Auto to Manual conversion

[deloumis]

What parts are necessary to convert from auto to manual? Besides pedal box and actual tranny, is there alot of parts necessary to make to conversion? How difficult is it to actually make the conversion?

I'm not looking to do this any time soon, but I have out some serious thought into it.

[Doogie]

I think the frame is different between the two?

[DMCMW Dave]

The hard part is finding all the parts:

*pedal box
master
reservoir and hose
slave
line
*shifter mechanism
*shifter ball handle
noise isolator
shift boot
*linkage including two bars and crossgate
*linkage on the transmission
modified frame (lower/reshaped mount plate, extra hole in the back)
transmission
clutch
flywheel
t/o bearing, pilot bearing
*transmission mounts (trans part)

* = part not readily available

[Delorean Industries]

The hard part is finding all the parts:

*pedal box
master
reservoir and hose
slave
line
*shifter mechanism
*shifter ball handle
noise isolator
shift boot
*linkage including two bars and crossgate
*linkage on the transmission
modified frame (lower/reshaped mount plate, extra hole in the back)
transmission
clutch
flywheel
t/o bearing, pilot bearing
*transmission mounts (trans part)

* = part not readily available

Mounts are available from Dpi. New units sold in pairs at deloreanindustries.com/shop under the original stainless section. Thirty pairs in stock for conversions and oem failure and we can always produce more.

[guss23]

In short, let me translate.....

Sell your auto and buy a manual. You will have more than the differance in the conversion. You also run the risk of more costly damage to the frame modifying it. There are people looking for auto cars out there!!

[Delorean Industries]

https://www.deloreanindustries.com/shop/originalstainless/manual-transmission-mount-brackets-stainless-steel.html

Link to our transmission mount offering. As always, life time warranty from SW on the pair. These will not break under high torque applications like the stock mounts.

[David T]

The only way it makes any sense is to use a "donor" car so you have all of the hardware, brackets, links, etc. It is not an easy conversion. It makes more sense to sell the car and find another with a 5-speed. For all of the money you will spend it will not make the car worth a penny more and if you can't do it "right" it will actually reduce the value of the car.
David Teitelbaum

[Nicholas R]

The hard part is finding all the parts:

*pedal box
master
reservoir and hose
slave
line
*shifter mechanism
*shifter ball handle
noise isolator
shift boot
*linkage including two bars and crossgate
*linkage on the transmission
modified frame (lower/reshaped mount plate, extra hole in the back)
transmission
clutch
flywheel
t/o bearing, pilot bearing
*transmission mounts (trans part)

* = part not readily available

When you say "extra hole in the back" do you mean an extra hole where the frame V's outward:
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/1264/12033919.jpg

or the mounting hole for the cross linkage in the shifter area:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431137_10100403355619115_21412543_46095109_1811607 111_n.jpg

Just wondering.



In short, let me translate.....

Sell your auto and buy a manual. You will have more than the differance in the conversion. You also run the risk of more costly damage to the frame modifying it. There are people looking for auto cars out there!!

The only way it makes any sense is to use a "donor" car so you have all of the hardware, brackets, links, etc. It is not an easy conversion. It makes more sense to sell the car and find another with a 5-speed. For all of the money you will spend it will not make the car worth a penny more and if you can't do it "right" it will actually reduce the value of the car.
David Teitelbaum

I dont think this job is quite as big as everyone makes it out to be. The hardest part isn't the job itself, its just the acquisition of the parts.

I'm going through this job right now and I respectfully disagree with everyone who says you should just sell your automatic and buy a manual. Call me crazy but I know I have WAY to much attachment to this particular DeLorean to just sell it and buy a manual and go through all the "new DeLorean purchase work" all over again.

Not to mention, here's a short list of things I've done to this car: eibach suspension, UK SS exhaust, hours of engine work, electrical upgrades, new interior, front frame extension, new hoses, toby's radiator fans, 2 new evaporators, countless hours of SS blending, new fascia paint, new injectors, new fuel pump, angle drive, stereo upgrades, new weather stripping, and COUNTLESS other projects.

I'm not goint to undo all this work, and let go of the knowledge I have regarding this particular car, just because I'm too afraid to do some extremely minor frame modification. The swap to manual is just one more project on the list. Compared to the front frame extension this is nothing!! Hell I'd rather go through this than replace my evaporator!

Want to see what the frame work looks like? Here it is:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/418351_10100403359750835_21412543_46095120_1545455 782_n.jpg
(the template on the left isn't even needed as I found out the shift linkage pivot location is the same in the autos and the manuals.)

If you know what you're doing, the frame modification isn't that bad, and everything else is just bolt on.

If you want to do it, do it. Dont let others talk you out of it.

[Jeff K]

I hear ya brother. I love my 81, it's pristine. I WISH it had a 5 speed. I don't have the balls to convert it though.

