O3HDFB......Hurst TKO600 Elite Kit Installation in 1970 Challenger

[cordodge]

hey, nice work.your a whole lot closer than me for sure. are they factory tips? do you have a couple more pics of them. thx bruce

 

[03HDFB]

If you're talking about the exhaust Tips....I'm using the 2011 392 Challenger Mopar Performance tips.
I like the look and that they have ball flange connection! Pat Number MP82212379 for tips and 4578916AB for clamps.

 

[cordodge]

ok thx, i will check them out. they look a little narrower than the originals which i need as i closed up the holes to hide the springs which were moved in. thx Bruce

 

[Rob2thec]

Awesome car dude!

Hows the transmission drive? Very interested in this swap.

 

[03HDFB]

Awesome car dude!

Hows the transmission drive? Very interested in this swap.

Thanks!!......The car is killer now!! The Tranny swap (In My Opion) is a must for these cars!! I do a ton of Freeway driving and wanted the to keep the 3.91 (If Not Shorter) gears in the back for Street/ Track Fun.... the .64 5th gear is so sweet!!! All the car really needs now...is some fuel injection and I could get some very nice
MPG! I made a ton of changes at once Power Disk Brakes and Full Hotchkis TVS along with the Tranny.....My Wife is finding it very hard to get me out of the car now!!
G

 

[joes68340s]

Great thread and you've got a great car. I have been pondering this same type of swap but Im going from an auto In an AAR Cuda . The car is not numbers and once had a manual trans when it was raced now a street car. I like the use of the shorty TTis I have regular ones and would also like to use them. Did you need to clearance around the tunnel at the cross member I have read that is very tight. Thanks

 

[03HDFB]

Glad you liked the thread!! No trimming around the Tunnel cross member to fit the TKO600....You will have to cut on the passenger side FWD tunnel
to fit the tranny....about a 9" x 9" square......It wasn't bad.....and so worth the effort! Now that I have the FAST EZ 2.0 EFI....the car is just killer on the
road. My Commute is about 130 Miles round trip...and I take the car every day the weather is dry....its hard to get out of the car now...all the mods made
it a perfect driver...corners great, stops great and likes to cruise around 80 MPH!

Last Weekend Pic....Best Paint and Best of Show!!

 

[rbbruno3]

Congrats on the hardware G

 

[03HDFB]

Congrats on the hardware G

Thanks Bud.....How's that sweet ride of yours coming along?
Would love to take it for a drive!

 

[VJ500]

Great write up, thank you for all the advice!! I have a 73 challenger, Hemi orange, vinyl top, 4 speed, looks very similar to yours... I put a Muscle Motors 500 inch stroker in it last year (718 hp @ 6600 & 662 lb. torque at 4500) and began breaking everything!... long story short, I have welded in sub frame connectors, torque boxes, welded many of the frame seams, added Schumacher torque strap, Narrower dana with 3.54s, off set SS springs, Spec HP clutch and much more... The car handles great but I have broken 2 - 833’s so far, broke second gear on the first 833 and the third gear on the second which was a fresh rebuilt 18 spline… I have been on the waiting list for a Passion 5 speed for a year, I spoke with Jamie last month, he is not shipping for a long time... So I am considering the TKO600 with the Liberty’s gear upgrades, (Kryco gears, shot peening, surface enhancement and more to make it stronger).. Talking to Craig a Liberty’s gear he recommends a T56 Magnum 6 speed... because of all the torque the motor makes... I agree but I don’t think it will fit without cutting the torsion bar cross member/ frame rail... which I do Not want to do (I’ll cut the tunnel but not the frame)… Hurst says their TKO600 will fit with mild tunnel modification … and they recommended sending it to Liberty’s for the upgrades, but I will still be beyond the 600 lb. Torque limit of the tranny. They are confident it will survive with street tires but it is at serious risk if I put on drag radials or slicks… I plan on changing the rear gears to 3.90s to help relieve stress on the tranny… So my question, How much torque are you running through your TKO?? I want to keep my Z bar clutch linkage, what should I ask Hurst or Quick Time for so it will work correctly? Any issues or further advice if you were to do it again?? Sorry for the long post….thanks!!

