Transmission Swap?

Question

I have a 1983 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup. I replaced the 700R4 with a Turbo 400 about 6 years ago, now the 400 is getting weak. Now I have the oportunity to put a 4 speed or maybe even a late model 5 speed manual tranny in it. This truck isn't a daily driver, just my stress reliever. What would be involved in making the swap from auto to manual, and what model year transmissions would work best?

Answer 1

That trans will come from an 87 or older.Be sure to get the front section of driveshaft,trans crossmember w-mount,flywheel,all linkages and bracket for shifter and all the pedal assemblies from under the dash.SAVE the bolts.All the bolts.See if you can find the correct steering column too,it'll look kinda odd with that extra shifter...if you can,you might consider buying a whole truck with a 4 speed as a parts vehicle

Answer 2

You are looking at a big job. Even if you have a floor shift now, you will probably need to cut a hole in the floor - the shift levers rarely line up the same. Pedal assemblies are very different. Don't forget to run the clutch lines and clutch master cylinder. You will need a flywheel - autos use the weight of the torque converter as a flywheel, but the plate this bolts onto is too weak to use as a flywheel. Also, the final drive ratio will probably not be ideal. Buying a parts vehicle is probably the best way to go. Even if you have to cut the floor, you can use measurements from the parts vehicle to ensure that your cut is the correct place and size.