question on 73-87 trucks

[jveik]

i have a 73 c-10 with a 350 and a turbo 400 automatic. my question is this... how hard would it be to convert this truck to a manual transmission? it already has a hole on the floor for the automatic because some neck that had it before me decided to put the gear selector from an old monte carlo into it instead of the column shifter...and even switched the steering column to one without the lever lol...

but i digress... how much crap will i have to do if i go thru with this?
-did they use a different cab for floor clearances or anything?
-is it relatively easy to hang a clutch and put a linkage together for it?
-will i need a different driveshaft from the trans to the middle carrier bearing or whatever due to different lengths of a manual trans versus th400, or are they the same length?
-can a stupid neck like me actually do this without blowing something up lol?

[blazin84]

I have a 84 chevy blazer that someone converted from an auto to a manual. The floor of the truck will not be in the way. You may need to come up with a different crossmember to support the manual tranny. You will most likely have to come up with a longer driveshaft unless you can extract the end out long enough without having too much spline showing. As far as the clutch.. im not positive but it's not too big of a hassle other than having to cut a hole in the firewall for the linkage.

[67malibu]

I've never done it before but from everything I've seen done and been told the easiest thing to do is to go to a junk yard and get all of the linkage off a similar year. Just take pics of it before you take it out. There is no difference in the sheet metal for either auto or manual anywhere so it will be evident where things go as it is designed for either. Getting the clutch set up correctly might take someone with experience (a shop.)

[jveik]

ah ic ic... im planning on buying another truck soon since my backup vehicle that was supposed to run until i get my good truck restored went to crap on me and the tranny is going out (what can i expect from an 88' honda accord with an automatic). ill look for a longbed model with the 3 speed transmission with granny low and hopefully transfer all the stuff between the two trucks... if i cant find one ill prolly just get a better looking floor shifter for my th400 and throw a shift kit in it and use it... it will last a while at least lol