4 Speed conversion parts?

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rebelgtp

Master Mechanic
Mar 5, 2009
366
0
16
La Grande OR
Hey guys I have gotten my 4 speed for the Olds and so I have started to research the whole conversion process. From what I have gathered there are G Body specific parts that I need to get otherwise things just will not work right. I know that I need to have the G body specific clutch fork and pedal cluster, is there anything else? Is there a way around these rather difficult to get parts?

I noticed Muscle Cars Only seem to have all of the parts I need, conversion kit that includes all linkage and the pedals they also have a clutch fork as well. Is this a good company to work with are their parts good?

I have also seen some people mention conversion using hydraulic setup what is involved in that? Would this be a less expensive process and easier to get parts? I know my local junk yard just got in a 90's Camaro with a manual transmission (think it was a 5 speed) are there parts I should be grabbing?
 

hotrod87

Greasemonkey
Jan 30, 2010
106
0
0
Plainfield, IN
I know this is not what you are putting in...but they are doing the same thing ..... http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techa ... index.html
...maybe they sell the pedal setup seperately.
My dad and i put a zz383 and a keisler tko-600 in an 81 corvette and it is a blast to drive....also a fun and challenging job to do with him
 

anakputa

Master Mechanic
Nov 27, 2009
454
1
0
One thing you have to consider is if the Z Bar will interfere with the headers if you have them. Olds or Chev Motor? I had to use a Hydraulic Throwout Bearing from Howe to fit a T-5 (should went with a T-56). If you use a Hydraulic set up there are many webpages with part numbers you will need for a 5 speed master cylinder and installation.

I used a crossmember from Jegs for 700R4 ( I had that one in before) and shortened the driveshaft.
 

Doober

Royal Smart Person
Apr 8, 2007
1,253
20
38
Swartz Creek, MI/Tucson, AZ
First off, what engine do you have? If you have a BOP (Buick/Olds/Pontiac) block have fun finding an original bellhousing, they're even more rare than the Chevy ones. You may be able to find a way around it with a safety (racing/SFI/$$$) bellhousing that has multiple bolt patterns though.

Here's a longoing thread about a TKO install in a Malibu... comments over the past 5 years:
http://www.maliburacing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29500

Some info I gathered on swapping a Saginaw, T10 or Muncie into a G-Body:
http://www.maliburacing.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=89587

Very good info on swap parts if you can't find the correct bellhousing (t5montecarlo on MalibuRacing.com):
http://www.garage-scene.com/t5-into-ag- ... ousing.htm

In a nutshell, you will need a bellhousing/fork pair that match, and will line up with the geometry of the original pushrod. There are a couple other fork/bellhousing combos you can use, they're outlined at t5montecarlo's site. As I said before though, if you need a BOP bellhousing and can't find one, look through Summit, there's a chance you may find a safety one that will fit the traditional GM trans bolt pattern and will also fit a BOP block. Know that these bellhousings start somewhere in the $350 range and go up.

If you don't already have the rods, you can get better-than-stock pieces here. They have spherical rod ends that won't wear out like the originals. If they do you can just replace them and not the entire rod.

Far as the Saginaw/Muncie/T10 trans go, all have the same mounting dimensions and share the TH350 crossmember mount point. Most share the same output shaft yoke with a TH350 and use the same driveshaft, a couple have a TH400 yoke.

If you're swapping in a T56, you will need to do one of several things. A)Go with the OE bellhousing which is T56-specific and set up a hydraulic master cylinder - in which case the stock G-Body clutch pedal will need to be replaced with a proper one, a couple people make ones to work properly with the F-Body master cylinder (and maybe use a hydraulic throwout bearing like wagon nut mentioned; you will also need a custom crossmember and driveshaft length), and you will need an LT1 application T56, input shaft on an LS1 T56 is too long, B)go with an LS1 T56, get an adapter plate from someplace like The Gearbox, bolt it to the stock bellhousing (or if you have to find one that will work with a BOP block like I mentioned before) and use the OE linkage, or C)go with an aftermarket T56 that shares a belllhousing bolt pattern with the Saginaw/Muncie/T10 and use the stock (or similar piece) bellhousing/fork.

T5 transmissions are cast at an angle, so the shifter will be slightly tilted away from you... you will have to make adjustments for the crossmember mount and shifter (some have just bent the shifter arm and just had to reweld the mount pad at an angle), you will also need a custom length driveshaft. There is one bellhousing that will straighten it up and allow use of OE linkage, here, but you will also need a straight clutch fork, which is listed on t5montecarlo's site.

I think that covers most of it... I'm sure you know you'll have to cut a hole in the floor for the shifter ;)

anakputa mentioned headers. If you have an SBC you can use Hooker 2451s and they will fit with mechanical linkage, it's what I have on mine. I'm not positive what other brands fit. I can say my headers went in without a fight, but you have to be willing to remove both the oil filter and starter, and jack the car up quite a bit on the driver's side (I mean a lot, not just a little more than what you're used to), the header slips right in from the bottom (easier if you have the plugs out as well), the passenger side went in from the top.

Now that two people have posted in the time it took me to type this (and make sure I had all the info, which I still think I may have left a couple things out), here's some more info :)

*edit*
I originally planned to just post the first three links, but I couldn't leave well enough alone :)
 

rebelgtp

Master Mechanic
Mar 5, 2009
366
0
16
La Grande OR
Great info guys!

Should have posted earlier that the engine is a Chevy 350 and I will be sticking with the Saginaw for now no real need for a T5 or T56 with this setup.
 

Doober

Royal Smart Person
Apr 8, 2007
1,253
20
38
Swartz Creek, MI/Tucson, AZ
With a 3.50:1 1st gear 4-speed (3 rings on the input shaft) and 2.29s you'll be geared about the same as a 2004R with 3.42s, and a 2.73 gear will put you in the ballpark as switching from 3.42s to 4.10s.
 

Phoenyx

Royal Smart Person
Jun 27, 2007
2,392
7
0
Alberta, Canada
Pedals from a 70s nova will work too. I used the pedals and all the clutch linkage from one on my old GP. I used a bellhousing from a 70s TA (I had a 301). And I used a hurst super street shifter (on an M-22).

The only issue I had was that the shifter linkage rubbed on the transmission tunnel. But it was minor, a few blows to the tunnel with a hammer and it was all good.

Also, this all fit with the factory bench seat.
 

Dayzedandkonfuzed

G-Body Guru
Feb 9, 2010
971
1,268
93
Anglemont, BC
I have a list of parts that i need for my 4 speed swap. I'm going hydraulic with a howe racing universal Throwout bearing part number 82870, a set of 3rd gen f-body pedals can be slightly modified to work in a g-body, and I'm pretty sure you can use the clutch master from a 4th gen f-body. Either way i'm gonna make it work, and it should be pretty cheap, I estimate under $400 including lines
 
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