automatic to manual swap

i have a 1987 camaro i just put a 1975 350 backed by a th350 trans. i was wondering how hard it would be to put a 5 speed in my automatic car? i know of a parts car with everything in it, but can i, and how much would it take to do this swap. SELLING MY CAR IS NO OPTION! this car my mom bought new, passed it to my older brother, and he passed it to me after blowing the 2.8. my mom about had a heart attack when she seen it with no hood and a 350 sticking out, lol so selling it would kill her. thanks alot

Reply to
Richard
Loading thread data ...

i've been told that its a rough road but it can be done.... you would need a new center console but thats not the biggest problem. this hardest thing to do is setting up a clutch and slave cylinder for your 5 speed. i've never really looked into doing something like this but it seems like a lot of hard work for just a 5 speed. if it were me, i would build up the th350 with a mild stall converter and a b&m shift kit and get like a hurst or b&m console shifter with ratchet action. i love my automatic th400 with just a b&m shift kit and hurst console shifter in my 77 trans am. no 5-speed can outshift an automatic with a kit.

Reply to
Jack Conley

It will be some work. Buying a whole parts car with the set up is the route to go. That will answer alot of questions as to locations of items.

You will need to cut a opening in the floor pan, for the shifter. Make a template from the parts car, and cut from the outside. Either using a die grinder or a swaz-all.

One of the more pain in the butt aspects is going to be the change of peddles. You should remove the steering column first.

When you get hung up ask a question. Charles

Reply to
Charles Bendig

The T5 5-speed trans used in 3rd-gen F-bodies is weak and won't handle the torque of a 350. This is why you could only get the 5-speed with a V6 or

305 V8 from the factory.
Reply to
Dennis Smith

but it doesn't have to be an original 3rd gen transmission, does it? i found this page because i'm interested in converting my camaro as well... and i wouldn't really care what the tranny came out of, as long as it worked.

but surely some z-cars with 350 H.O.s came with a 5 speed of some sort, and you could use that one if you wanted to make sure it was a (somewhat) original car.

Reply to
Duke396

No 3rd gen F-bodies with a 350 ever came with a 5-speed manual tranny. The Borg Warner T5 tranny that GM was using just couldn't handle the torque even by the low-po 350's GM was using at the time (210-240HP?)

The 305 HO engines were only rated at 240 ft lbs torque that the T5 trans was available on. I've never heard of a 350 HO engine in a 3rd gen. The only 350's I know of are the TPI engines and all had auto trans.

Reply to
Dennis Smith

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.