How much time and money consuming will it take to go from auto to stick in a 98 C5?

 

You may want to consult 21st Century Muscle Cars if your close to them in Texas.

 

This topic has been discussed many times on the forum.

Use the search function.

It's expensive and if you don't turn your own wrenches it is that much more expensive.

What you need (well almost everything)

Clutch, Master Cylinder, Clutch pedal assembly, transmission, shifter, torque tube, differential (or at least gear change). Your PCM will need to be reprogrammed. You will need a new wiring harness as well.

You can buy all the parts you need on via the C5 parts for sale section.

You will recoupe some of your cost by selling off the parts from your car.

From a cost standpoint you are probably better off selling your car and buying one with a stick.

My brother is in the process of making this change, but he's got a lot more in his car than you and he pretty good at turning wrenches, plus he is friendly with some very knowledgable corvette people.

 

Contact Rodney at RPM Transmissions. He's a forum vendor, and has done this many times. I think he charges about $1500 or so (if I remember correctly) in labor. As for parts, he'll just take your's and sell them (or exchange them) with someone who wants an A4 (instead of their Mn6). So, you both can switch parts at Rodney's shop, and he'll charge both of you labor for switching parts. Sounds not too bad. I don't know how much time it takes though... I've read thread about him, and this switch.

I wish I was closer, I'd wanna do it too... Good luck..

 

 

what's wrong? You left leg getting bored?

Just kidding, don't flame me...

 

All-in-all, you might be better off trading your car for a stick-shift-equipped car. Obviously the cost of switching it from AT to a stick will never be recouped when you sell because there are plenty of stick shift cars out there for those who want them. And anyone who took a good look and determined that you had made the change would likely move on to a car that had the stick as standard equipment.

 

I'm thinking about doing the same with my '03. I didn't know how to drive a stick when I first bought it, but now I do.

I've thought about selling/trading my A4 for a MN6, but I have put so much money into mine other than that: supercharger, cam, 3.73 diff gear, LT headers & exhaust, complete VetteEssentials interior upgrade, HIDs, Halo LED taillights, wheels/tires/brakes, swaybars, fuel pump, MCM hood, radiator with oil cooler, etc.

I know that doing a MN6 change will be a lot of $, but it is probably cheaper than redoing all my other mods.

 

I'm in the process now as my brother has said. I spent a lot of extra money upgrading to DTE Rear, RPM V tranny, textralia twin, etc.

You could do most of the job yourself, if you're handy with a wrench. The hardest part is the re-wiring and then sending PCM off to get re-flashed.

I've got the pedals in, master slave and resevoir. Next step is to change over the radiator and then drop the drive line.

I'd take pictures but I'm all by myself and normally covered in dirt.

 

Unless your car is heavily modified/customized or it has a lot of sentimental value I can't see it being worth it. The money you put into it will be thrown away because the car will be worth exactly the same as when you're done. I was in the same dillema and I just sold my car and bought a 6spd version since the car was mostly stock.

Dope

 

Key words, "since the car was mostly stock". Some of us have modded the car, or shall I say, "personalized it" to our taste. Its kinda hard to let it go. Not to mention, its hard to find a used Vette with a great paint job (not scratches). Best thing would be to find a local guy on the forum, who wants your car, and you want his... simple trade...

When I was looking to buy my Vette, I saw a 99 coupe... and the way I was looking at it, the seller told me, "you might wanna buy a new car, this is a used car, so its GONNA have scratches and imperfections". Well, I moved on, and finally got my car from MI. I'm not saying its brand new, but you'd have to really look at it to find any imprefections. And the interior, and other mods done to personal taste. Besides, the car had only 14K miles, so I know its History cuz I took care of it. I'm just sayin this cuz I know a lot of guy feel the same about their cars.... We want more, but we don't wana give up "our" cars. And from a selling point, $1500-$2000 into it sounds waste, but then... all the other mods we do, have similar results - they're not good for resale value, but we do 'em anyway....to make ourselves happy ... I don't think its too much money for the switch from A4 to Mn6. Its about the same you'd pay for LT's. Now how many ppl "don't" get LT or Wheels, or a Cam... cuz of the resale value issue... (JMHO)

 

I'm too far gone not to go ahead and do swap.





Pictures of the new drive line.

 

I'm taking my car to RPM on thursday to have the conversion done. Level 4 MN12 and 4.10 diff, along with everything else. I'm more than happy to pay the price to have it changed over. The others ive talked to that RPM converted said you could never tell it was an auto.

I look forward to the next couple weeks.

JEFF

 

If I was closer I would have had Dr P or RPM do mine to, but it just didn't work out that way.

I think you should reconsider your gear choice or transmission. A M12 tranny has low gears that makes a 3.42 feel like 4.10 gears already.

Personally, I would go with an MN6 as it is a stronger tranny and the 4.10 gears. If you plan on going FI go with 3.42 gears.

Dr P is helping me with my conversion as I am not that skilled but can do the mechanical portion. Dr P is going to reprogram PCM and help me out with the wiring.

Wish I lived closer to the midwest were all the tuners seem to hang out.

 

Yeah the MN12 with 4.10's should feel like 4.30's or higher. I can always swap gears. I'll talk to RPM more when I'm down there. The car is a nice weather car only, doesn't see much more than 3000 miles a year if its lucky. The little extra shifting wont bother me much.

JEFF

 

Not the shifting, it's the traction problem with to high a gear.