Captain Lou

im thinking it would be a big job but fairly simple

anyone care to set me straight one way or another?

hornbm

It depends on the year of the car, what year do you have?

Captain Lou

its an 83/84 gsl withthe auto.

teh trans would either come out of my 82, or ill get a trans and clutch from somewhere else...

anysuggestions?

Gregs

umm 83 and 84's are alot different
different series
-greg

Captain Lou

so far as i could tell theere is no difference from 82-85 unless we're talking about a GSL-SE?

if they are different what are the differences and what would i need to consider before i undertook this project?

if anyone has pulled out an auto and put in a 5speed I would love ot know how easy/ hard the job was, and what i should look out for ,

Cody

1. Purchase expensive tools

2. Take 3 days off of work.

3. Jack up car.

4. Look at stuff.

5. Drink a beer.

6. Call a friend for advice.

7. Drink a beer.

8. Call a mechanic.

9. Cry.

Captain Lou

so its not a afternoon couple of hours then? :P


have you done one cody? what takes it so long?

i would have thought hte mounting points would all be there

Cody

Actually, I haven't done one yet...

But, I do know, that all cars, manual and auto have the auto shifter something or other wires below the shiftboot area.

I found that out when I lifted my shiftboot, saw 2 wires that looked like they might need to be together.....and ZAPPPPP....

......no more interior or brake lights. That kills your dimmer switch......bastard wires.

Captain Lou

soyoure saying.,.. if i see two wires
don't put htem together?

ican probably get the car for 500 and the body and interior are perfect...
so i am hopign hte motor is also in good shape

but how big a job is the thing... can you even drop a clutchand transmission out the bottom or do you nee to pull it and hte motor as one unit?


all these questions
the answere determine where i do it, if at all

Captain Lou

somebody must know somethinga bout this

i mena, it has to have been done at least once before?

anyone?

Lt. Dan

I heard that you have to relocate the tranny mounts....

Dan

Sterling

Greg S has done it.
I opened this just to say that, but saw he answered.

I'm suprised he's not being more helpful!

MyRxBad

Do a search for the user alias Serzy, as he used to frequent the board and has done the auto to manual swap.

hornbm

Sorry, I forgot about this thread. Anway the reason why the 83's and 84s are different is because the 84 came with an overdrive automatic tranny.

As a result the mounts for the auto tranny are in a different spot for the 84-85 cars. You have to fab up a mount adapter. Basically your going to move the mounting holes about 4.5" foward.

Also you need to get a manual transmission wiring harness. This is nessacary for your reverse lights to work.

gummie

I have done it with other cars, so I dont see why it can't be done with a rx7.

The problems with other cars will probably be similar to those you will run into with a rx7. You will probably need to do some console modification (easy). You will need to get your hands on a new wiring harness for your break lights (as mentioned). You will probably have some small amount of trouble mounting the new trans. You will need to install a new pedal and replace your brake pedal. You will need to cut a hole in your firewall for the master cylinder. If you want the clutch safty switch - the thing that wont let you try to start your car unless the clutch is depressed, you will need to install that, but I dont think first gen rx7's had those.

Stuff like that, but nothing all that difficult. If you have access to the tools and enough spair time, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Captain Lou

now its coming together.

ok ill know tonight what the year is. i suspect its an 83, but i think i read the VIN wrong since i counted over 10 and read an E

unless this is unique to canada it couldnt have been teh tenth digit

hornbm

WOA, hold on there buddy. You dont need to cut holes in our firewall for the master cylinder. Like most cars, theres a block off plate where it would normally go. Just remove the block off plate.

The first gens did have a clutch interlock system, as the government has required it for quite a while beofore it.

The transmission mounting is no big deal. I've done the swap, and I have posted pics of the bracket I made. Do a search, and you should be able to find it.

Also by far the worst part of the swap is the pedals. You have absloutely no room in there to work with. Heres a tip however. The clutch and brake pedal are all one asembly. You have to remove the automatic on as a whole, rod and everything. The clutch switch doesnt have to be connected, btw.

Captain Lou

to do the conversion is is mandatory to pull the motor/transmission as one unit and work on it on a bench? or just ideal? :P

i know the answer to this but im just trying to gather all the facts

here's hoping its an 83

the pedals are they more easily removed and replaced witheht engine out? or is the inconvenince purely in the cockpit side?

what about other holes? the gear shifter hole etc?

the pedals, ie the clutch and brake they are one uniit, so when they get pulled from the parts car as one unit..

the auto brake c/clutch is also one unit..
so barring the tight squeese its just a straight bolt in and then adjust them?



this is great

if I can convince the guy to let it go for the 500 mark im willing to give'r a go over the spring and summer

PS I want you all to know my spelling is excellent.

its my typing that sucks

hornbm

If you dont have access to a lift, its easier to pull the motor and tranny out in one shot. Keep in mind you have to take off the flexplate, and put on the flywheel and torque it to 350ft/lbs. I doubt you can pull that off under the car on jackstands.

The pedals have nothing to do with the engine in terms of space. theres just no room under the dash to get your hands up in. Having big hands sucks here.

Oh yeah an easy way to tell if its an 83 or not, is look at the auto shifter, and see if theres an overdrive button on the plastic trim piece. Also the 84 has a completely different dash than the 83.

Captain Lou

all right.

i looked into the interior today, and all i can tell you is the dash layout is different than my 82

ill have to get the vin number again