Ok so I bought the skinny kid motor plate with front plate, mid plate, and block plate. Got everything ready to bolt in and mock up everything. Bolted it all together and sliped the transmission in place only to find the input shaft would only go in the pilot bearing about 1/4 inch. The transmission is a TKO600 which will be replaced soon with something stronger but for now I will just nurse it around. I have thought of different was to get around this problem and none are sounding that great. Best thing so far is to have a new mid plate made of 1/8 inch steel and remove the block plate. I am running a lakewood bellhousing and also tried the stock TKO housing with the same results. I dont see any other way. Maybe there is something i am not thinking of. Between the new mid plate 1/8 inch steel and removing the block plate I would have about 1/2 inch to 3/4 of the input shaft in the bearing. Anyone besides me think thats kinda lame on a 900rwhp car? Personaly I dont think its enough. Sure the clutch splines have plenty to grap but that does not ease my mind about the input shaft! What the hell do I do now?

 

Most race manual trannies are designed or can be ordered with input shafts that are longer for use with mid plates. You're in a tough situation with a street trans like that. I would make a 1/8 plate and get rid of your block plate. That'll get you back close to normal. I don't see a reason for a block plate anyway with the mid plate. You don't necessarily need to make the mid plate out of steel. I use a 1/8 6061 aluminum mid plate in mine(albeit with an auto but that's beside the point).

 

you can also order an extended pilot bearing. ati and mcleoud have a few

 

im using a mid plate with out a block plate with my 6 speed there is about a 1/16 inch differance than when running the block protector that came with the steel bellhousing. the only thing that i am worried about is starter line up