Best modification I've ever made to an F-body was using a mid mount torque arm with a mount tied into the subframe connectors. Makes trans removal 10x easier.
I had a quick performance 9" with that Hooker crossmember and man oh man the torque arm was just slammed into the tunnel. Sold all of it off and got myself a beautiful Midwest Chassis fab 9" and 2 piece tunnel mounted torque arm. Best money I've ever spent.
Nice clean install good work. I've been wanting to upgrade my crossmember to the black heart one. My car is making 450 whp and need to get the torque arm off the t56 before I have issues.
How close was the f-body oil pan to the k-member? I have the same engine mounts and just got a GM crate LS3 with f-body pan installed and am wondering if it will clear for sure or not. I haven't been able to find any definitive answer on the forums. Also been enjoying your content and have purchased the clutch master cut template, brake master doubler plate, and literally just delivered today the shifter hole template.
I see you had fitment problems with your black heart cross-member. Mine is an automatic 4L65E, and I had very similar issues, your build is looking great.
@@3rdGenGuy Yes, I used the Holley oil pan and related to clear the cross-member, and so far it seems to work well. I enjoy your work / build, car will be nearly perfect when its done, enjoy.
Nice work there! I want to ask you what transmision is this (magnum F or not) and if the mounts is the HOOKER BLACKHEART LS SWAP KIT? I want to make the same swap on my third gen and its allready a manual. Please tell me those two things. Thank you!
its's a t56 Magnum-f yes. same shifter location as 98-02 camaro/firebird T56. I used the Holley LS swap kit. if your car came with a T5, you will need to cut a slightly larger hole for the t56 shifter.
depends on the car. sometimes it's a cut foreword, sometimes or rearward. I do sell a cut template for a t56 shifter cut out when using a F-BODY t56 and Holley LS mounts. Only Holley LS mounts + a F-body t56 works with this tool though. www.ebay.com/itm/175793388924
They told me to buy the T56 Magnum (not the F) for the Holley LS mounts. My shifter now with the T5 is 70cm from the end of the engine and its possition on my tunnel hole is not on the center but a little backwards. So if I take the non F magnum I think it will fit in the same hole and I will not have to cut anything. Thank you for your time and I will show this tool to my mechanic. (I am from Greece and all those stuff are very hard to find)@@3rdGenGuy
Great video! This brought back a lot of memories, both good and annoying, of swapping my Trans Am to a World Class T5. Cutting the hole in the floor wasn't bad, but cutting in the perfect place for the clutch master cylinder in the firewall was nerve wracking. I swear I measured like a dozen times. Just curious though, why did you decide to go manual brakes?
Do you by chance have part #s for the transmission poly mount, the t56 shifter you went with, and the part #s for the flywheel/clutch kit you went with
@@3rdGenGuy since your striving for weight reduction have you considered to get a non tilt column? Also a smaller wiper motor that is a bit smaller? That is what I’m doing to my trans am. I also have the same Alston Sub frame connectors and have a similar crossmember for the t56 LT1 small block setup. Have to do a work around to get them both reinstalled. Looking forward to your videos. Keep up the good work!
Question… I was considering a t56 swap on my 88 firebird, do I need a different computer that knows it’s a 6 speed? I haven’t done my research yet but maybe someone here knows?
Sadly soon all combustion cars and trucks including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Car washs will be forbidden too because they are climate killers, now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN & BEFVO laws)!!!!!!!!
Best modification I've ever made to an F-body was using a mid mount torque arm with a mount tied into the subframe connectors. Makes trans removal 10x easier.
Eventually I want to install a decoupled torque arm.
but that's for the future.
I had a quick performance 9" with that Hooker crossmember and man oh man the torque arm was just slammed into the tunnel. Sold all of it off and got myself a beautiful Midwest Chassis fab 9" and 2 piece tunnel mounted torque arm. Best money I've ever spent.
the torque arm with the holley mount is tight, but nothing a hammer couldn't cure.
wow, awesome job on everything you're doing with that 3rd gen! i hope you'll be taking us to the races when you're finished building it.
Thank you...I'm about to do the same process on my 87 SS
I always look forward seeing a new video. Keep up the great job!
Nice clean install good work. I've been wanting to upgrade my crossmember to the black heart one. My car is making 450 whp and need to get the torque arm off the t56 before I have issues.
Nice!! Can’t wait to catch up to you on my build
Mine fitted with 5.3 truck intake 😎
Loce watching videos with Pontiac. It make's me go to my garage and do something with my gta :)
Looking great. 👍
How close was the f-body oil pan to the k-member? I have the same engine mounts and just got a GM crate LS3 with f-body pan installed and am wondering if it will clear for sure or not. I haven't been able to find any definitive answer on the forums. Also been enjoying your content and have purchased the clutch master cut template, brake master doubler plate, and literally just delivered today the shifter hole template.
With Holley LS mounts, about 1/2in.
BUT my k-member was cut for a LS swap years ago.
@@3rdGenGuy answers my question. Thanks.
Nice work
I see you had fitment problems with your black heart cross-member. Mine is an automatic 4L65E, and I had very similar issues, your build is looking great.
