It’s been four years since I penned this article, drawing a line in the sand as to what is or is not Pro Touring. I’m sorry to say that I am still on my soapbox. I have fantasized as much as the next guy about banging straight-cut gears in my muscle car, but sequential transmissions are not street friendly. And – as we all know – that is a strict requirement for being a “Pro Touring” car or truck. In addition to the fact that you could purchase a new vehicle for the cost of one, they are incredibly clunky and loud – and can require frequent maintenance (like swapping out the entire gear set – ugh!). Never the less, they have been creeping into more and more muscle cars and sports cars looking to blur the line between Pro Touring and a purpose-built race car.
Amidst a haze of tire smoke, an unlikely hero appeared! The Dual Clutch Transmissions (aka DCT) which have become so popular in Euro sports cars and sedans (and now the C8 and GT500), are now becoming a real option for retrofit on domestic powered muscle cars. Pat Gorman, known around Pro Touring circles for his ’70 Cutlass – and now for his company Gorman Performance Engineering, embarked upon the DCT swap in the latest iteration of the car he’s had since he was 13 years old.
In 2020 he embarked on a frame-off rebuild, including swapping to a Tremec T-56 Magnum transmission. He also used the opportunity to reinforce the frame with a kit from Summit Racing, as his intention was to push the stock chassis as far as it could go. A year later, on the car’s debut the 455ci Olds engine met its demise – a relic from the car’s second build. This time he was bound and determined to LS swap the Olds, ponying up for a stout LS7 from Golen Engine Service.
Over the winter of 2023-2024, Gorman once again took his Olds apart for a number of upgrades. Fresh wiring, including a Haltech engine management system were among several upgrades. The centerpiece was, however, an F8x 7-speed transmission, commonly found in the BMW F80 M3 (2014-2018), F82 M4 (2014-2020), and F87 M2 (2016-2021). If you are not familiar with DCTs, basically it’s like having a manual transmission without the third pedal.
“The trans came from a part-out company on eBay, but you can source them in junkyards, Marketplace, etc. In stock form they can handle up to 750 lb-ft, however you can upgrade certain internal components to push them up over 1,000 lb-ft,” Gorman stated. “The transmissions typically range from $2,000-$3,000 depending on mileage and condition. Really the only other option I considered was a full-on sequential transmission. I opted for the DCT because it has significantly better street-ability, is far more affordable, and still offers you 95% of the on track performance of a sequential.”
Surprisingly, Gorman says, most of the parts needed to make the BMW’s DCT swap are available off the shelf. He is working with Domiworks on his swap, which parts include the adapter plate, damper, cooler adapter, and paddle shifters. Seems Legit Garage makes the driveshaft adapter flange and a custom expandable driveshaft so that the trans will work with a solid axle. The transmission crossmember wound up being the only fabrication needed, as the tunnel had already been remade for the T56, which fit the DCT trans like a glove. As for electronics to make it run, the transmission is controlled by a transmission control unit (TCU) from CANformance, which integrates directly with a Haltech ECU to control the ignition cut and throttle blip.
Gorman has documented a great deal of the build on his “Oldsmobeast” on his YouTube channel. If you’d like to continue following the DCT swap and other upgrades (including ABS), be sure to check out the channel. In the video below, he is starting the trans swap – after discussing the fundamentals of the swap in the prior video.
As a fellow lover of A-bodies (particularly Pro Touring A-bodies), this is a build I can fully appreciate. Especially since it is home-built with his dad, and has such a long history – and now some of the latest technology. What a combination.
