1969 RR: Tremec TKO 500 vs. Keisler RS 500

[Etcher6]

I've got a '69 Roadrunner with a Mopar Performance 500 wedge crate motor and a Torqueflite 727 automatic transmission. I am looking at replacing the current trans with a 5 speed, either a Tremec TKO 500 or Keisler RS 500. The car does have bucket seats and a console. Any recommendations or experiences with either?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Runner 68]

I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Eager to see what the Gods say. I have been keeping an eye on Passon as well and their 5 speed A855. Wonder when it will be released.
http://www.passonperformance.com/

 

[Pistol Pete]

I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Eager to see what the Gods say. I have been keeping an eye on Passon as well and their 5 speed A855. Wonder when it will be released.
http://www.passonperformance.com/

I think Jamie just started shipping these out.

 

[Runner 68]

I think Jamie just started shipping these out.

Good to hear. I'll check up on it. He needs to update his website if so. I'm sure they'll sell like hot cakes.

 

[451Mopar]

Waiting to hear more on the Passion 5-speed, but it would require the 4-speed hump floor mod, while the other transmissions I think just need a hole in the center of the tunnel for the shifter?

 

[Dennis H]

It's been three YEARS since Passon announced the 5 speed. Over promise, no deliver. Who here has one - in their car?

The alternative is the Keisler mediocre customer service. I saw a video of Shafi explaining why the clutch failed in a Hemi Charger that he was working on. He made a legendary Hemi car look bad at a shootout. I wish these guys would get their **** together. It's embarrasing.

 

[Dennis H]

The silence is deafening. Passon/Keisler? Hello.

 

[Relax360]

there are no good choices for an auto to 5 speed swap. yes Passon has started shipping his 5 speed out but the waiting list is 6 months long. Keisler's 5 speeds have never gone into a mopar without cutting the Torsion bar cross member. They always lowered the transmission to clear it only to screw up the driveline angles.

I would get a gear vendors and be done with it. They work and you don't have to cut your floor

 

[Dennis H]

there are no good choices for an auto to 5 speed swap. yes Passon has started shipping his 5 speed out but the waiting list is 6 months long. Keisler's 5 speeds have never gone into a mopar without cutting the Torsion bar cross member. They always lowered the transmission to clear it only to screw up the driveline angles.
Actually only had to cut the floor pan to get the TKO in. It has 2-3 high rpm shift issues that he first denied, then had a fix for. Of course, my TKO is too early of a version for the upgrade. Explain, apologize and wait. Keisler and Passon both do that.
I would get a gear vendors and be done with it. They work and you don't have to cut your floor

"....."".......

 

[Meep-Meep]

I spoke to Passon the other day and he did say he's starting to get the 5 spd together and shipped soon. I'm waiting on my OD gear set and that's 15 weeks late from when he was originally promised.

 

[road chicken]

I can't testify to the others but I installed a tko500 -full kit- from Keisler.in my 71 runner Never again. The transmission needed about $500 in extra parts to work properly. The shift rods modded and kevlar lined sychros in 2,3,and 4. until then the pos wouldn't shift over 2000 rpm- behind a basically stock 383. The KIT bolted in but the driveline has a vibration because the rear of the transmission sits too low- even though it is up as far as it can go without cutting the torsion bar crossmember. I will have to do that , and lift it about 1 inch to get the angles right. If i could do it again I would get a Gearvendors od unit for the 883. TKOs also have a habit of leaking due to a shift rod seal design that had to be OK'd by a crack head. No self repecting place would use a double/ side by side o ring to seal anything, like the TKO does between the main case and tailshaft where the shift-rods go.

 

[Dennis H]

My TKO has a 2-3 shift issue at high rpm. There is the "fix, but my version is too early. Jams between 3-5th. Only when racing and you really need to find it. What really pissed me was watching Shafi explain why he allowed a Hemi Charger to be embarrassed at a shoot out. Passon? My pal with the 'Cuda is still waiting.

 

[road chicken]

My TKO has a 2-3 shift issue at high rpm. There is the "fix, but my version is too early. Jams between 3-5th. Only when racing and you really need to find it. What really pissed me was watching Shafi explain why he allowed a Hemi Charger to be embarrassed at a shoot out. Passon? My pal with the 'Cuda is still waiting.

The High Rpm fix is getting the kevlar lined synchros. I got mine from Liberty Gears, maybe they can help. The units they (TKO) use are still the same standard brass units from the 60s. The rotating parts have gotten heavier and they expect the relatively light duty brass units to do the job... not.

The trick to the 2-3 shift, ( after getting the kevlar sychros) is NOT to force it into 3rd. Just slam it forward with an open palm and let the shifter find it's way. It's spring loaded to find the 3-4 gate. It took me a while to get used to that after the 883. I had to sneak up on it for awhile before I was comfortable doing it at 6500,( I was so paranoid about it hitting 1st). It does work. If I try to force it in, it gets hung up everytime.

 

[Jacks_Runner]

There's this vendor on Ebay that sells full conversion kits, he's in Wisconsin. He offers an A833 with the overdrive fourth gear built as strong as a regular one, not the weaker overdrives, so he says. I was considering this as an option. With everything included for 3K, it sounds like a good deal. Has anyone dealt with him. I spoke with him and he sounds like he knows his stuff. He builds all the trannys himself. This ad is for A bodys but he does B bodys as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mopar-A-Bod...ies&hash=item1c3193c7b0&vxp=mtr#ht_1559wt_720

 

[Jim Maras]

road chicken is right! I have quite a bit of experience with TKO 600's in a 69 Chevelle project, (same trans for Mopar) Got my first one as a kit from Keisler. Leaked oil from top cover, drive line angle problems, vibration problems, and would not power shift from 2nd to 3rd above 5000 rpm's. Really wanted overdrive with a clutch so I bought a new "modified" TKO 600 from Liberty. This one leaked oil from O rings that road chicken referred to, still vibrated and jammed between 2nd and 3rd gear 3 out of 4 times above 5000 rpm's. (trying to shift @6500, forget about it)I had to pull both trans out numerous times to try to resolve problems. I even had the barrels between the main case and rear housing machined to fix oil leak. Before you buy a Tremec, Keisler or any product "google search" problems with them. Ended up with a 4L80E auto in the Chevelle and it is great. Now working on 64 Belvedere and looking at auto with OD!! BTW, I am old enough to have spent a lot of time with old 4 speed cars and had no problems shifting.