Since I'm using the F-body oil pan, the holley stuff needed some massaging to fit. the kit was designed for the holley oil pan
@@3rdGenGuy Yes, I used the Holley oil pan and related to clear the cross-member, and so far it seems to work well. I enjoy your work / build, car will be nearly perfect when its done, enjoy.
Nice work there! I want to ask you what transmision is this (magnum F or not) and if the mounts is the HOOKER BLACKHEART LS SWAP KIT? I want to make the same swap on my third gen and its allready a manual. Please tell me those two things. Thank you!
its's a t56 Magnum-f yes. same shifter location as 98-02 camaro/firebird T56.
I used the Holley LS swap kit.
if your car came with a T5, you will need to cut a slightly larger hole for the t56 shifter.
Thank you for your quick response. One last thing. It will need to cut from the front of the back of the existing hole?@@3rdGenGuy
depends on the car.
sometimes it's a cut foreword, sometimes or rearward.
I do sell a cut template for a t56 shifter cut out when using a F-BODY t56 and Holley LS mounts.
Only Holley LS mounts + a F-body t56 works with this tool though.
www.ebay.com/itm/175793388924
They told me to buy the T56 Magnum (not the F) for the Holley LS mounts. My shifter now with the T5 is 70cm from the end of the engine and its possition on my tunnel hole is not on the center but a little backwards. So if I take the non F magnum I think it will fit in the same hole and I will not have to cut anything. Thank you for your time and I will show this tool to my mechanic. (I am from Greece and all those stuff are very hard to find)@@3rdGenGuy
have you already purchased the T56 Mag yet?
if not, the MAG-F has much better fitment in a 82-92 car than the non F
Great video! This brought back a lot of memories, both good and annoying, of swapping my Trans Am to a World Class T5. Cutting the hole in the floor wasn't bad, but cutting in the perfect place for the clutch master cylinder in the firewall was nerve wracking. I swear I measured like a dozen times.
Just curious though, why did you decide to go manual brakes?
I hate power brakes and the booster gets in the way of adding more camber.
I want more than -2.0 degrees or more
@@3rdGenGuy
What did you get the plates?? For the engine mounts
all Holley stuff
What size/degree counter sync bit did you use for this? I love that idea but don't want to go throw the sheet metal.
82 degrees I believe.
I used an Aerospace countersink tool, but you can buy star shaped tools that will countersink just the same.
i know this video is a year old but any idea what engine mounts those are??
I used the Holley LS swap kit.
Do you by chance have part #s for the transmission poly mount, the t56 shifter you went with, and the part #s for the flywheel/clutch kit you went with
clutch is a LS7 kit. GM stuff.
pretty sure the poly t56 mount is the same as the 3rd gen 700r4 (PROTHANE 7-1604-BL)
I thought the 4th gens had a 2 piece driveshaft? (you mentioned the 3rd and 4th being the same length).
4th gen Aluminum shafts are the same as 3rd gen shafts.
all the same length.
some are Aluminum some are steel.
I believe the GTO has 2 piece shafts.
I have to add a t-56 to my auto 3rd gen... do you have and dimensions , And if so would you share them please.
where did you buy the engine mounts
those are the Holley 82-92 LS mounts.
What did you do with your front and back coolant crossover pipes?
I cover that in my Radiator/fan video.
czcams.com/video/cG4waBedebg/video.html
Defitnely upload some runs
I’m curious, does the 4th generation driveshaft directly fit?
it does for any 3rd gen that came with a 700r4.
Alright, quick question. Would you build a 383 because you got the motor for free? OR, try and find a cheap LS and trans and use them?
weight is a HUGE deal for my car, hence the aluminum LS1.
if it wasn't, a SBC is completely fine for 99% of people.
@@3rdGenGuy since your striving for weight reduction have you considered to get a non tilt column? Also a smaller wiper motor that is a bit smaller? That is what I’m doing to my trans am. I also have the same Alston Sub frame connectors and have a similar crossmember for the t56 LT1 small block setup. Have to do a work around to get them both reinstalled. Looking forward to your videos. Keep up the good work!
Do the engine sit lower?
SBC or LS the oil pan is usually inline with K-member
Any doubler plates for sale?
the brake master doubles are avoidable on my eBay store.
www.ebay.com/itm/175555281751
the whole clutch/steering column doubler isn't ready yet.
What brand torque arm did you go with?
It's a founders unit. Fairly cheap and it works.
But it also was behind a weak 305, so I'll see if sticky tires and horsepower breaks it.
Question… I was considering a t56 swap on my 88 firebird, do I need a different computer that knows it’s a 6 speed? I haven’t done my research yet but maybe someone here knows?
I'm using a PSI harness that's specked out for a T56.
it has a reverse lockout, reverse light, and speed sensor wires for the t56.
@@3rdGenGuy awesome man thank you for the help I’ll have to look into that and love the build videos keep up the good work
Sadly soon all combustion cars and trucks including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-(
In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025
on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Car washs will be forbidden too because they are climate killers, now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN & BEFVO laws)!!!!!!!!
when gas is banned, I'll EV swap my 92 and carry on.
What cross member did you use ?
modified stock k-member powder coated.