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Searching for my stick car... i am finding a LOT ov automatics. If i get a later car, i'd like at least an L82 engine, so in 80-81 that means no stick. In earlier cars i'm just finding deal after deal in automatic cars. My budget is weak, so i cant just money up for the stick premium.
So what i'm wondering... is what the average auto to 4-speed (stock stuff) swap will cost, in parts, and typically how many hours labor. In a Mopar i can have this done for 2K tops... and that stuff is far more expensive, and you're buying the tranny hump, and cutting/welding it into the floor. More work.
How much work is it?
Basically, if i find the perfect car... except that its an automatic, how much do i realistically add to the price before i can shift my own gears? I've passed up some killer deals...
Well, there's kits like this.
Then of course you'll need the trans itself. Plenty of take outs out there, guys putting in 5 and 6 speeds. Not certain about the drive shaft.
Thinking if your a fair mechanic, you should be able to do it for around 2 grand.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
then you just need the muncie for $600 to $1200 more plus a driveshaft. sometimes they get sold together. plus the shift console but you can refurb a beater one from Ebay
heres a search https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rchid=81870651
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Oct 22, 2020 at 06:31 AM.
Yes console parts. But most is the same. Different boot. Shift plate. And I am still thing a super T10 uses the same drive shaft. But not certain. Then there's the rear diff gearing. Most autos are much taller in the gear ratio. So that to can add to the cost. The more I think about it. The more it starts to sound like 3 grand up plus your labor. But still less than the offset for a factory manual car. That came with a clutch pedal. Welded in crossmember and a lower rear diff ratio.
I've owned a couple Auto trans Vettes . Never again. Sorry, there just not as much fun to drive.
Way back, in 1960, (we were 17-18 years old), a buddy and I converted his Powerglide 1958 Vette to stick, (3 speed tranny), so, you know it's not difficult. Only hard part was locating the correct parts. What a beautiful car that was, Regal turquoise w/ white coves, hard top. Wish I had one today. This isn't the car, but looks like my buddies' car. (Picture, courtesy of Ken, Vette Net)
Yes console parts. But most is the same. Different boot. Shift plate. And I am still thing a super T10 uses the same drive shaft. But not certain. Then there's the rear diff gearing. Most autos are much taller in the gear ratio. So that to can add to the cost. The more I think about it. The more it starts to sound like 3 grand up plus your labor. But still less than the offset for a factory manual car. That came with a clutch pedal. Welded in crossmember and a lower rear diff ratio.
I've owned a couple Auto trans Vettes . Never again. Sorry, there just not as much fun to drive.
They make a whole kit? Hah! Gotta love the Chevy aftermarket. Mopar makes one too... but then you WILL be spending 5 grand... not $800. Love it.
Not worried about the gearing. I'll be doing long road trips with this car, and top-speed is far more important than 1/4 mile times. Had a Challenger with 2.76 gears in the diff behind a 4-speed... wasn't cooking anyone from a stop, but from 30 it was fine, and beyond that a bloody dream. The car will be LIGHT... so that will help too.
The offset for a manual car is more than 3K? I figured maybe $2000... which is still a lot. I'd still rather pay that... i will NEVER drive an automatic again. I'd rather keep the 6 speed Honda...
Way back, in 1960, (we were 17-18 years old), a buddy and I converted his Powerglide 1958 Vette to stick, (3 speed tranny), so, you know it's not difficult. Only hard part was locating the correct parts. What a beautiful car that was, Regal turquoise w/ white coves, hard top. Wish I had one today. This isn't the car, but looks like my buddies' car. (Picture, courtesy of Ken, Vette Net)
Yup... the Corvette swap sounds like a true bolt-on, if involved. With Mopar you're cutting and welding.
then you just need the muncie for $600 to $1200 more plus a driveshaft. sometimes they get sold together. plus the shift console but you can refurb a beater one from Ebay
heres a search https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rchid=81870651
Oh god... i'm not paying anything close to that for Chevy parts. I know a LOT ov Chevy guys. They've been trying to corrupt me for decades. I can find stuff way cheaper than that. Already know where there's a working Corvette T10 and bellhousing for $300Cdn.
I still hope to find a 4-speed car and avoid this. Just keeping this option open in case i find an otherwise PERFECT car thats an automatic... and its cheap enough to offset the swap.
Do you have a young teenager who can play Houdini under the dash to help you swap the pedals? Have you ever taken the dash out of a C3? How about the column?
A C3 Vette is at least 5x harder to do a swap like this than any Mopar......the only advantage afterward is you now have a removable crossmember manual trans car.....the 4 speed had a solid crossmember.
I won't do this job by myself......my partner and I could tackle it and I would estimate a good 25-30 hours and about $3000 by the time you buy the bellhosing, trans, driveshaft, clutch (Don't buy a cheap one), shifter...(I will only run a Hurst with stops in a Vette), pedals, Z-Bar.....etc.......
