TKX 70 Charger

[fontleyroy]

I am finally doing the Tremec 5 speed, shout out to Kern Dog!
I have a 70 Charger 500 SE. It has a 70 E body center console (in it when I bought it). My question is about the difference in center consoles. Does anyone know about the shifter locations as I will be buying the complete 5 speed conversion from SST. Should I buy everything for the Charger or will this E body console make things difficult for me? Thanks in advance!

 

[Derwud]

I am finally doing the Tremec 5 speed, shout out to Kern Dog!
I have a 70 Charger 500 SE. It has a 70 E body center console (in it when I bought it). My question is about the difference in center consoles. Does anyone know about the shifter locations as I will be buying the complete 5 speed conversion from SST. Should I buy everything for the Charger or will this E body console make things difficult for me? Thanks in advance!

I would ask SST when you purchase.. They know a lot about the what, where, and when...

 

[70chall440]

Perhaps some of these pictures will be helpful. I recently helped build a 70 RR with a TKX and we used the rear (E body) mounting location which put the shifter right at the front of the buckets (like you would think in an E or 71-74 B body).

The consoles are vastly different between a 70 B and E body but I would think this would be person preference.

 

[Kern Dog]

I am finally doing the Tremec 5 speed, shout out to Kern Dog!
I have a 70 Charger 500 SE. It has a 70 E body center console (in it when I bought it). My question is about the difference in center consoles. Does anyone know about the shifter locations as I will be buying the complete 5 speed conversion from SST. Should I buy everything for the Charger or will this E body console make things difficult for me? Thanks in advance!

I'd be glad to tell you if I knew, but I don't. Much of what I do is learned as I go. I find that when I get in a jam, sometimes I get lucky and FBBO member chimes in with a suggestion that either works like they suggested or works with some adjustment.

Some good info was shared in this thread:
Tremec TKX 5-Speed Conversion

The owner of the Coronet is a friend of mine. We did the conversion here at my place.

 

[fontleyroy]

Perhaps some of these pictures will be helpful. I recently helped build a 70 RR with a TKX and we used the rear (E body) mounting location which put the shifter right at the front of the buckets (like you would think in an E or 71-74 B body).

The consoles are vastly different between a 70 B and E body but I would think this would be person preference.

View attachment 1748238View attachment 1748239View attachment 1748240

Nice. I have the 727 tho. Here are a couple pictures. I have to move the console and the carpet out of the way. i dont think anything was done to the tunnel. i think he just put in that console.

 

[fontleyroy]

I'd be glad to tell you if I knew, but I don't. Much of what I do is learned as I go. I find that when I get in a jam, sometimes I get lucky and FBBO member chimes in with a suggestion that either works like they suggested or works with some adjustment.

Some good info was shared in this thread:
Tremec TKX 5-Speed Conversion

The owner of the Coronet is a friend of mine. We did the conversion here at my place.

Thanks! I read through your entire post. Great info and I thank you for that documentation of the process.

 

[fontleyroy]

Thanks! I read through your entire post. Great info and I thank you for that documentation of the process.

I just put some pictures up of the shifter. I am hoping that the shifter is in the original position with just a different center console.

 

[fontleyroy]

Removed the E body console today. Now I know I have to either modify/fabricate this center console to accept the new TKX shifter or go into the market for a 70 Charger center console.

 

[70ChargerRT]

Don’t know anything about the tkx but years ago when I did my T-56 Magnum swap SST didn’t even know of anyone using a console with a T-56 because of the fabrication work that had to be done to the tunnel, They didn’t know if you could even get it to work and look correct. lol. They however did just came out with their own shifter. So I took the Automatic console(the one out of my 70 Charger) and a 4-speed top plate and the rest is history.

 

[fontleyroy]

A quick update. I am unable to document the conversion as well as both Kern Dog and CoronetDarter so I am not even gonna try. Reading their complete thread on this process is a must. However, for those that are wondering, I am keeping track of my man hours to get a feel for what this would cost. So far I am into 10 hours. That is remove console, shifter, seats, carpet, brake pedal, driveshaft, linkage, cooler lines, and drain trans. I am doing this on wheel cribs so some of that time was bulding them and getting the Charger up on them.
CoronetDarter was a big help on removing the pedal with his Tremec 5 speed conversion right up - than you!

