I've got a 79 with a 350 auto in it.

I've been thinking about converting it over to manual (preferably
an overdrive).

I already have a muncie four-speed (no bellhousing though) that I found
in my storage shed (no idea where it came from, LOL!). It needs about 100
bucks worth of repairs before it can be used though.

What all is involved in converting over to manual?

I was thinking, what type stuff is the same between the muncie and a six
speed tranny (bellhousing, hydralics, linkage, ect).

I was thinking that I might install the muncie in preparation for later installing
a six speed....my family of course thinks that I should leave the car like it is.

Does the aftermarket t56 (the one modifyed to be used in older cars) use
the same bell-housing/clutch ect as the muncie?

How about the R.O.D.?

This is my primary daily driver (I have an 85 300zx turbo that serves as a
backup vehicle), and I really want it to be a bit more driver friendly. Right now
it drinks gas, doesn't have any get up and go despit the 400 or so HP motor
(its got a 3.08 rear end), and has to work really hard to go highway speeds.

I figure that if a six speed shares the bell-housing, clutch, and hydralics or
linkage with the muncie four speed, then I can go ahead and install the muncie
and swap it out later for a six speed once I get up the money for the new
tranny.

Where can I get a bell housing, clutch, and hydralics (and flywheel if necisary)
for the muncie that will work in my vette? How about the pedal assembly?

About how much should the muncie swap cost?

Thanks in advance,
Jack

 

what else is in your shed...? hope someone else can answer this one...

 

There is a six-quart oil pan, a couple of flywheels, a ford tranny, a 305,
an unidentifiable bellhousing (doesn't go with the muncie), some harley parts,
a couple of vintage CB radios, a BB Ford intake, a delapidated Q-jet, a turbo
400 tranny, a 4.11 12 bolt rear end from a 71 Chevelle, some nissan
300zx parts, a dead cat, a few worn out mufflers, an empty acetyline bottle,
a cash register, a broken rifle, the front grill from a ford Ranchero
and several boxes of unidentified things.

Grandpop was a drag racer back in the 60s.

So can anybody answer my questions? LOL!

 

Jack, I did the conversion to four speed years ago and finally went with the Richmond 5 speed about 3 years ago. The job is not hard, but I'm sure it will add up $$$$. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it again in a heartbeat!! Also, while others have gone to the hyd clutch setup, it is not difficult at all to use readily avaliable parts and make it as the factory did. There have been many posts on this over the past month or so. Here are a few links to some of them. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=186881 http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=184112 http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=191369

There are plenty of other posts that will give you alot of info. Search the archives of the C3 forum for "6 speed" and "5 speed" .

Tom

 

I did not think you could fix much of anything on a Muncie for $100. It must be in pretty good shape. I would replace all the seals since you are working on it though.


You will need (at least) pedal assem, bellcrank and linkage for clutch, and a shifter. I am not sure about the driveshaft length.

I think you can getthem to match your belhousing, you may have to change the clutch disc though.

What all has been done to the engine to get that kind of power. Normally to get that kind of power, low end power is kind of lacking. If you are just missing low end power, it might be better to swap in a higher stall speed torque converter. 3.08 gears are not bad highway gears at all, heck before Nixon and the nationwide double nickel (55 speed limit), I used to run highways at 70 with 4.56 gears in a small block all the time. Changing to a four speed might pick you up 4 MPG on the highway, less in town. If you get 14 MPG now and go up to 18 MPG you might save $350 a year if you drive 15000 a year and are lucky. If you get better highway mileage than 14MPG now, you will save even less. From only a money stand point, it does not make sense to to me. Maybe for fun, but not really for milage as you will spend more than 350 to convert to 4 speed.

You should be able to use a lot of the parts in a 5 or 6 speed conversion. I have seen pedal asems go for $100 on ebay, figure a couple humdred for the clutch lingage and bellhousing, another 2-3 hundred for a clutch/flywheel and another hundred more for the shifter. I'm not sure if your driveshaft will have to be changed. If you can pull this swap off for under $600 using your Muncie, I would be very surprised.