Posted: September 13 2004 at 3:19pm | IP Logged

That's right...  the big green automatic transmission '69 Firebird is in the process of becoming a big green MANUAL transmissioned '69 Firebird.

We won't talk about the damage it's doing to my wallet or the collateral my wife is extracting from me.   Suffice it to say that I've owned cars that cost less (a lot less) than this transmission swap.

I'm hoping to have everything done and sorted out for the SOWS event in November.  Also planning on attending the Cal. Speedway event at the end of the year.  I guess I'm hooked.

Posted: September 17 2004 at 4:36pm | IP Logged

Update with some pictures:

Transmission:

Test fit in the car (that bellhousing weighs 44lbs by the way!):

My project for this weekend is modifying the automatic transmission crossmember to work with the manual trans.  Lots of cutting and welding.

Posted: September 19 2004 at 11:32am | IP Logged

Got the transmission crossmember done yesterday.  I TIG welded everything, because I need the practice (it shows):

It's looking like I won't have any problem getting everything back together in time for the November 12th SoWS event.

Posted: September 21 2004 at 9:07pm | IP Logged

I'm not sure how things will change with the manual.  I'm expecting a pretty dramatic change however, since the automatic had no gear braking in 1st/2nd gear and very little in 3rd due to the loose converter, which kept weight transfer on throttle transitions to a minimum.

Should be interesting at any rate.

Posted: September 22 2004 at 9:28am | IP Logged

My WAG is you pick up at least 2 seconds right off the bat if you don't have an issues with the manual. I've driven autos on the track, and it makes a huge difference to be able to more accurately control the shifts.

Posted: October 13 2004 at 1:44pm | IP Logged

This stupid transmission swap has been fighting me tooth and nail on every. single. part.  From transmissions that don't fit into the bellhousing to clutch alignment tools that don't align it's been a battle from day one.

Anyway, it's nearly finished.  Bellhousing is aligned, transmission fits into bellhousing, and the hydraulic clutch setup actually works!

The clutch I'm using is a 12" (yes, one foot) McLeod dual friction:

The flywheel is aluminum, and weighs practically nothing:

It was probably a waste of money, however, because the pressure plate weighs something like a million pounds:

Step-by-step:

Some interesting things I machined during all this:

Delrin roller and bushing so that the neutral safety switch actually works (I ended up making an even larger diameter one later):

Driver for installing the pilot bearing:

And while I was doing all this work I dropped my headers off to be coated.  Picked them up yesterday:

So basically all I need to do at this point is bolt the exhaust back up, and it'll be on the road again.  Hopefully it will move under its own power by the end of this weekend.

Posted: October 22 2004 at 7:50am | IP Logged

I *finally* got everything together, and managed to catch a break in the rains that have been trying to wash my house away all week.

Test drive video!

http://www.firebirdofdoom.com/video/Miscellanious/tko600test.wmv 

Everything went smoothly on the test drive, but the difference between the automatic and the manual is like having to re-learn the entire car.  It's nice to be able to cruise at 50mph well under 2000rpm though.

The video also demonstrates my new camera setup, which is a Chasecam attached to a refurbished Canon ZR60 I picked up for under $300.