Doubling his forward speeds

June 1, 2008 | By Richard Prince

Question:

I have a 1967 El Camino with 227,000 miles on it. I am doing a frame off complete restoration on the car. I am having the 283 cid engine worked on in a machine shop and I would like to discard the 3-speed transmission and replace it with a 6-speed Camaro transmission. Is this possible, and will the transmission bolt up to the 283? I am installing a new rear end from Currie with a set of 4.11 gears.

Answer:

The six-speed installation you hope to do is a relatively common swap. You will require a modular bell housing or an adaptor plate to bolt the T56 transmission to your vintage 283. You’ll also need a new or modified transmission rear cross member, clutch system, shifter, etc. Numerous companies sell the parts you need, including McLeod (www.mcleodind.com) and LMPerformance (www.lmperformance.com).