Contemporary with Tremec TKO

Eljaro · #1 (**permalink**) 11-20-2004, 12:58 PM

I am planing to fit a new Tremec TKO600 into my Contemporary Classic Cobra.
Before lifting the transmission under the car and finding all sorts of things not fitting, I would like to know the experience from anyone having done the conversion from TL to TKO.
The rear trans support is about 2,5" further back and wont fit with the existing crossmember in the Contemporary chassis.
Then the shifter sticks way out of the original shifter hole in the trans tunnel.
I wonder if it will be necessary to tilt the engine slightly back to lower the transmission in the rear part, or if a different solution can take care of that.
I would appreciate all help and collected experience regarding such a conversion.
Thanks
eljaro

Shelboss · #2 (**permalink**) 01-04-2005, 06:47 AM

I have a Tremec 3550 in my 67 Shelby and have plans to put one in my Contemporary Cobra. The back of the Tremec needed to be lowered about an inch and the tunnel massaged in order to fit it, this should not be an issue on the Cobra. My drivetrain angle went from 4 degrees to 5 degrees. More important is the u-joint angle, mine are at 3 degrees for the front and rear u-joint, that is the max acceptable angle they can run at (there is also a min angle). Moving the tailshaft location in the Cobra is a bigger deal because the driveshaft is so short, even though it doesn't move with the suspension.
My shifter location is about at the stock height, which means it will be about 1" too tall in the Cobra. You may be able to hide this in the boot if you reverse the screws on the shift stops and trim the bolt ends that now protrude outward. Some jute or foam padding and spacers can also be used to move the trim rim up rather than using a larger boot. There is also the mid-shifter position that can be used with a Hurst shift handle that may put the shifter in a taller part of the tunnel. I am not there yet, so let me know what works for you!

Eljaro · #3 (**permalink**) 01-21-2005, 08:13 PM

Well, the TKO is now in the Contemporary Cobra. I had to make an 4" wide and 9" long hole in the tunnel, in order to be able to slip the TKO into the bellhousing. The shifter turret is about 1/2" above the top of the transmission tunnel and needs this hole in order to go in straight into the bellhousing, release bearing and clutch.
I had to make a new carpet for the trans tunnel because the shifter hole is now about 3" further forward. I made a removable plate to cover the hole also . Removing the TKO in order to change the clutch should be now an easy task.
The gearbox support crossmember in the frame has to be made new. The holes fall further back and the support is now an assimetric T profile with both flanges welded on the sides to be fitted to the flanges on the frame. Since the original crossmember has no precision at all, you better weld the T profile to the side flanges in the car. I didn't, and had to do quite some milling and grinding and fabricating a spacer in order to fit the new crossmember in nicely.
I used the same shifter handle I had with the TL with a Hurst shifter, removed the bottom flange,
made the stick about 1" shorter and fabricating an aluminum adapter to fit the handle to the TKO shifter stub.
I used the same boot.
I will take the Cobra out tomorrow and experience the new gearbox.

GVS · #4 (**permalink**) 09-14-2016, 08:43 PM

Elijaro: would you please post pictures of this TKO installation?