Auto to manual conversion for a 66

[Squall67584]

I'm thinking about building a 66 tempest/lemans project car in the near future, and was wondering what work/parts have to be used to convert an auto car to a manual tranny. I've read somewhere that a bracket has to be welded in, but am not sure wheither the bracket can be bought new or has to be salvaged. Thanks.

[MrPbody]

Most A-body frames have the little bracket already on them. It is a "fork" sticking up on the driver's side, just under the master cylinder. The bell crank attaches there.
All the necessary hardware is available from Ames Performance or Performance Years. Avoid Year One, OPGI or The Paddock. They're Chevy-oriented and will pawn off Chevy parts because they "fit". Ames and PY sell ONLY Pontiac stuff.
An alternative to the conventional bell crank system would be a hydraulic throwout bearing from McCleod or Stock Car Products.
You should also check out the Pontiac sites performanceyears.com, classicalpontiac.com, boyleworks.com/musclecars
These sites are dedicated to the Injun engine, where no one will tell you to "just put a Chevy in it". Those that recommend that are out of touch with today's performance cars. Chevys are fine, but belong in Chevys, NOT Pontiacs. The Pontiac engine is fully capable and durable.
You might also want to pick up Jim Hand's book "How to Build Max-performance Pontiac V8s". This book is a current study in the street-performance building of the real Pontiac V8. No mythology or "old school" superstition. His car runs mid 11s on pump gas and a flat tappet hydraulic cam, at 4,100 lbs. It also goes back and forth to the grocery without issues.

"Z bar" and you will need one, depending on how "orignal" you would like the car, you can get a weld in 4speed "hump" that was in the orignal 4 speed cars.

I would look on Ebay for the "set up" most guys who know sell the kit, it has the Zbar the peddles, thats a great start.

The peddles are easy to change, you cant just add on a clutch , so going with a "a body" set up, it's more or less a bolt in, nothing hard.

The Zbar gos on or about the inner driverside frame rail, note that alot of hedders do not clear this bar, so check listings on your hedders before you buy.

4 speeds are fine, but if you plan on drinking anything when driveing in your car, you will have your hands full. Also make sure you get all the switchs to get your reverse lights to come on also. On top of that make sure you have room to shift if you have a bench seat. Or even some guages bolted to the bottom of your dash.

For me my thinking is this, sure 4 speeds are fun, but you need a rev limiter in case you miss a shift at RPM, also you cant do anything but shift while in the car, it's kinda pain in traffic. On top of that you can "bind" the linkage on uneven ground, and that may cause a "no shift" problem.

If you have an Auto nobody in the world can shift a 4 speed faster then it, your not "creeping" at the stage lights in an auto, a built auto with last longer then a 4 speed clutch by the laws that if you F up once in a clutch you can glaze it, the auto is more forgiveing.

I do hope this helped, good luck,

Think about how bad you really want a 4 speed, and if it's really worth it.