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    Stick-shift conversion?

    I am getting really fed up with my transmission. 15,000 miles on it, and one of the lines sprang a leak thanks in part to the accident. Caught it after a couple days but by then it was too late. OD is slipping and the fucking thing doesn't ever shift when I want it to anyway. I figure if I'm going to be manually shifting the car all the time, why not do it with a clutch and have some fun? I've done my best to prolong the life of this thing (auxiliary stacked-plate tranny cooler, coolant flushes, Lucas Tranny Fix, will soon be adjusting TV linkages) but obviously the damage that's already done can't be fixed without at least a partial rebuild. If/when I finally lose OD, or something else happens to the tranny, instead of spending a grand and a half on ANOTHER new automatic that STILL can't read my mind and know when I want it to shift, I think I might as well take the plunge and throw in a T5 or even T56, as money allows.

    So, anyone who's done the conversion, can anyone walk me through as to the costs, what parts are needed, what modifications are needed, etc? Blaze, I've been staring at your cardomain for three days now and I think I'm getting a pretty decent idea of what this'll take, but since I'm kind of a newb, I'm wondering where is the clutch master cylinder? You don't have some sort of crazy Goddamned mechanical clutch setup, do you?

    Also, how difficult is this? I've never done a clutch or swapped a transmission before, but I intend on putting a 5spd (with new clutch) into my 4spd truck before I try this project, just to get the hang of things. Even though I haven't yet done such a thing, I'm extremely confident in my mechanical ability and won't hesitate when the time comes. Are any special tools (besides a clutch alignment tool, and myself ) needed? Do I need a different crossmember? Different tranny mount? Does the crossmember retain the stock position? Any driveshaft mods? What shifter options are there for this sort of thing? Is there anything I can't use? Right now I'm thinking a Pro 5-0 or Steeda short-throw, since that'll greatly improve the heavy throws of the more-or-less required floor shifter, and I'd like to use a late 60's Mopar-style pistol grip shifter, modified with an adapter.

    Tell me everything anybody with experience on this subject can think of. I want to be drowned in an abundance of information about all this.
    Last edited by CheeseSteakJim; 05-05-2008, 06:13 PM.

    #2
    At the top of the 5.0 tech forum....

    http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=7690


    and a few more
    http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...highlight=swap
    http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...highlight=swap
    Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

    Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

    Comment


      #3
      If you decide to go ahead and swap in a manual tranny, I'd be more than happy to drive out to West Granby and lend a hand.
      **2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: 5.0/ 6 spd/ 3.73s, 20K Cruiser
      **2006 MGM,"Ultimate": 4.6/ 2.73/ Dark Tint, Magnaflows, 19s, 115K Daily Driver
      **2012 Harley Davidson Wide Glide (FXDWG):103/ Cobra Speedsters/ Cosmetics, 9K Poseur HD Rider
      **1976 Ford F-150 4WD: 360, 4 spd, 3.50s, factory A/C, 4" lift, Bilsteins, US Indy Mags, 35s Truck Duties

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        #4
        all the panther 5 speed swaps so far have been mechanical clutch just like the mustangs.....5 speed sounds fun but i dont like the mechanical clutch at all.....had a 84 mustang svo.....my left leg had twice the muscle as the right lol

        1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
        2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
        1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
        1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
        2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
        1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

        please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

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          #5
          I want a manual in my car badly, but I'm too much of a pansie to attempt it. I swapped AOD's on the ground. But I don't have any experience with manual tranny installs. The pedal assembly scares me and I have no idea how to mount it. If I had another car and I could let this thing sit a bit I'd attempt it but till then I'll wait on someones experienced help, or wait till I stumble into some money and pay someone to get it done...
          Resident diesel addict

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            #6
            Thanks, the more info the better.

            Originally posted by P72Ford View Post
            If you decide to go ahead and swap in a manual tranny, I'd be more than happy to drive out to West Granby and lend a hand.
            I may take you up on that offer if my other friend ends up being too busy to give me a hand. Either way, we gotta hang out some time... doesn't make sense to live so close to eachother and never meeting.
            Originally posted by lincolnmania View Post
            all the panther 5 speed swaps so far have been mechanical clutch just like the mustangs.....5 speed sounds fun but i dont like the mechanical clutch at all.....had a 84 mustang svo.....my left leg had twice the muscle as the right lol
            I never even realized that Fox-body Mustangs had mechanical clutches, though now that I think about it I guess it makes sense. When did they finally go to hydraulic?

            Christ, I just realized daily-driving that monster would be torture for me... my clutch knee hurts like a bitch on colder/damper days. Ugh, I don't want my stupid God damn knee to get in the way of really having some fun. Goddamnit, I gotta find someone with a T5 Mustang and convince them to let me take it for a drive to see if I could handle it daily. Is there any kinds of modifications/adjustments I could make to make it less of a pain to push down?

