TKO 600 going in

[cst350]

Been working on my TKO 600 conversion slowly but steadily. I am at the point that I need to cut a hole in the floor for the shifter. Right now I have the motor out, the bell housing dialed in and clutch installed. The trans has a 1" offset shifter and the cross member is not bolted.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to lay out the cut. I am working in my garage so the highest I can get the truck off the ground is a good set of jack stands (@ 18"). I am thinking I should install the motor w/o the trans, somehow level it, and measure from there. Then I would install the trans from the bottom...

Anyone with any suggestions or experience that might help, please chime in.

Thanks

[Ziegelsteinfaust]

I put a M22 in a Nova years ago.

I put the engine in, and leveled it. I had the shifter already assembled, and took a couple of measurements. Then played out my spot, and drilled a center hole into the car. From there I cut down into body making it easy for me.

[Warrens69GMC]

Lift up the cab, install the trans, get your measurements - use the body mount holes for the measurements.

[LS short box]

My .02.

Bolt the trans to the engine. So much easier to line up the trans to engine out of the truck. That TKO 600 is not light. Trying to muscle it in at the right angle even with two people will be a struggle.

Don't know if you have the grille and core support out but if you do you can get the engine on the motor mounts and then mark the tunnel for the shifter hole.

Again just my .02 and good luck with your project.

[Captainfab]

I would do it the way you mentioned in post#1. Install the engine and bellhousing and leas best as you can. Then measure from the back of the bellhousing to the center of the shifter and then from side to side. I would cust a small hole to start with until you install the trans and then you can open it up to the size you need. This will allow for a little bit of error.

[cst350]

Big thanks to all of the responses. I'm going with my first idea but with a possible twist.

Since I don't know if I will have clearance below the floor to align the trans from the bottom, I might take the engine out after the initial measuring and hole cutting, then install the trans to the engine and put both back in from the top.

[geezer#99]

Before you drill any holes have you considered the position of the trans in the frame.
They aren’t normally installed dead centre between the frame rails but are offset to the passenger side.

[LS short box]

Not sure if this helps but on my LS/T56 swapped 68 I purchased a ECE trans cross member.
I just measured the center line of the trans cross member from each frame rail. From the right frame rail its 14 1/4" and 14 1/2" to the left frame rail so more less centered for my LS swap.

[cst350]

Thanks for mentioning this. The more points of reference I can pay attention to the better! It never occurred to me that the driveline (engine + tranny) would be off the centerline.

I am using Modern Driveline's conversion kit for most of the odds and ends. I have there crossmember and the frame holes are nearly symmetrical.

[geezer#99]

You need the centreline of the motor/trans to be parallel to the centreline of the pinion on the rearend.
Most rearends have the pinion offset to the passenger side.