 

[fontleyroy]

I picked up the bell housing, flywheel, and clutch kit from a member. The complete conversion kit from SST and I am at $5988 total.

 

[fontleyroy]

Oh and I picked up a used 68 Charger center console from fleabay. Its an auto so I will have to do some mods but way better than trying to make that e body console work. Guess I will be selling that e body console and shifter.

 

[Kern Dog]

A quick update. I am unable to document the conversion as well as both Kern Dog and CoronetDarter so I am not even gonna try. Reading their complete thread on this process is a must. However, for those that are wondering, I am keeping track of my man hours to get a feel for what this would cost. So far I am into 10 hours.

Posting about your project is absolutely encouraged. There will always be some stuff that gets repeated but most of the time, stuff gets mentioned that prior threads never mentioned. You posted the man-hours you’ve spent. That is helpful because I don’t recall anyone else making notice if that. Every project is at least a little different from the last one. You’re doing this on a floor and not a car lift so you may come up with issues that offers will encounter.
Before I did my conversion, FBBO member @watermelon had a thread about the same thing in a 66 Coronet. I chronicled my project similar to his but with my own spin on it.

CoronetDarter was a big help on removing the pedal.

Rich is a good guy. He is always willing to help.

 

[fontleyroy]

Posting about your project is absolutely encouraged. There will always be some stuff that gets repeated but most of the time, stuff gets mentioned that prior threads never mentioned. You posted the man-hours you’ve spent. That is helpful because I don’t recall anyone else making notice if that. Every project is at least a little different from the last one. You’re doing this on a floor and not a car lift so you may come up with issues that offers will encounter.
Before I did my conversion, FBBO member @watermelon had a thread about the same thing in a 66 Coronet. I chronicled my project similar to his but with my own spin on it.



Rich is a good guy. He is always willing to help.

View attachment 1763042

I have been trying to justify the installation of a lift - just cannot bring myself to do it. At work we have 12 hoists and 9 pits for 40' city buses. However, when I retire in four years and build the barndomidium all bets are off!

 

[Kern Dog]

I built my shop out back in 2006 …

I framed the room on the right with a vaulted ceiling tall enough to clear a lift. I didn’t ended up buying the lift until 2015. I am still capable of flat back work but I won’t always be so lucky.
Your setup looks stable with those wooden stands.

 

[fontleyroy]

I am still capable of flat back work but I won’t always be so lucky.

Thats exactly why I am doing this now! After reading your post on the conversion and that member listed those three critical items for sale, I thought its destined to be - all on the same weekend.
You have a nice setup out there Kern Dog. Thats what we all try and work for.

 

[70ChargerRT]

I picked up the bell housing, flywheel, and clutch kit from a member. The complete conversion kit from SST and I am at $5988 total.

Thats not too bad. Maybe 8 years ago or longer I paid $7k for my complete T-56 Magnum from SST. Included everything. Right down to the driveshaft ,clutch ,hydraulic clutch set up, shifter, fabrication template and metal.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Thats exactly why I am doing this now! After reading your post on the conversion and that member listed those three critical items for sale, I thought its destined to be - all on the same weekend.
You have a nice setup out there Kern Dog. Thats what we all try and work for.

You beat me to them by maybe twenty minutes... Good for you! I bought them from Summit the same day... Rowing gears is fun...

Working on the floor? I call that being a floor whore... Bought my lift close to thirty years ago & have zero regrets...

 

[Kern Dog]

Those are nice seats.
Holy crap, POWER windows too?

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Those are nice seats.

Those are "different" What they are is NOS "Salt & Pepper" cloth inserts that Chrysler would have used with a black vinyl surround but when I purchased them thirty five years ago I had Legendary use white vinyl... I thought it would look better than the black... Still think it was a great choice...