TKO 600 in '61 Corvette

[rsavage]

My other toy (beyond the Blazer) is a 61 Corvette. Over the past few years, I have done lots of work and upgrades to it such as wheels and tires, new convertible top and frame, tach drive generator, front disc brakes, new tail lights, new widshield and frame, bumpers rechromed, etc. etc. I am currently going to install a TKO 600 5 speed with OD. The trans will be shipped Tuesday from SST. Yesterday and today I worked to get the car ready by pulling out the T10 4 speed. I will get the flywheel surfaced tomorrow (hopefully) and if it gets here, put it in by the weekend. Last photo is the T10 I pulled ou.
Here are a few photos for those who are interested. It does not have its original engine - it has a '66 L79 350hp 327, 3.70 original posi rear end.

[mongocanfly]

Nice!!!!!

[Russell Ashley]

Sweet ride, I like what you are doing with it. I bought a nice 64 StingRay in 1968 for $2k. At that time you could buy a nice straight axle Vette for about $1K. I wish I had bought a few of them.

[rsavage]

Thanks much.
The TKO is all installed. After you install it you phone in your drive shaft measurement to Silver Sports Transmissions and they send you a new drive shaft (part of the kit). Unfortunately, when I did so last Friday, I was told the the company that makes the driveshafts for SST is shut down by its state government until at least mid April. Probably going to be until the end of the month before it is built and shipped. I could be practicing my social distancing by driving the car and testing it out. Today was a nice sunny blue sky day - I worked on the house instead. Fun wow. Sorry, I can't rotate the images. They are correct on my computer.

[Russell Ashley]

You have me wanting a sixties Corvette. That thing is beautiful under the bottom too.

[rsavage]

Thanks Russell. Stay safe and healthy.

[KShortell]

Niiiicccceeeeee! :-D

[rsavage]

Thanks KShortell

[richard2717]

So Rick, what is the fate of the T-10?

[rsavage]

Originally Posted by richard2717

So Rick, what is the fate of the T-10?

Not sure whether I will keep or sell. It was rebuilt and works great.It is a close ratio and one of the first T10's that went to an aluminum case instead of cast iron - the change over was late '61 corvette and '62. The install kit for the Hurst Competition + shifter is no longer available. I believe that it is original to the car, but they didn't stamp partial VINS until '63 I believe, when Chevy started using Muncies. Date codes on the trans are correct. All that being said, I'll probably never use it in the Corvette again. I never say I won't do another project car (although my wife says I won't). So I'll probably trip over it for awhile yet. I have one more bucket list desire and that is a '59 (preferred) or '60 El Camino in the same condition as my Blazer. I'd have to either sell or trade the Blazer to do so, unless I hit the lotto.

[burnin oil]

I would be cutting and welding a spare drive shaft so that I could drive it. Cutoff wheel, Grinder, and a welder would get it done. If you are careful it will be balanced or really close. Of all I have done only a front shaft was off and was full of used parts from different shafts. Worse that happens is it has a vibe and you get to wate on the kit shaft.

[rsavage]

Well, my patience didn't last. I ordered a 31 spline yoke and took it and my old drive shaft to Fleet Pride hoping they were open. Automotive repair shops and auto parts have not been ordered closed where I live Their shop is open but not the store lobby. So, when I got there last Friday, there was a sign to call a phone number. I did and one of their shop employees met me at one of the roll up doors, (we both had our masks on) wrote down the measurements, and took my old drive shaft and new yoke. I sure hope he understood what I was explaining to him as to measurements. Should be done tomorrow, hopefully.

[burnin oil]

Good deal. Hopefully your fleet pride is better than the 2 I dealt with. They were reasonably fast but extremely over priced. I can't remember if it was a front or rear shaft but I do remember the 1k qoute! Its been a few years so it was probably a front shaft with the CV joint.

[mongocanfly]

hmmmm...fp built me 3 driveshafts for around $650 for all 3

[burnin oil]

that one was in Roanoke VA not long after it opened. Usually I would just go over to Salem Spring Works. I moved along time ago so who knows now. $650 is about what I payed in Norfolk VA for my new 5500 driveshaft.

[rsavage]

I picked up the driveshaft yesterday am and installed it. Sunny but cold day. Took her out for a test run and everything went well. Clutch engagement is super smooth with the newly surfaced flywheel and new clutch. Transmission worked perfectly. The speedometer gear they sent me is spot on when checked with my portable gps. They charged me $169 to shorten and balance my old shaft. I provided the 31 spline yoke ($96). Yoke was a 1330 joint so the shortened from the front so that I didn’t have an adapter joint (1310/1330) Two new joints so I guess it was fairly reasonable.

[67C10Step]

Super! I think there are a lot of projects getting more attention than normal right now. I have always loved the C1, C2, and early C3 Corvettes the best. Yours is a beauty!

[rsavage]

Thanks. We were supposed to be in Florida camping from the end of February through the first week of April. We got a little over two weeks in before we came home early. My wife doesn't drive anymore due to MS and I didn't want to take the chance on me getting sick and having her stuck with a truck and RV 1500 miles from home. My Blazer was supposed to be in the Motorama in Buffalo on April 9, 10, and 11, but of course that was cancelled. Consequently, I have been trying to keep as busy as possible. Stay safe.