Does anyone here regret their auto to manual swap?

I would love to put a manual behind the lb7 i'm putting in my El Camino, but I'm not spending the money for a transmission and clutch for what it will take to hold up behind that. A zf6 or nv4500 is too big physically for that.
Might be interested in this build.. running a LML/T56 using a custom SMF from SBC
 
I would love to put a manual behind the lb7 i'm putting in my El Camino, but I'm not spending the money for a transmission and clutch for what it will take to hold up behind that. A zf6 or nv4500 is too big physically for that.
Is there a thread for this? I’m interested
 
Is there a thread for this? I’m interested
I really haven’t gotten much done with it lately. I’ve taken she me pictures, but the only real thing Ive gotten done in the last 3 years is get the floor cut out, and now need to start prepping to get the new floor pan in. I’ve just been busy with working on customer equipment, farming, and three kids. Then the second half of last year I screwed my back/hip up, so didn’t get diddly squat done then… Hopefully I’ll get some time to work on it this summer…
 
Might be interested in this build.. running a LML/T56 using a custom SMF from SBC
While that is a distinct possibility, it’s also certainly not a cheap one either. Doing a search the tr6060 he is using is $1500+ and most likely 2500+ by the time it’s rebuilt (im not putting an unknown transmission in without checking it out). Then his custom clutch and flywheel is probably in the area of $2000-2500 or more im guessing. I can build a very stout 4l80e for 4-5k.
 
Gotcha. Before I sold my old LB7 truck I tried to brain storm using it as a doner and swapping everything into my 79 Malibu wagon but my head started to hurt after about 10 minutes lol. If you start tinkering on it let us know!
 
3.5 pages late to the party but one of the first things that I did with my Monte Carlo SS was to find the tunnel hump that GM used when they did the factory 4 speed installs in the G-bodies. Put that on the shelf and then when I went to do the floor pan work, in it went too. My current setup is a Muncie "Texas" 4 speed, for all the Texas Speed parts that went into it, plus a factory pedal bracket, c/w with pedals, OPGI linkages and Z-Bar, as my OEM Zee was worn out, and the pivot balls for both ends of that, again factory. Really did get on speaking terms with the worms and the snakes to score some of this stuff. Also acquired several of the factory bell housings along the way as, even back then, a lot of this stuff was getting scarce in the yards. Most of it is already installed; the only upchange will be to replace the upper and lower Zee bar rods with items that use spherical rod ends. Less slop and better action at the pedal. No major invasive surgery to accomplish, the hump piece does need an access hole cut in the tunnel but that is either mini-grinder and razor blade work, or a plasma cutter if you want to get fancy. Could even do it with a hand driven hack saw, or air saw with very fine tooth blades. Think I uploaded pictures of the whole process somewhere; possibly on my "Project Regress" thread, been a while since I went nuts and dumped a load of pics to the thread simply because all the to do's are minor items, except the pending rear quarter panel, so don't get assigned specifically to the regress page.


Nick
 
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Gotcha. Before I sold my old LB7 truck I tried to brain storm using it as a doner and swapping everything into my 79 Malibu wagon but my head started to hurt after about 10 minutes lol. If you start tinkering on it let us know!
I have had the engine sitting between the frame rails bolted down, and it’s tight, but doable. I can’t use a stock hood, or even a normal cowl hood because of the width. I’m going to have to take a page out of rktpwrd’s book and build a cowl hood, but I’m not sure if I have the skills to do that. The wiring will be the easy part 😂
 
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Gotcha. Before I sold my old LB7 truck I tried to brain storm using it as a doner and swapping everything into my 79 Malibu wagon but my head started to hurt after about 10 minutes lol. If you start tinkering on it let us know!
Your ride being a Malibu, the best bet would be to find an early 80's Chev El Camino or the GM Sprint counterpart. because they could be had with a manual long after the coupes had the option deleted off the order sheet. After that, GM did make something called the "Iragi Taxi" aka the 'Saudi Chevvy, which was a four door Malibu that was made with a three speed on the floor and had the third pedal, the correct bellhousing, the linkage, and the other various bits and pieces. By now most of them have either been recycled or lay in various salvage yards across the country. They were built for a contract with a middle east buyer but the contract supposedly failed when a dispute arose over what the payment was to be made in; the US wanted dollars and the buyer wanted shekels or drachmas or ?????. No exchange wanted to broker the deal cause the currency preferred by the buyer had no value outside the country in which they resided. Sound familiar? Anyhoo. Maybe try phoning around the more obscure local yards to see if they have a hulk or two of them laying around. Ya just never know.


Nick
 
Your ride being a Malibu, the best bet would be to find an early 80's Chev El Camino or the GM Sprint counterpart. because they could be had with a manual long after the coupes had the option deleted off the order sheet. After that, GM did make something called the "Iragi Taxi" aka the 'Saudi Chevvy, which was a four door Malibu that was made with a three speed on the floor and had the third pedal, the correct bellhousing, the linkage, and the other various bits and pieces. By now most of them have either been recycled or lay in various salvage yards across the country. They were built for a contract with a middle east buyer but the contract supposedly failed when a dispute arose over what the payment was to be made in; the US wanted dollars and the buyer wanted shekels or drachmas or ?????. No exchange wanted to broker the deal cause the currency preferred by the buyer had no value outside the country in which they resided. Sound familiar? Anyhoo. Maybe try phoning around the more obscure local yards to see if they have a hulk or two of them laying around. Ya just never know.


Nick
Everyone (thankfully) talked me out of that idea long ago. My wagon is a factory 4 speed car so I just left it alone. Well…..mostly
 

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