I have a `76 C3 that I really like, except for one thing. It isn't a 4 speed. At the time I bought it (2008) I had just had open heart surgery and it was questionable whether I would be able to shift a manual without hurting myself so I bought an automatic. Took a while but my chest has healed well enough to grab some gears now and I want to convert my car to a manual. I don't want to sell the car as I looked at a lot of junk before I finally found a good one. Since it's a 1976 I'm not concerned about originality, however I will keep all the parts for the automatic for a future buyer.

Anyway, do you guys know if there's a definitive list of the parts I need to gather up? I did some searching but didn't find anything. Here's what I have so far..

-4 (or 5?) speed manual transmission
-bell housing
-flywheel
-clutch
-shifter and console plate
-shift linkage
-pedal assembly (I have one from a 69, which I assume will work in a 76).

What other parts do I need? Do I need to modify the driveshaft?

Here's a link to my personal web site with some info on the car.

http://www.gofastgarage.com/76corvette.htm

 

Keisler makes a compete kit....

Driveshaft will need to be shortened.

 

Unless they've sold I think redvetracr has a good bit of what you'll need listed over in parts...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-p...post1582179003

As for the work itself, the pedals are the hard part, but going from auto to manual is one of the very best mods I've ever made, and IMHO well worth the effort. Having the auto frame's removable x-member is a huge bonus.

Oh, and use a correct lower shifter boot (goes under console) as a template for the cut out.

 

I gleemed these off of Corvette Central when I did mine. It might help you...

 

Nice looking car.
I am partial to overdrive transmissions because of how I use mine. But you have 3.09 rear gear and it wouldn't be the best with OD. If it were mine I would swap the rear gear and install OD. Decide on the transmission you want, then the parts can be picked out.

 

Absolutely going to an overdrive trans is the right way to go.
If you talk to the guys at Kiesler (or American Powertrain) they could sell you a trans whose 5th gear is not quite so long, so you won't need to touch the differential at all.
Both of them sell complete kits to swap in an 5 or 6 speed OD manual trans to replace your Turbohydramatic.

 

I converted from a 4 speed to a T56 6 speed. A bit of work with some modifications, but well worth it. In my opinion, it feels like a whole new car with the six speed and hydraulic clutch

 

Installed a Richmond 6spd last year.Best upgrade on the vette by far.Perfect match for a 3.08 rear gear and the 6 gears don't drop the rpm's to much on the upshift's.Driveshaft is the same length as a TH350.You will need to fab up a trans mount.Here's my write up....
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...am-change.html
Shift rails are a little bit of a pain but once you got it dialed in it's shift's great.1st gear has a little gear whine that sounds awesum....

 

What You are planing to do has been done before by many on this site me included.

The Pedal Assembly sounds easy but is probably the hardest part. There is an early and late Pedal assembly your 76 is probably at the cut off point. If I remember right the Brake pedal is a bit smaller on the late one. I used the wrong one on my 80' and just cut the pedal to fit my replacement Rubber Pad. I screwed up big time by not installing the Clutch safety switch before I installed the Pedals. I figured I was useing a TKO 600 Trans wich has the switch in newtral but it drives me crazy having to find newtral rather than just putting in the Clutch.
Then there is the Clutch linkage to think about. The easyest way is to just use factory parts most of them are avalable new. The trick is to see if Your frame has the bracket wich it probably dosn't. One can be bolted or welded in place but its not easy with the Engine installed. We will assume You have a an old school SBC or BBC wich will have the correct mounting for the T bar.
If the Car and or Engine dose not have the Mounts then You also have the option of useing a Hyd Clutch set up. They have there advantages and drawbacks of there own. Use the Search feature to find a couple of long winded reviews I wrote.
Then we go to the Cross Member, it will need to be modified for the rear mount or you can probably a new replacement. Your Car should have a removable Crossmember now, if it dosn't You will want to make it so it is.
If You don't allready have a Trans I would use a 5 or 6 speed. They both have about the same ratio from low gear to top gear, a 5 speed may cost less, weigh less and be easyer to install.
To get started I would check out Your car and have a look at the Frame for a Clutch Mount, look at the Crossmember, and figure out what rear end gear ratio you have now. Once You have the ratio go to a RPM calculator (Randys Ring and Pinion) and You can see what trans will do what.
Use the search feature on this site, You should find all kinds of usefull info.

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-p...eed+conversion
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-p...eed+conversion
hope this helps

 

starting at post 552, here's the one I just finished doing
http://www.bangshift.com/forum/showt...orvette/page56

I used a hydraulic master cylinder (I absolutely hate Z bars).... so there is a difference from the 'standard' install

And you'll note, I didn't have to shorten my driveshaft.... I thought I would, but it's actually the yoke that's shorter (by a bunch).

 

Very helpful info and links. Thanks guys.

I plan on sourcing as many parts as possible locally. I'm in southern Ontario and the cost of shipping from the US is often a deal breaker. I'll be gathering the parts up over the winter and tackling the project next spring. My car will be going into storage this weekend, assuming it quits raining so I can drive it there. I'll be purchasing some parts new and I shouldn't have much trouble locating a good used transmission and bell housing in my area. A 5 speed OD is definitely my first choice. I currently rev about 3200 RPM at 70 mph on the freeway with the stock automatic which results in horrendous gas mileage. I considered dropping a 700R4 in the car but I figure if I'm going to pull the tranny out I might as well do the conversion too.

 

Not really true. I've been running a Tremec TKO for quite a while now with 3.08's and think it's a good combo. 80 MPH at 2100 RPM is nice.

 

Not really true.
It depends on your individual equipment. I have a 6 speed double overdrive with .57 sixth gear. Your tire diameter would also come into play. The torque range of your engine also comes into play.

 

It definitely depends on tire size, ratio, and especially the engines ability to pull the car smoothly at the rpm that equates to the normal cruise speed desired by the driver. If your OD is so high that the engine rpm does not produce sufficient torque at cruise speed that it cannot run smoothly and is lugged down you will never be happy with it. As an example, using the op's tire size and axle ratio and a TKO with a .64 od he would be turning 1400 rpm at 60mph. With a .82 od he would be turning 1800 at 60mph (2100 @ 70). I don't know about his 350 crate motor but my big block, due to the cam, does not like to cruise at 1400 rpm but is real happy about 1700 and up. With the 3.09 rear axle I would choose the .82 or similar ratio od because, let's face it, you don't cruise much more than 70 on a long term basis.

 

I put a Keisler RS500 in my 63....Great mod! 3.70 gears and its perfect. Rubs the tunnel on the 63 though.

I think Ill do the same in my 78.....

 

What part of what I said isn't really true? The fact that I think it can be a good combo or that 2100 RPM at 80 MPH is nice?

 

My `90 Mustang had 2:73 gears and a 5 speed with .8 overdrive. That was the only gear option for a stick shift car when I bought it new. Not sure if my memory is accurate but I think the automatics came with 3:23's. The Mustang ran 70 mph at about 1800 RPM. HP and torque were right around what my Vette has and the rear tire size is/was identical (275x15-60's). 3:09 gears and an overdrive tranny should be just fine. Most of my driving is two lane secondary roads so I'll be in 4th most of the time.