            Also, I was reading that 5spd article by Freshmeat that mrltd linked me to, and there it says I need a 92+ driveshaft with a 92+ pinion and some kind of adapter... yet when I read Blaze's articles on his CarDomain, he said he used his stock driveshaft without a hitch. Why the discrepancy?

            I probably have more questions but I can't think of them right now.


            EDIT: FastGallopingPonies, I'm considering doing this after I take the car off the road to tear it down and spray it. Having a motorcycle simplifies things.
            Last edited by CheeseSteakJim; 05-05-2008, 09:59 PM.

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              #7
              They never did, afaik.....Daily driving any 5 speed is pretty bad. My protege has a fairly light hydraulic clutch and it still is hard on my knees. You could change the lever length to help the leverage. But an automatic still beats a 5 speed for daily driving.
              Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

              Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

              Comment


                #8
                Crossover idea: 4R70w with a shift controller that allows paddle shifting.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

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                  #9
                  Sucks for you guys, my truck already has a manual :p

                  Also my truck is all I have and I love driving it, even in traffic it's not so bad, i'm used to it. I test drove a friend's mom's Subaru Impreza Wagon 2.5RS or whatever because she said it was making a weird noise at idle. It was an automatic, and dispite the fact that with its AWD and new tires that gripped the road like nothing i've ever felt before, I still prefer shifting my own gears, makes it much more fun. Our Enduro Racecar at school is an auto and I hate it. We may install a shift kit, but even then it just doesn't compare to shifting yourself.

                  Question: how well does a T5 hold up in a heavy Town Car?
                  88 Town Car (wrecked, for sale)
                  Walker OEM duals with muffler deletes

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                    Crossover idea: 4R70w with a shift controller that allows paddle shifting.
                    I like that idea! Has the flappy-paddle conversion actually been done?
                    2012 Mazda5 Touring | Finally working on the LTD again!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by 88Vic View Post
                      Sucks for you guys, my truck already has a manual :p
                      Shiiit, you can keep your bolt-action, I like my slushies - the AOD shifts exactly when I want it, and the E4OD needs some tweaking of the lockup but other than that tis good too. Tho, to be honest, if I were to have a rowboat, that would be in this truck - damn thing don't even make a difference whether I'm in park/neutral or in gear, engine speed drop is a whooping 20rpm cold and maybe 50rpm warm, if even that, no IAC system either, tis all engine.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by mrltd View Post
                        They never did, afaik.....Daily driving any 5 speed is pretty bad. My protege has a fairly light hydraulic clutch and it still is hard on my knees. You could change the lever length to help the leverage. But an automatic still beats a 5 speed for daily driving.
                        Well, it wouldn't be my first stick daily driver. I have an '85 F-150 with an I6 and a 3spd+OD that I daily drove for over a year while getting my car road-safe again. That was the first year of the hydraulic clutches in the F-series though, so I can't really remember if I've ever driven a car with a mechanical clutch besides the '41 Plymouth (IIRC) that I goofed around in for a few minutes. THAT had some clutch effort, but that wasn't even cable-operated... it still had linkages.

                        Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                        Crossover idea: 4R70w with a shift controller that allows paddle shifting.
                        That's a very unique and neat idea, however it takes away the fun of rowing gears and stomping the clutch.

                        Perhaps I could indeed increase the lever's length depending on the stock travel. Too much travel would irritate me, but too little does always. I could also always just exercise my knees more often like the doctor recommended, too. That seemed to help for a while but I haven't gotten back into it lately, which would explain some things.

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                          #13
                          It's pretty damn cheap man.

                          There are five main costs;
                          transmission, anywhere from free-$500 or more.
                          clutch, $150 ish
                          flywheel, $200 ish
                          95 CV barke booster, $80 ish
                          mustang pedal assembly. $30-50ish.

                          Hopefully with the tranny you get the bell housing, clutch fork, shifter, and shift handle. I had to purchase that stuff separately, however I got my T5 for free. You do NOT need a new drive shaft to do the conversion. All said and done I was under $700, but if you buy a nice T5 and nice clutch and fly wheel, you could easily be around $1500-$2000. Honestly, I wish I had done an aluminum fly wheel.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by 1987cp View Post
                            I like that idea! Has the flappy-paddle conversion actually been done?
                            there is a company that makes paddle shifter conversions for pretty much all ford automatic transmissions
                            http://secondhandracing.com/Home.aspx
                            http://secondhandradio.com/

                            R.I.P. Jason P Harrill 6-12-06

                            http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?t=5634

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by DuceAnAHalf View Post
                              there is a company that makes paddle shifter conversions for pretty much all ford automatic transmissions
                              For me, only worth doing if the ECU can blip the throttle to match revs on downshifts...

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