[Chuck78]

Okay, so I measured both my Tremec 3550 and my SM318 in the truck. The truck does appear to have the standard trans ear pattern on the bell (sigh of relief!). The bottom would need to be nut and bolted on a Muncie/Tremec/etc, but should line up. Mid shifter location seems like it would do it for the Tremec's. Front looks pretty far up. My Tremec is a rear mount shifter, and also would be perfect for my 3.23 Camaro posi rear, and already have a Lakewood blowproof sbc bell for the camaro... Might look into another TR-3550 used, or else bite the bullet and buy a new one for the Camaro down the road, or else swap in a T56 and a 3.73 to the 71 Camaro in about 5 years when it is more likely to get back on the list of priorities...

My only concern now is the input bearing retainer's bore register diameter. It's the same as a Muncie/T10/ST10/Saginaw, and looks to me like about 4-5/8" or 4-11/16" (have to find my calipers to get it exact). Is this the same as the SM420 and more importantly, the SM318? The reason I am concerned is because of a random truck bell that my dad inherited that looks bulletproof, which I was going to use until I realized the bellhousing register was a much larger size (must have been an SM465??? had a 5th mounting hole on the bottom in the middle, lower than the standard 4 which matched the Muncie/Saginaw/T10/etc.)

My dad still has that bell, if anyone is needing one.

Anyhow, it sounds like this Tremec is a shoe-in if I had a mid shifter kit. It'd work for now in the hole someone cut for a T-5 rear shifter (bummer, hard spot to fab a patch for). If someone could just verify for me that the bore register is in fact a 4-11/16 or 4-5/8" on the SM318, then I'd be set...

If I found a deal on an NV3500, might go for it still... Current 3.23 Camaro posi + New TKO = $1800+ for Camaro, or 3.73 gears + T56 for Camaro = pricey, but then I could use my Camaro slated trans for the truck as is or with $350 mid shifter kit...
Otherwise it's looking like Tremec in Camaro, and then NV3500 ($400-$800 used?), + $1000 adapter kit w/starter, plus electric speedo or else magnetic to mechanical adapter... Either way, $2G's - now or later is the question I suppose. Later sounds better! Too bad I sold both Super T-10 4 speeds for the Camaro. I have a 700R4 auto as a spare if I was in a pinch!

Thanks for the help!

Chuck