auto to replace 4+3
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 1
From: Santa Maria CA
auto to replace 4+3
i just looking for some friendly info on a swap in a 86' 4+3 car.
quick story is i have a chance to get a clean 86' for 3,000 bucks and the only draw back is the clutch and tranny are fried. i mean tranny and clutch no just clutch. for the money to rebuild a 4+3 and its overdrive if needed and to reserface the flywheel and replace the clutch will cost more than i'd like or HAVE. but i do have a FRESH 88' 700R4 from a vette with a TCI manual valve body which would go nicely in the vette along with my torque converter. my trans and converter are paid off so im doing good there. this wouldn't by any means be a daily driver but it would be sweet ride for drag racing and autoX. i've been considering keeping the car if i buy it and not seeling it so i could look into ZF-6 conversion down the road since I DO like the feeling of a manual car. until then i ask....
what would need to be done to convert over? the flywheel would need to be replaced and im not 100% on the torque arm or not?all this work is done by me at a shop so no money is needed for an instal. for as clean as this car is and for the money i'd like to have an early C4 vette like that for a 3G's. any help is appreciated and all rude hate comments too!
quick story is i have a chance to get a clean 86' for 3,000 bucks and the only draw back is the clutch and tranny are fried. i mean tranny and clutch no just clutch. for the money to rebuild a 4+3 and its overdrive if needed and to reserface the flywheel and replace the clutch will cost more than i'd like or HAVE. but i do have a FRESH 88' 700R4 from a vette with a TCI manual valve body which would go nicely in the vette along with my torque converter. my trans and converter are paid off so im doing good there. this wouldn't by any means be a daily driver but it would be sweet ride for drag racing and autoX. i've been considering keeping the car if i buy it and not seeling it so i could look into ZF-6 conversion down the road since I DO like the feeling of a manual car. until then i ask....
what would need to be done to convert over? the flywheel would need to be replaced and im not 100% on the torque arm or not?all this work is done by me at a shop so no money is needed for an instal. for as clean as this car is and for the money i'd like to have an early C4 vette like that for a 3G's. any help is appreciated and all rude hate comments too!
Last edited by SHINOBI-X; Jun 12, 2005 at 08:47 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
The driveshaft, torque arm and rear are a matching set. You should be ok there. Flexplate is a $40 (new) item. Shifter and cable will be needed. tv cable also. $30 or so new from gm. Dipstick and tube are dirt cheap. $15 for both. The prom will need adjusting for the lock up. Neutral safety switch, back up light switch and a brake light switch will also be needed. $30 for these. Wiring is the biggest (but doable) pita. I just did this on a 92 fbody. Not too big of a deal.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
No problem. I almost forgot about the trans cooler. If I remember correctly the stick's and autos use the same radiator. The cooler lines go to the overdrive unit. You will have to relocate these to the auto trans.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 1
From: Santa Maria CA
thats something i didn't suspect about the stock radiators. i had some cooling lines ready to be plumbed from the tranny to a external cooler. either way it seems pretty straight forward to do. im gonna need to locate a shifter and linkage. no need for a kick-down cable because its a manual valve body in the auto i have. the ECM must be reprogramed for the TCL feature? i wasn't sure if i needed to or not.i'll have to definately do that before initial drive.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by SHINOBI-X
no need for a kick-down cable because its a manual valve body in the auto i have.
Originally Posted by SHINOBI-X
the ECM must be reprogramed for the TCL feature? i wasn't sure if i needed to or not.i'll have to definately do that before initial drive.
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,277
Likes: 1
From: Santa Maria CA
seems simple enough. the hard part for me is to locate a shifter or wait for a salvage yard to have one which shouldn't be a problem. maybe Mid-America M.W. has em'?the ECM if truely can't be re-calibrated a parts house has em. i.e;KRAGEN,NAPA,etc,etc.
when i got the trans from the forum member the TV cable was cut off. i GUESS its not needed if he didn't run it?
the cars not going anywhere soon thats for sure so i might sit on it for a while and offer him 2500 later. he's not a knowledgable car oriented type of guy so i might get it for less if i wait a month and tell him its not worth the money. mabye,maybe not....
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