 

[03HDFB]

And good Morning to You....
Fricken nice ride my friend...Love it!! Yeah....You are pushing the limits for sure. I know this wont be an easy disision for you!! I for sure would boost your rear gears and if
you choose an over drive tranny with a final gear of say .64.....I would recomend using 4.10's in the rear. It will be just prefect for the freeway....and just sick in stop and
go!! Now for the really tough decision....running a modded new tranny at the top of its life cycle....or reworking the tunnel area to install a tranny made to take the abuse
your motor is putting on it. God....This is tough.....I'm not sure what your wallet is telling you.....But I would recomend the high road and mod the tunnel for T56 or
another tough tranny!! I think in the long run....it will be less costly, More fun and you'll be the happiest! That Said...I know for me and my builds...Sacrifices do have to be
made due to (Bank account, Work Load and affect to other parts of the build) If you shore up the TKO600 it will take quite a bit of abuse at the 700 HP range...for quite
some time. It was a bit easier decision for me...with my small block stroker....not near the balls you're running with your motor!! I would also recomend running the Hydro
clutch assembly and loose the Z-bar. I could be happier with that decision. Its a cleaner install, smoother operation and you can run way more clutch pressure!! I don't
have the contact info. for the point man at quick time (I passed it to another member) but the boys at Hurst should beable to give you that and you will need to contact
that Quick Time point man and make sure they have made the adjustments to thier bell housing so you can run the z-bar. They may have incorperated since I did mine
almost 2 years ago. Are you running long tube headers? Whatever conversion you choose....make sure you clear all interferences enough to keep the motor set as close
to factory pitch as you can. This will save you all the headaches in reworking all your exhaust as well as pinion angle fun chasing down vibrations. This is one issue with
the Hurst kit...the tranny crossmember lowers the tranny....I didn't catch that till it was too late....and made for lots of work in the end for me!!
If I was to do it all again.....Now this is just me......And my Love for the Drag Strip, My Wife and (4) Girls.....I would convert the car back to an Auto and worked the over drive with all the killer products that are on the market now!!
I still have plans to install some forced induction....I have the Fuel Injection all sorted out now....and Its ready!!
G

 

[VJ500]

Thanks!! Yes tough decisions, I am spending way too much time trying to figure this out... I would love the T56 6 speed but I really don’t want to cut the torsion bar cross member / frame rail… I spoke with Hurst and they don’t have a replacement kit for the frame rail - for an E body, like they do for the B bodies (needed to put a TKO600 in them)… I definitely want OD, but with 650 lbs. of torque I don’t have many choices, I think the TKO600 is my only choice for street??(Without major surgery). Do know any other 5 speed that would fit (and handle the torque?)… I think Hurst are the only ones that machine off the stock shift pad and create a new one so the shifter is in the stock location?)… If I went with them I would have them ship it to Liberty gears for all their upgrades (to give it a little more strength – getting expensive, all in with new bell housing and hydro clutch, and Liberty treatment, I’m looking at $5k)...
Everyone recommends the 3.90’s for the rear but with a .64 OD the 4.11’s would be fine on the highway… and If I jump on it hard with street slicks I need to take as much stress off the trans as possible, so the taller, 4.11’s would help a little more than the 3.90’s.. I would like to find out if the 4.11 will make “much” of a difference?, but they would be Fun!... with the .64 OD the 4.11’s would actually better than the 3.90’s on the highway (at 2000 rpm, 28 inch tire, the 3.90s would be at 67 mph, the 4.11’s would be at 64, the motor doesn’t like anything below 1900). I will look into the hydro clutch kit... I am not crazy about putting the new reservoir in but it probably is not much work, and probably much smother, (and no linkage bind due to the motor /twisting/lifting).
My goal is to get a 5 speed in the car that can survive with the power I have. I want to run it at the drag strip a few times (a year) to see what it will do, and I don’t want to “baby it”... but after breaking 2 833’s I need to learn how to shift with less “Shock load” on the gears and get a stronger trans, getting tired of changing transmissions.. So I am hoping between the works Liberty can do on the TKO600 and going with the 4.11’s the Trans will be able to handle the abuse...??

 

[03HDFB]

Yeah....There are no other choices in Tranny's....Without alot of cutting and Fab work. I think You'll be fine with the Beafed up TKO and a good rear gear. I would not
hesitate to put the 4.11's in....It will really be perfect for you! The clutch install is supper slick......I actually used a billet res.....other than the one that came in the kit
and braided line....so I could put it exactly where I wanted it. PM me your email..I can send you all the pics you like! I think I missed who's drive line you're running....are you
planning to use the Hurst driveline that comes with thier conversion kit? If so....and you have a local shop handy....Have them take a look at the balance before you install.
The driveline I got was SFI certed and really looked nice....but during my vibration hunt down....I pulled it and had it checked...It needed some further balancing...All good
now!
G

 

[VJ500]

Thanks!!... Sorry for the slow response, family stuff. I have a drive shaft from Inland Empire that I planed on having them shorten and use with the TKO... and definitely rebalance, thanks for the tip. I will PM you my email for more pic's... Much appreciated!!!

 

[03HDFB]

Inland.....Yeah...They did my Driveline as well!