'69 3500 Auto to Manual conversion.

carolshusband

carolshusband

Member
Due to my failure to sell my car last year I have decided to keep it but convert it to a manual.

As I see it I have a few options.

I could fit a V8 S box, prop, pedal box etc which would seem to the easiest route (unless someone knows otherwise)I'm guessing speedo, clutch master cyl etc might be a faff. My reservation is that I was let down a couple of times by the strength of the 4-speeds in the past and the 1:1 ratio in top is not the best for MPG.

Option 2 is an LT77. I'm aware this is a well documented and trusted conversion but they seem to be few and far between and I believe they also have strength issues. I experienced one shredding itself in an SD1 on the motorway in a very low stress situation. Am I wrong to shy away from them ?

Option 3 is thus... I have just got my paws on an early, steel cased Toyota Celica 5-Speed box, they are used for all kinds of conversions and would seem to be physically about right in the important areas and are good for 250HP. I'm a big fan of Japanese engineering and have never been let down by my various cars from the land of the rising sun. Has anyone had any experience of fitting Japanese boxes ? I know a kit is available to fit a Rover V8 to a Hilux so am hoping that some of the holes might line up. I have a 4-speed V8 S box in a dusty corner so I may see how the bellhousing might be modified but it looks about right.

All and any thoughts would be gratefully accepted, if I've missed a thread on here please post a link. I will say I'm not interested in sticking with the Autobox. I'd rather sell the car, but I tried that !

Thanks in advance, Dan.
 
The supra 5 speed box is a well known conversion down under i believe... Is it the same box?
 
It looks to be about the same size and fitment, the remote is the same but the actual box casing is aluminium. I'm going to post on a New Zealand forum, as you say they seem to use them for everything down there.

Thanks, Dan.
 
The LT77 is plenty strong, the issue will be finding one that isn't knackered. Some great background here: http://www.v8engines.com/transmission-3.htm. The main argument against is that by modern standards it isn't particularly slick in operation. I really didn't like it in my SD1.

The Toyota is superb and in Australia practically everything RWD seems to be a candidate for fitment. The bellhousing unless you cut and shut yourself isn't cheap.

Another possibility is the Borg Warner T5. I believe this was fitted to many things like 1990s Ford Mustangs. In the US this tends to end up behind the Rover V8 in MGBs.

I have a very similar car. I hoping to go the ZF 4 speed auto route. A huge 0.68:1 gear, lockup in 3rd (I think) and 4th and the tendency not to whine and change like a drunk trying to use a cashpoint pretty much suits my needs.
 
Hi Peter

I had thought about a T5, a mate got one out of a 91 Chevy V8 pickup and it bolted straight up to his '61 Chevy straight 6. I doubt I'd be so lucky !

I'm going to get the tape measure out and see if I can do something with the 4-speed bellhousing but I'm hoping that Australasia will come through for me.

Good luck with the ZF Auto, you're braver than me.

All the best, Dan.
 
Won't be me doing the ZF conversion should it happen, I'll be looking at paying someone who has already done it.

I know my limits which would just about stretch to the LT77 conversion without chopping any parts.
 
Hi, you right to be cautious of the 3500s box they're not the strongest and the fourth gear limits
economy. The LT77 is OK but if you don't have faith in it try and get an R380 in two wheel drive
from Sherpa,s or TVR,s. Gasket, synchos and bearing sets are available on Ebay and gear sets
can be got from the likes of Ashcrofts or Land Rover parts suppliers. As for the T5, bell housings
do come up on Ebay but are about £300-400, Cheaper adaptor plates are on there to mate the
g/box to a V8 bellhousing (LT77 presumably). You could try getting an auto bellhousing and having
an adaptor made to mate it to the T5. I don't know what your budget or mechanical/fabrication
skills are, So good luck.

Colin
 
I'd also go for the R380 out of an LDV Pilot - the V8 bellhousing for an LT77 bolts straight to it. I've currently got an LT77 in mine, but am planning to upgrade to the R380 next year.
 
NZ rather than OZ is the place for Toymota Supra and Celica gearbox conversions, here they are a dime a dozen as the NZ market has been flooded with these cars since the mid 80's and are cheap cheap cheap rather than OZ where car parts from 2nd hand cars are very expensive (they pay insane prices for 2nd hand cars in OZ that here would go to the scrapper).

Graeme
 
Baron von Marlon said:
I'd also go for the R380 out of an LDV Pilot - the V8 bellhousing for an LT77 bolts straight to it. I've currently got an LT77 in mine, but am planning to upgrade to the R380 next year.
Click to expand...

Thanks Martin.
 
ghce said:
NZ rather than OZ is the place for Toymota Supra and Celica gearbox conversions, here they are a dime a dozen as the NZ market has been flooded with these cars since the mid 80's and are cheap cheap cheap rather than OZ where car parts from 2nd hand cars are very expensive (they pay insane prices for 2nd hand cars in OZ that here would go to the scrapper).

Graeme
Click to expand...

Thanks Graeme, I'm just about to post on oldschool.co.nz. They seem like a friendly bunch and as you say, you guys would seem to have have put Japanese boxes in just about everything !

Dan.
 
carolshusband said:
I'm a big fan of Japanese engineering and have never been let down by my various cars from the land of the rising sun.

Thanks in advance, Dan.
Click to expand...


A no Brainer really. :mrgreen:

Graeme
 
Hasn't the LDV pilot like most vans got an effectively useless 1st gear? You know the start on a steep hill with a full load gear?

There was a thread talking about the MX5 box a while back. Now that is one of my favourites of all time.
 
BW T5 was used in TVR Chimaera and Griffith models from 1994/1995.

The best TVR forum is probably Pistonheads, there are separate Chimaera and Griffith sections, as well as a general one. 'Other TVR forums are available', as the BBC would say. 'Other TV channels are available'. :mrgreen:
 
tonys said:
BW T5 was used in TVR Chimaera and Griffith models from 1994/1995.

The best TVR forum is probably Pistonheads, there are separate Chimaera and Griffith sections, as well as a general one. 'Other TVR forums are available', as the BBC would say. 'Other TV channels are available'. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...

Thank you ! I'm waiting for a reply from Dellow in Australia about the Celica box but unless they want to send me a bell housing at half price with free shipping I may be in trouble.

I'll go and have a look on PH.

Cheers, Dan.
 
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