Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Jeremiah
I have a 69 cutlass with a 350/TH350. Its a great car, i just dont like automatics, i was just wondering what was the manual transmission that came in these cars, and if it would bolt up to the existing crossmember/driveshaft. and if any other major work would be needed aside from the pedals, and clutch linkage. thanks
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The biggest problem is that Olds usually did not drill the crank for the pilot bearing if the engine was bolted to an automatic from the factory. Your choices are 1) pull the crank and have it machined) or 2) use the conversion bearing sold by various Olds specialty houses. The conversion bearing fits in the existing recess in the AT crank and locates the input shaft of the MT. Unfortunately the recess still isn't deep enough so you will need to trim the input shaft by 1/2" to 3/4".
Beyond that, you'll need the appropriate pedal assemblies, linkages, bellhousing, trans, etc. You'll need the bracket that bolts to the frame to support the Z-bar for the clutch linkage as well as the pivot ball that goes on the block. The factory used Muncie 4 speeds, which will bolt up using the existing crossmember. Unfortunately, restorers have driven the price of good Muncies out of sight. You can also get a conversion kit for a modern 5 spd or 6 spd, but floor pan mods will be required. If you want a factory console, also expect to spend many hundreds of dollars for a good used one.