Hold out for car 4 speed car.....plenty of them out there. I like the 75'- 79' L-82 4 speed cars...... a shitload of potential....
Do you have a young teenager who can play Houdini under the dash to help you swap the pedals? Have you ever taken the dash out of a C3? How about the column?
A C3 Vette is at least 5x harder to do a swap like this than any Mopar......the only advantage afterward is you now have a removable crossmember manual trans car.....the 4 speed had a solid crossmember.
I won't do this job by myself......my partner and I could tackle it and I would estimate a good 25-30 hours and about $3000 by the time you buy the bellhosing, trans, driveshaft, clutch (Don't buy a cheap one), shifter...(I will only run a Hurst with stops in a Vette), pedals, Z-Bar.....etc.......
Hold out for car 4 speed car.....plenty of them out there. I like the 75'- 79' L-82 4 speed cars...... a shitload of potential....
Jebby
Oh... the Mopars are cake by comparison i'm sure... just pricey.
An option i'm looking at right now is exactly that... a nice 76 L82 4-speed car. Bone stock and unmolested.
Do you have a young teenager who can play Houdini under the dash to help you swap the pedals? Have you ever taken the dash out of a C3? How about the column?
....the only advantage afterward is you now have a removable crossmember manual trans car.....the 4 speed had a solid crossmember.
Jebby
Beat me to it. Converting the brake pedal shaft assembly, on the inside firewall, from brake pedal to brake pedal and clutch pedal will be pretty "fussy." My 70 is a manual car, but I replaced the vacuum power brake assembly with a Hydroboost. As a part of mechanically linking the Hydrobeast to the brake pedal, I dissasembled the brake pedal/clutch pedal interior firewall shaft and installed new bushings,,,doing pretty much what you're going to have to do to add the clutch pedal. I removed the driver's seat, the steering column (really not too difficult), and the driver's side speedo/tach panel dash. Yes, my smaller, slender grandson ptiched in to help!
your best bet is to find a donor car or someone who has stripped one for parts
IF... i have to go this route, thats usually the way i'd do it yeah. Find a full, running/driving/shifting donor... and take everything. Usually the cheapest way too.
I did the swap in a 77 last year. It was challenging but fun. I found a junk yard that sold me everything neatly strapped to a pallet. Everything from trans, drive shaft, pedals even the bolts. I waited for a super t10. The under dash part was hard but not impossible. I think I did it all in 2 week ends plus almost every day after work for maybe 2 weeks. It looked and was for all intent and purposes completely identical to a factory original 4spd at the end. I think the yard charged something like $2500 shipped. The auto rear ratio was too high for the anemic L48 motor. Lots of hills around here, the worst was backing up a hill. Put a used 411 rear and kind of over shot the sweet spot, it was too low. Rebuilt the used super t10 after finding lots of fine metal in the fluid after changing it fluid. The rebuild was pretty enjoyable, I got this book from a guy with lots of youtube vids on 4 speeds.
Sold the 77 bought a really nice 71 4spd vert about 2 months ago and onto new projects on the new car.
Not sure if this link will work but I posted a short time lapse of part of the process
Well the link doesnt appear, anyways it was fun if you enjoy working on cars which I do
IF... i have to go this route, thats usually the way i'd do it yeah. Find a full, running/driving/shifting donor... and take everything. Usually the cheapest way too.
I did this conversion on my '75. I had help so it only took about eight hours. If I had to do it again I would look for a 4 speed car. Your going to end up making changes to any car you buy so start out with a good platform with the options you want.
I did this conversion on my '75. I had help so it only took about eight hours. If I had to do it again I would look for a 4 speed car. Your going to end up making changes to any car you buy so start out with a good platform with the options you want.
Yeah, i'd MUCH rather buy a stick car. Thats a job i dont want to do. Hell, thats a job i might just pay a friend to do. But when i posted this there was an otherwise PERFECT 80 for sale, and well within my budget. Figured if the swap cost around 2K i'd still have been under budget. It sold though.
Yeah, i'd MUCH rather buy a stick car. Thats a job i dont want to do. Hell, thats a job i might just pay a friend to do. But when i posted this there was an otherwise PERFECT 80 for sale, and well within my budget. Figured if the swap cost around 2K i'd still have been under budget. It sold though.
I regretted not doing a 5spd after spending time and money finding a rare 4 spd trans.
I thought 4spd would be nostalgic and fun but I was comparing to 4spds I had back in the day Datsun, bmw etc - 4cyl cars. With the v8 a 5spd is more important to be able to roast the tires and go a few miles on the Frwy without shaking loose every bolt on the car including your sun glasses hinge screws.
The 5spds are way cheaper or at least easier to find in a junk yard.
I did that on a 74 about 15 years ago the hardest parts i think were getting the pedal assembly in and out ( with the steering wheel out) and welding the bracket on the frame for the z bar..i bought used parts.
Auto to 4-speed conversion?
