. My rear end does not sit very low, and how low you have the rear suspension plays into it. Realize that if you are lowering the rear of the chassis, that is moving your driveshaft angle relative to the rear end. As the rear of the car is lowered, the driveshaft wants to point up at the back.

When I get mine back from the 9" rear install, I'll see what the angle is . . .
 
6

67FBSCODE

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Sep 12, 2004
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Oct 15, 2008
#9
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #9
To get the driveline angle correct you will have to notch the tunnel support brace at the least. I have a bb and raised the tunnel 3/4". If I were not to cut it the engine set at 6 degrees. That is a lot of angle. It looked ridiculous setting in there like that not top mention the ujoints.
There are people out there doing it without but not me. I do have a dropped crossmember that I don't need. I have pics but have never tried to post here before.
If you were to lower the engine a bit you could probably get by with just cutting sections from the tunnel support.

Edit: I just looked at your cardomain site. You surely are not concerned about cutting the tunnel with all of those mods LOL . Man those meats look bad. I may have to go coilover to fit something like that. Just receive my front coilover today. John
 

Cobra5.0Jeep

Member
Nov 4, 2005
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Grass Valley, CA
Oct 15, 2008
#10
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #10
I wonder what angle my 9 inch is set at.

What cross member did you guys use? i can't seem to find one.
 
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67FBSCODE

New Member
Sep 12, 2004
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Oct 15, 2008
#11
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #11
I can't remember the rear angle but the engine was at 3.5 from factory.

I made my own crossmember after getting the angles correct.
 

mustbereel

Member
May 6, 2005
318
0
17
Escondido, CA
Oct 15, 2008
#12
  • Oct 15, 2008
  • #12
I installed mine with the drop trans mount first. The angle looked so bad I pulled it right back out and raised the trans tunnel 1.5". Everything lines up nicely now. If I were to do it again I would not hesitate to raise the trans tunnel.
 
S

SNAKEPILOT

New Member
Jul 8, 2005
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Oct 16, 2008
#13
  • Oct 16, 2008
  • #13
I notched the tunnel support and then boxed in the cut out area to regain most of the original rigidity (and make it look cleaner). I also used an offset shifter which places the shifter about an inch left and back. This way the shifter is closer to my hand without leaning forward or having a steeply raked shifter handle.

View attachment 297188

 

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Cobra5.0Jeep

Member
Nov 4, 2005
159
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Grass Valley, CA
Oct 16, 2008
#14
  • Oct 16, 2008
  • #14
what mount did you use?
 
G

Gud T.B. Blown

Member
Dec 9, 2004
583
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Oct 17, 2008
#15
  • Oct 17, 2008
  • #15
Cobra5.0Jeep said:
Did you have to do any cutting? Did it mount in the same place as the stock transmission mounts are?
Click to expand...

No cutting at all, it bolted right in. I did use a different tranny mount from Dark Horse but that bolted into the stock location.
 
S

SNAKEPILOT

New Member
Jul 8, 2005
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Oct 17, 2008
#16
  • Oct 17, 2008
  • #16
Cobra5.0Jeep said:
what mount did you use?
Click to expand...

I think I got the crossmember from Dallas Mustang. It wouldn't suprise me if there is only one manufacturer, most shops seem to carry them.

It fit fine as is but to improve the driveline angle I cut the rear mount off and welded it up higher. Roughly one inch higher at the rear of the trans made the front of the trans a half inch higher which is what I gained from my tunnel mod. You could accomplish the same thing by using spacers on the rear mount which is what I did when I was mocking things up.

 

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Cobra5.0Jeep

Member
Nov 4, 2005
159
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Grass Valley, CA
Oct 17, 2008
#17
  • Oct 17, 2008
  • #17
OK. can someone give me the link to darkhorse, i can't seem to find a trans mount
 

fast_back_gta

New Member
Nov 10, 2007
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Oct 19, 2008
#18
  • Oct 19, 2008
  • #18
http://www.darkhorseperformance.com/
 
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96 DOHC Cobra

Founding Member
Oct 14, 2001
542
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16
Cerritos, CA
Oct 19, 2008
#19
  • Oct 19, 2008
  • #19
I've looked at Dark Horse before but can't find anything other than the complete conversion kit shown for the Falcon. I think their site is pretty useless.
 

Cobra5.0Jeep

Member
Nov 4, 2005
159
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Grass Valley, CA
Oct 19, 2008
#20
  • Oct 19, 2008
  • #20
96 DOHC Cobra said:
I've looked at Dark Horse before but can't find anything other than the complete conversion kit shown for the Falcon. I think their site is pretty useless.
Click to expand...

i am having that problem too, where can i just get the cross over?
 
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