Mathews2001

Found a clean GS, but it is an automatic. An automatic RX7 is useless to me. Could it realistically be swapped to manual? I know anything is po$$ible, but if the job was easy enough and the parts were inexpensive and reasily avail.....

I guess my wife might like it, she's shiftologically challenged.

RX7145

iTrader: (1)

Although I have never done this I belive that It's not too bad. You need the 5-speed traney of course the fly wheel and the inside parts like the shifter. The hardest part is the Cluch. You haft to stand on your head. and try and stuff all the parts up in there. You really need to have a donor car for this or find one in you local yard.

Hope that this helps.

-Paul

FuLLsMoKe

Some people are just lazier
I REALLY hate driving an automatic... If there are not three pedals in my car, I'll have to shoot someone
My friend is getting a Ford Lightning... I discovered all Lightnings are automatic. Why have 380 horses and 450 ft-lbs of torque and have automatic?
Yea... Beats me too!

Wattz

I know! I tried driving my mom's Buick, and it's so DULL. I can't stand just sitting there and not having to do anything.

It also makes me wonder, do Automatics ever redline? They have like 3 different driving gears... My friend's escort wagon has Overdrive, Drive, and Low Drive... WTF is the difference?

And since my tranny is stuck in 4th, tranmission places around here have TURNED ME AWAY because it's a manual... ?!?!?!?!?!?!

FuLLsMoKe

I know that newer automatics will redline if you floor it and hold it, but the computer will shift right as the RPMs hit the beginning of the redline.

Most automatics have 3 physical gears... Now they are making "high-performance" 4 or 5 gear autos...

D-normal driving
Over drive-that's an extra gear that's larger than the rest and is used to coserve fuel
L-that uses the lower of the physical gears, for towing things

Wattz

Thanks, man. One less thing to wonder about now. `,=o)

FuLLsMoKe

Too bad I forget the things i learn

RotarMotor

Automatic sports cars really puzzle me!
Here in Australia our biggest car manufacturer is Holden. They make quite a fex decent sports cars (well big cars with big engines) but they do a lot of stuff only automatic (eg. the superchated S, a superchanged 6 litre) They brought out a new monaro (2 door 4+4, remake of older clasic) and the v6 is only in automatic (although they make the 8 in manual 2) WHO BUYS A AUTOMATIC SPORTS CAR!

Serzy

I have done the same swap to my car it was also an 85 GS the mounting holes dont line up directly and are about 4" away as brake said... so unless you can make up some strong mount or put new holes somewhere the ride wont be as solid as one with a good STURDY! mount

jimtesla

Hey

I have an 84 GSL Automatic.......I wanted an automatic......I am not in this car to race....Its my coastal cruiser......Top off..windows down....
who cares about anybody else.......

If you want to race then get a stick.....but save that auto....some other wack job out there will be looking for it.....like me.......

Later

Jim

84 GSL Auto
Glass moonroof
Rear louvers
New shocks...2/1/02

repuguru

Yeah me too....Not for my 7 though. For my truck. I 'd love to have the auto with overdrive from the 84-85 RX7.
In addition to all the other things you mention converting an auto to a stick I think you must also change the front counter weight under the front cover to match the rear counter weight that goes on the Auto flywheel..

B00STED-300Z

I've driven a 83 GSL Automatic, and it did feel kinda plain. Not to mention ANY car with a measly 100HP will feel pretty sluggish with a 3spd Auto.

BTW, Ford has to have a Manual that can handle 450lbs-ft. You can get a 5spd in a F250 Turbo Diesel with about 600lbs-ft. Ford just chose to leave the Lightning a Auto. Just like a GNX or something. Still crazy fast, low 13s STOCK.

Northern 7

iTrader: (3)

I bought my '83 GX (Canadian) with an auto only because it was in such good shape - I swaped over to a 5 speed and , as mentioned, the mounts don't line up and a cross member had to be fab'ed. There's a lot of reasons for doing it including gas milage (the 3 speed is brutal) with that 3rd gear reving like crazy on the highway, cheaper to repair (torque converters on the 1st gens were notorious for going bad), quicker, and a lot more fun. the nice part is that the centre consol didn't need to be butchered - after the swap everything looks factory. Highly recommended

gbrown

I'm am almost done doing this conversion right now on an 81 gsl. You will need a differant drive shaft for one thing.The pedal assembly is somewhat time consuming to change out. I've got about 12 hours of labor in just that.....all spent standing on my head under the dash.It cost me about $2000 for all the componets... I did upgrade most stufff...A lightend flywheel alone was $600 and high performance clutch was about $450. If you need any used or rebuilt parts or just a bit of advice call Stan at SDJ Motorsports(sdjmotorsports.com). He is very Knowledgeable and has tons of any old piece or part you may need.

FuLLsMoKe

That thing hauls ***... Friggin 8 psi supercharger, stock.

HOZZMANRX7

iTrader: (43)

Hey Jim,

You ever going to post a pic of that AutoRex with the new wheels?

For what it's worth, I've driven a Rex 5 speed since 1980 as a daily driver. But, after riding in Jim's car, and knowing the rest of my family is shift-challenged, I can vouch for the merits of a AutoRex.

jimtesla

Wheel soon......

Shocks friday........

Then the rims and tires........

Jim

V8kilr

everyone is forgeting about the carbie,the manaul has a different carb setup to prevent backfireing and so on,its all in the chiltons/haynes.you'll need to do something about that.unless you want your car to sound like a p.o.s.

mar3

iTrader: (8)

If I'd known anyone would actually want the thing, I wouldn't have tossed the auto tranny that I had in the back of my totaled rex right before it got hauled off to be crushed! My current '80 GS was an auto car but I switched it to manual. The clutch pedal needs a longer bolt so don't forget to keep it when you're parts hunting for the clutch pedal in a boneyard. Get the spring, too. I pulled the engine and tranny as a unit from my destroyed '79, so I can't help as far as flywheel conversion goes. Make sure you get the crossmember from the standard car. They look almost identical but there is a difference betwwen the two that makes the auto one unuseable on the standard tranny.

AZ85RX7

Mine's an Automatic, couldn't find a manual RX-7 before my "get a car before school starts" deadline.

Dyre

Lightning run high 13's stock...
they are very traction limited stock.

geikiganger

All right, I'm not much of a Ford guy, but what the hell is a Ford Lightning? Is it a foreign release or what? I've never heard of it before...

B00STED-300Z

It's an F-150 with a Supercharged 5.4L V8. Fastest production truck so far (the Ram SRT-10 will be faster if they make it). Lightning makes 380HP/450lbs-ft of torque (can't quiet remeber for sure), and it runs mid-13s stock. Enough to beat a Mustang GT, and some Cobras.

And no, it's not a limited production vehicle. They don't make lots, but they make them every year, and a few thousand.

rx7gslse

while we're on the subject of fast trucks (kinda) does anyone know what the Typhoon/Syclone ran in the 1/4?