[deloumis]

selling mine and buying a 5 speed I wouldn't even consider. It wasn't like I bought my car in mint condition. I've done way too much work to it to just sell to buy a different car. I've done interior work, engine work, transmission work . I had to work on almost every part of the car. Including stripping it down back to bare stainless. My car was painted red when I got it. So I would love to convert to 5 speed but just wanted to get an idea of what to expect if I ever set my mind to it. I already have a 5 speed frame, so I wouldn't have to do frame work. I also have a few other 5 speed parts.

[Delorean Industries]

This process is a walk in the park with the proper tools. No reason why it can not be completed in under 15 hours start to finish with the proper materials present.

The biggest issue is locating the cross linkage cable hole. If you are off this will bind the cable and make shifting a nightmare. Everything else is simply pull and replace. The cable exit hole at the end of the trans tunnel is already there and even the three holes in the fiber glass for the clutch master (two for res. bracket and fill point) are present.

If you build the insert correctly and at this time we only do one off's, the area that requires modifications for shifter linkage clearance is minimal. Also if you drop the height of the shifter assembly and modify the front section of the bell crank shift rod accordingly you can effectively make a short throw shifter by dropping the shifter height in the frame.

Best of luck to your conversions and if you need any hard to find components. Well they are not very hard to find. Everything is in stock here at DPI for many conversions!

[Nicholas R]

This process is a walk in the park with the proper tools. No reason why it can not be completed in under 15 hours start to finish with the proper materials present.

The biggest issue is locating the cross linkage cable hole. If you are off this will bind the cable and make shifting a nightmare. Everything else is simply pull and replace. The cable exit hole at the end of the trans tunnel is already there and even the three holes in the fiber glass for the clutch master (two for res. bracket and fill point) are present.

If you build the insert correctly and at this time we only do one off's, the area that requires modifications for shifter linkage clearance is minimal. Also if you drop the height of the shifter assembly and modify the front section of the bell crank shift rod accordingly you can effectively make a short throw shifter by dropping the shifter height in the frame.

Best of luck to your conversions and if you need any hard to find components. Well they are not very hard to find. Everything is in stock here at DPI for many conversions!

Thanks, I actually wondered whether or not those were already there.

Also just as reference photos, for anyone who needs to drill the cross linkage hole, I took these measurements off of a bare manual frame last week:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431137_10100403355619115_21412543_46095109_1811607 111_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/421007_10100403356532285_21412543_46095112_6257375 58_n.jpg

Also the depth of the new plate for the manual:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/430297_10100403357635075_21412543_46095116_1304032 370_n.jpg
The perspective from the closeness of the camera messes with this photo^ The depth of the manual plate is actually 1 28/32" or 1.875" from the top of the frame.

As long as the cross link cable hole is correct relative to the plate there shouldn't be any binding issues.

[nullset]

Best of luck to your conversions and if you need any hard to find components. Well they are not very hard to find. Everything is in stock here at DPI for many conversions!

Now I'm waiting for you to release the "Auto to manual conversion kit" :)

--buddy

[sean]

Now I'm waiting for you to release the "Auto to manual conversion kit" :)

--buddy

What have you collected so far Buddy?

[nullset]

What have you collected so far Buddy?

Nothing so far. I tried to buy Erik's pedal box and transmission, but the pedal box was already promised to someone else.

I decided to pass on the transmission since the pedal box seems to be the harder to find piece.

--buddy

[David T]

Converting is doable, getting all of the parts is the hard part. Save all of the parts you remove, they could be worth something to someone who would want to convert the other way. If you do it yourself you can keep the costs down on the labor at least.
David Teitelbaum

[Mrdashbo]

I have a cad image of the plate that you need to change the shifter height, I am restoring a manual chassis into an auto car it seems as you are all correct it is not as hard as it seems, few holes few bolts a lot of swearing .....perhaps

Mike

[stevedmc]

What parts are necessary to convert from auto to manual?

All you need is a for sale ad on DMCTalk. Sell your old Delorean and buy a manual.

[nullset]

All you need is a for sale ad on DMCTalk. Sell your old Delorean and buy a manual.

This is the common advice, but for some of us it isn't practical.

Unless someone wants to trade 2930 for a manual in working condition….(after having seen the horrible things that've been done to it? Not likely….)

Better advice might be to find someone that wants to go the other way, and swap frames/transmissions/other bits.

--buddy

[Nicholas R]

This is the common advice, but for some of us it isn't practical.

Unless someone wants to trade 2930 for a manual in working condition….(after having seen the horrible things that've been done to it? Not likely….)

Better advice might be to find someone that wants to go the other way, and swap frames/transmissions/other bits.

--buddy

+1 I agree. Like I said before, telling someone to just sell/trade their car is not helpful. Plus, I honestly believe that the hassle offacilitating a car trade, or selling one car and buying another; would be a lot more work than conversion. Nobody is in a rush. The parts DO pop up. Once you get them, the job is easy.

Also I remembered one other part thats needed that I dont think anyone else mentioned. Though you technically dont have to replace it, you may want to replace your coolant line with the built in transmission cooler, to the normal coolant line. I know I am.

