I figured it was time for me to post my trans install
 

As well as the first pics of my truck.

Here we go!.........

Truck is up on stands and getting started! She looks pretty good for 232k at the time.
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ingstarted.jpg

Pulled the grill to get to the cooler lines.....small factory cooler huh :nono:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ulledgrill.jpg

Cutting the friggn' exhaust with a sawzall that didn't want to work right.....damn batteries. :bang:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...theExhaust.jpg

My buddy taking a crack at it with as much success with batteries as I had. :scream:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...tatExhaust.jpg

The ONLY way to get to all of the bolts with ease! Most of my extentions put together. Had to be at least 3 foot long :funny:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...Extentions.jpg

Finally the slip master 4000 is out! :turd: OEM rebuild. So the PB LVL2 will be the 3rd trans since I bought this thing with 64k on the clock. :bang:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...027/Itsout.jpg

PerformaBuilt LVL2 still in shipping packaging. It was a bitch to get loose from the poured packaging foam but there was no way this thing was getting hurt during transit! :thumb:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...aBuildLVL2.jpg

The nice big hole where the old trans once lived!
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...7/100_0209.jpg

No trans jack...:thinker:..just use ratchet straps! It worked pretty well! Each one was rated at 150lbs. No heavy lifty for us! We used leather gloves to protect the straps from the sharp parts of the trans. It also helped with the angle of the trans since we could control the front and rear seperately. We used a regular jack to get the the last few inches of height that we needed but still used the straps for stabilizing and angling. That servo is HUGE![:D]
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...7/100_0218.jpg

Time for the Pacesetter longtube install. :chug:
Who said headers are hard to install?? :D Since we couldn't get the truck high enough we already had the wheels and fenderwells taken off so the trans bell housing could clear the frame when we took it out.
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...7/100_0225.jpg

Wide open spaces!!! :) :cheers:
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...7/100_0224.jpg

I used one hand to feed the header from underneath the truck and my other hand to bolt them in. I had both installed in about 15 minutes. I actually started laughing at the memories of helping friends installing headers on their f-bodys.
Installed!
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...7/100_0226.jpg

The truck shifts and sounds beautiful. I installed the ORY pipe and did 3" pipe into a 18" case Borla PROXS 3" in /dual 2.5 out dumped under the bed. It sounds great and isn't too loud which is good because of work and phone conversations while driving.

Many :thumb:'s for PerformaBuilt and their LVL2. Im amazed at how fast this thing shifts.

Cool deal, I like the tie down strap trans jack...I did the same thing to hold my transfer case up when I did my trans swap. I had bought one of those transmission adapters for my floor jack, but it didn't work as there is a bar going across where it's supposed to mount to on my jack, so I just used a square piece of plywood on my floor jack to swap my transes in and out. It worked out pretty good, except for when the factory 60E slipped off of the jack and I caught it with my face! :bang: Yea, that hurt...

OUCH!!!! I bet you were a little hard to handle for the next few minutes. :mad::boiling::pissed::scream::shiner:

Yeah my buddy and I were going to use the floor jack and plywood to put the trans back in but after getting under the already low truck there was NO WAY that was going to work. So I grabbed the straps out of the back seat and we used thoughs. Worked out perfect.

well you shouldnt have to worry about another trans for a very long time ;)


i would get a bigger transcooler though, the PB's like running temps around 150* this could be a good reason why mine has lasted so long lol

I installed the one that they send you when you purchase a Performabuilt. They say if you don't install the cooler they won't warranty the trans if it goes out. The one they sent me is twice as big as the factory cooler. I understand that completely once I started thinking about the stall PLUS a crap factory cooler would equal HIGH trans temps.

I am about to order my PB level 2 this weekend, i really like the use of the straps that was pretty cool.

You'll LOVE the PBlvl2! No need to mess with factory line pressures either. That massive servo haning off the side does magic. I damn near chirp 2nd gear with anything over 1/4 throttle and bark them pretty good at WOT. It engages in each gear fast as hell.

As for the ratchet straps idea.....It worked really well. Here is a short video that my buddy took. We had the leather gloves in place to protect the straps. We got it high enough for the straps to be almost straight across. We used a floor jack when we got close to the top to help get the last inch or two.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...trapOmatic.jpg

Nice work bud!!! :pimp:

Great looking truck, cant tell she has some miles although miles aint nothin these days.

Reminds me of all my recent work on my back doing the motor swap, headers whatnot. I dont have a lift either ( yet!)

Congrats on all your hard work man.

I would love to hear a clip of your exhaust, i run a 3'' in dual 3'' out summit muffler but Want more sound. Since our exhaust is similar i'd like to hear it.

Here is a video I took about 1,000 miles after the install and after a nice detail. Its from a cold start but it starts idleing down twards the end.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ilandTrans.jpg

I'd like to hear your dual 3". I was going to order one but the dual 2.5 was cheaper. :P