Ok....i found a nice iroc and i really want it, but i want a manual not auto. Can anyone tell me if it is worth it to change out the trans and put in a manual. And is it ahrd an will it cost alot.

Mike

 

you are in the EXACT same spot that i am and this is what i have figured out. If you are getting a v6 i wouldnt bother because theyre not powerful enough to care. If youre getting a v8 there are two options. One go with the 305 and try to find a rare standard. The problem with the tranny in that car though is that its about at its max for power. If you rebuilt the engine with more power and hooked it up to the 5 speed in the 305 you would blow the 5 speed. This is why you have to consider what you plan to do with it. If youre getting the 305 auto and switching the tranny just for the sake of it and not doing much to the engine i wouldnt see it being worth it.

Your other option however is to go with a 350 which only comes in an auto anyways. This is what i plan to do that way you can drop a very high end 5 or 6 speed standard tranny and do a ton to the engine with a much better starting point because you have a 350 block. Even if youre just looking at changing the tranny itd be worth it just because the 350 doesnt come in a standard. (well it did but they made like a couple hundred of them ever and finding one is impossible AND theyre really expensive)

anyways hope my long winded advice helped....

 

i dont think they EVER made a 350 stick?
well anyway Mike, if you got a 350 auto, then you wouldnt want to put in a 5-speed (strength and no fun) so your other alternative would be a 6-speed (T56). the T56 alone could cost you up to $1000 plus special crossmember to make it work($100) and any other micelaneous parts (pedals, chip if its TPI, etc.) so that could run you anywhere from $1000-1500 total and now no money to mod. if you got the 305/T-5 (like mine ) and you just wanted a somewhat quick daily ride itd be best. is it hard to swap transmissions? ive never done it but ive read that you can just bolt it all in there with maybe a little fabbing and if your going auto to manual then youre going to have to put the clutch pedal in, sorry i wish i could help you more. it all comes down to what you want and your wallet.

 

They made 50 cars in 1986 i belive it was for early relaease that had a beefed up T-5 and a 350. GM killed the idea before the 350 tpi s release in 87 cause it slaughtered the trans continually. Most of the cars were dismantled but a few are floating around. However in a 91' or 92 car the T-56 should bolt up fairly easily to the 350 tpi because GM contemplated putting the T-56 in them and then scrapped the idea instead focusing on the release of fourth gen cars.

 

My WC T-5 has about 8,000 miles behind my L98 350 with a 270HR cam full exhaust. I have not babied it at all and it is doing fine. I have seen numerous people run the WC T-5 behind stout street motors for many miles. The non-WC T-5 on the other hand grenaded behind by 305 motor that the car came with.

But once I do kill the WC-T5 I am going automatic, probably 700r4. An automatic trans with a 2800 rpm stall is a killer at the track. And the overdrive makes it good for the highway. It is just really difficult to get good traction out of first gear with the T-5s. Loading up a torque converter right into the bottom of your rpm range is the best way to go for performance a good quarter mile.