[Nicholas R]

I converted my frame to a manual this weekend. Here are some pics:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419329_10100419089114065_21412543_46146536_1857466 916_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/418923_10100419089857575_21412543_46146546_1563231 37_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/422085_10100419089413465_21412543_46146539_5884703 81_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420764_10100419090181925_21412543_46146550_3417641 63_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429529_10100419090351585_21412543_46146552_8666386 93_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/423179_10100419090456375_21412543_46146554_3046655 88_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419315_10100419090556175_21412543_46146555_2106190 661_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402422_10100419090645995_21412543_46146556_6834871 09_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402007_10100419090725835_21412543_46146557_1445303 825_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431353_10100419090815655_803452891_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423237_10100419090925435_21412543_46146559_1291543 614_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/424404_10100419091025235_21412543_46146560_1989910 41_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419198_10100419091224835_1791265226_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/395352_10100419091274735_21412543_46146566_1688901 737_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419375_10100419091529225_21412543_46146570_1052873 050_n.jpg

Done!

[Nicholas R]

I converted my frame to a manual this weekend. For the plate I used 2x2x.25 angle iron. Only modifications were 4 holes, and a small section of the existing plate cut out so that the bottom of the shifter could move freely. Here are some pics:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419329_10100419089114065_21412543_46146536_1857466 916_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/418923_10100419089857575_21412543_46146546_1563231 37_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/422085_10100419089413465_21412543_46146539_5884703 81_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420764_10100419090181925_21412543_46146550_3417641 63_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429529_10100419090351585_21412543_46146552_8666386 93_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/423179_10100419090456375_21412543_46146554_3046655 88_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419315_10100419090556175_21412543_46146555_2106190 661_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402422_10100419090645995_21412543_46146556_6834871 09_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402007_10100419090725835_21412543_46146557_1445303 825_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431353_10100419090815655_803452891_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423237_10100419090925435_21412543_46146559_1291543 614_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/424404_10100419091025235_21412543_46146560_1989910 41_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419198_10100419091224835_1791265226_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/395352_10100419091274735_21412543_46146566_1688901 737_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419375_10100419091529225_21412543_46146570_1052873 050_n.jpg

Done!

[deloumis]

I converted my frame to a manual this weekend. For the plate I used 2x2x.25 angle iron. Only modifications were 4 holes, and a small section of the existing plate cut out so that the bottom of the shifter could move freely. Here are some pics:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419329_10100419089114065_21412543_46146536_1857466 916_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/418923_10100419089857575_21412543_46146546_1563231 37_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/422085_10100419089413465_21412543_46146539_5884703 81_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/420764_10100419090181925_21412543_46146550_3417641 63_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429529_10100419090351585_21412543_46146552_8666386 93_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/423179_10100419090456375_21412543_46146554_3046655 88_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419315_10100419090556175_21412543_46146555_2106190 661_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402422_10100419090645995_21412543_46146556_6834871 09_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/402007_10100419090725835_21412543_46146557_1445303 825_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431353_10100419090815655_803452891_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423237_10100419090925435_21412543_46146559_1291543 614_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/424404_10100419091025235_21412543_46146560_1989910 41_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/419198_10100419091224835_1791265226_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/395352_10100419091274735_21412543_46146566_1688901 737_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/419375_10100419091529225_21412543_46146570_1052873 050_n.jpg

Done!

Looking great Nick, great progress so far! :thumbup:
Good luck with your conversion. I hope to have great success if I do end up converting to 5 speed.

[living_the_dream]

Thats awesome man. How long did it take you to do it? I plan on doing that this spring sometime. You think it would be feasible to do if you had left the body on? That's what I'm planning on doing. What was the hardest part? Thanks!

[Nicholas R]

First off sorry for the double post; not sure what happened. If a mod wants to delete one since it's so big that would be really awesome.

The process shown took me about 3 hours. This does not include the measurements that I took off of a bare manual frame last week to prepare. In hindsight, I wish I had saved and scanned that plate template I made for future use. After I used it, it ended up getting saturated with coolant and ruined.

For the most part it wasn't difficult at all, just somewhat tedious. I wanted to be sure that the angle iron sat at the right height so I checked and rechecked over and over. Each piece of angle iron is bolted to the frame with 2 10.9 grade M8x1.25 bolts. Once the plate sat right, it was just locating the 4 holes to tap for the 6mm bolts holding the shifter.

A small section of the original did have to be removed, as it interfered with the lower half of the shifter assembly. I used an angle grinder but I'm sure it could be cut out using a dremel or pneumatic cutting tool.

Really the hardest part was probably drilling the hole for the cross linkage, only because the space is somewhat tight. Once I located the hole, I used a 90 degree pneumatic grinder with a cone shaped grinding tip until I got the hole to the right diameter. Though it was very easy to do with the body off, I dont see any reason why you couldn't drill from the inside out with the body on. As long as you could get a nut between the body and frame in the center for the bolts. I cant remember off hand what the clearance is like there.

It makes me so happy to look down at the frame and FINALLY see s 5-speed shifter there ;)