It’s been exactly one year since Tremec unveiled a C8-compatible manual transmission at SEMA and now we are getting word that someone has finally put one into a C8 Corvette.
Not only do we have some details about this exciting conversion, we also has some driving impressions after another writer for HOT ROD was the first to preview this manual C8 Corvette Stingray. The one word that is being used to describe it is “transformative.”
Alex Peitz of Peitz Performance now has a working version of Tremec’s manual gearbox in his C8 Corvette, and apparently getting the transaxle into the car was the easy part. Because his C8 had already been modified for track duty, the team at Peitz Performance were already armed with 3D scans of the entire car which would make it easier planning out the install of the shifter, linkage, clutch pedal and everything else required to make it work.
Alex sourced a shifter from the Porsche aftermarket, while a modified Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing’s clutch pedal was added, along with a pedal stop and hydraulic clutch assist. A McLeod flywheel with a C8 Corvette’s “ring and teeth” was also sourced as well as a clutch. According to the HOT ROD article, “the combination works flawlessly.”
The factory electronics is where we thought the roadblock would happen, but Peitz’s conversion gets around that by using a pair of MoTeC controllers to handle the electronics. An M182 manages the engine, while a second controller, the M150, handles ignition cuts during shifts with the manual transmission. That same electronics package can also support the Corvette’s factory dual-clutch transmission, with the M150 taking care of transmission control.
The setup uses the factory C8 wiring harness with custom connectors to simplify installation. Peitz says the finished production package will also support the factory instrument panel, ABS, power steering, and other stock systems. The goal is to turn the technology being developed in his track car into a conversion customers can order under a single part number.
There is also something here for kit car builders and restomod enthusiasts. The group offers a separate M150-based dual-clutch controller that works with both the TREMEC TR-9080 and TR-9070. That allows builders to run their choice of standalone engine management while using the MoTeC package to operate the transmission.
One of the writers from HOT ROD was able to take the car out for a short test. John McGann says he was a huge fan of the C8 when it was first introduced, but lamented the lack of three pedals, round taillights and the fact that one wasn’t parked in his garage. We already told you he called it “transformative,” and here is more of what he said:
As much as I enjoyed the stock C8, driving Alex Peitz’s car was transformative. Yes, it’s a race car, and as such, it has a raw and rough feel, but it’s not hard to imagine what driving a stock Corvette would feel like with this transmission. The McLeod clutch had some heft to it in a way that lets you know you’re driving a serious sports car, and though the shifter is cable actuated, and felt tight and precise. The throws are short and the spacing between the gates is perfect. You’d have to be a real hack to miss a shift. Hard acceleration felt quicker than I remember in the stock C8, and that’s partially due to different gearing in Tremec’s transmission. I also think there’s a psychological effect you get from shifting your own gears. It feels quicker because you’re working more. Yes, I’m sure the DCT version actually accelerates more quickly, but I’d happily trade a second or so of all-out acceleration for the sheer joy of mechanically selecting my own gears.
In my short time behind the wheel, a couple things were clear. A C8 is much more fun to drive with a manual transmission, and TREMEC better have a bunch of these things ready to go, because a lot of people are going to want them.
As for a demonstration of the manual transmission in the C8 Corvette, we only have this glimpse from Alex Peitz. The 2026 SEMA Show is now underway, and he and the car will be at the Tremec Booth for the week.
This is pretty exciting news and we’ll be actively looking forward to seeing more videos with the manual transmission installed. Check out the full HOT ROD article and let us know what you think about this conversion by Peitz Performance.
Source:
HOT ROD
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