GRM braintrust, I've been thinking about doing an LSx into Toyota swap for a while. The problem with an LSx, of course, has mostly to do with the expensive and massive T56s they come attached to.
How much money and effort would it be to put a clutch in place of the torque converter, hook up a rally style shifter and make an overly heavy sequential transmission from one of the many cheap, tough autos the LS motors come hooked to?
I'd imagine the best deal would be to find a $2500 ls1 camaro/firebird and swap the drivetrain. I've been looking and they are out there.
Drag Racers used to do that long ago. From what I understand once torque converters improved they became unnecessary. Shift the auto manually and if you really miss having a clutch pedal just put the pedal in hooked to a big spring and a switch to stall the engine in traffic every so often.
How would you run the fluid pump in the trans without a torque converter?
Those are called 'Clutch Flites' (because they were typically made from a modified Torque Flite but were also made from C6's, TH400's, Powerglides etc) and were common in certain drag race classes. That little three cornered thing on the input shaft mates with a Long or Borg & Beck style pressure plate and it spins the front pump.
In reply to Curmudgeon:
Thanks for the info. That's pretty damn cool.
How expensive is a clutch flight? Can you build a clutch-semi modern 4 or 5 speed version?
I don't want to derail your thread too much, but have you considered other manual transmissions for the LSx? There are a lot of 4-speeds and some 5-speeds available that will work and aren't nearly as expensive as the T56. There are several very good GRM threads about this topic as well.
With a little parts bin mix and match, you can use any SBC manual on a LSx.
......and the 4L60E autos that were used in the GTOs, and a lot of other GMs that came with LS engines, weren't exactly lame.
I've got nothing against manual gearboxes, in fact I usually prefer them, but a good AT behind a nice torquey V8 isn't a bad thing.
Seriously, in Korea , and particularly in a Toyota, wouldn't a Toyota 5-speed be the go-to trans of choice? Add $450 adapter bell housing and still be half the price of the t56.
http://www.advanceadapters.com/products/712560v--toyota-truck-g52g54g85--w56-4-cyl-transmission-to-gm-v8-adapter-bell-housing-kit/
http://www.advanceadapters.com/products/712567v--chevy-v8--v6-to-jeep-wrangler-ax15-adapter-bellhousing-kit/
And who keeps perpetuating the myth that the t56 is the only trans for the lsx motors? Any manual transmission that ever bolted up to any small or big block Chevy will bolt up and work with a $5 extended pilot bushing, careful choice of clutch/flywheel and proper clutch setup.
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