I am a new member in need of advice. I have a '68 GS400 with a TH-400 that I want to replace with a Muncie 4-speed. I've been trying to figure out parts required for this and availablility. Can anyone tell me what parts are going to be a problem. I see various parts sold by various vendors (primarily pedals and clutch linkage, etc.) that claim to be for A-bodies, but are they truly cross platform? Thanks for any help.
I would recomend reading the thread "Operation 4 Speed is Underway" to start. It has quite a bit of information regarding this conversion. A search in this forum will give you all the info you will need to do it, as many of us have gone this route and have shared our findings with the group. Good luck, it is well worth all the hassle!! :3gears:
Thanks for the response. I did read that posting with GREAT interest. My biggest dilemma is identifying what can be used with my engine. For instance, I see Dave Kleiner's z-bar set up which I thought is what Greg says he used, but according to the referenced webpage for the z-bar, it says the rod and fork can't be used in a '68. Sure is confusing.
Dimensionally a 68 is the same size as a 69-72 Skylark. I see no reason why you couldn't use Dave's pieces for your conversion. That is assuming you have a big block. The small block stuff I am not really sure of, but do know of at least one guy on the board (Tubbed) who is running the big block stuff behind his 350.
Thanks again. Yes, I am running a 400 so I guess that would work then. It's just a different style setup from the z-bar to the fork than te '68, I guess.
Possibly the confusion here is that the hiem joint method that Dave reproduces wasnt used until 1970. The 1968-69 cars used a push type lower rod. So it wouldnt be concourse "correct" for '68-9 but it does work and is a better application in my opinion.
I just did a 4 speed conversion on my 70 442. Things to remember: 1. There are a lot of parts to hunt down 2. Some of the parts are hard to find 3. This will be an expensive conversion If you buy good used, some repop, and add in a trans rebuild and a new clutch, plan on $2000 minimum. It will probably be closer to $3000. I have a list of parts if you need it.
Wow how prices have skyrocketed. I also did a conversion on my 70 cutlass from parts I bought a many years back. I got everything from a guy who advertised a 4 speed setup in the local newspaper. I think I paid $500 which gave me everything and then some, the linkage, shifter and pedals (with neutral safety switch), speedometer and speedo cable, floor hump and steering column, bellhousing, tranny cross member, plus all the nuts and bolts that held everything together (I still have stuff left over). Then I think the person threw in a muncie m21 fro another $250 or so if I can remember. It was one very complete setup which I've rarely seen. So I figured I paid about $750. I did however buy a new SFI flywheel, a slightly used clutch on ebay and a rebuilt super t10 tranny with a 2:88 first gear ($750) again from ebay. Of course I've seen people selling setups on ebay and in the papers and they always seem to give you the basic easy to obtain parts but never everything to make it look factory or they leave you still hunting around. There was one guy that did sell a complete GS setup on ebay one time and man it was not cheap in the end. I just pieced together a setup now for my 70 skylark with a big block and I will say it was not as easy as the olds since I wanted all factory buick stuff or like it (Dave Kleiner repro). It did cost me more than the olds setup but this is more than 10 years later and i had to do it piece by piece but now its complete minus the tranny. Well good luck to you but I think your search will be easier with the repro stuff we now have and as some members claimed the chevy pedals may or may not work. On that issue I think if you use the chevy pedals then you will need the chevy pedal to z bar pushrod since the ends or turned in a different direction then the buicks. That seems to be the one wrong piece in my olds conversion (chevy pedal to z bar pushrod) but I now have the correct olds piece but point being it will determine where that rod sits in relation to the pedals and I believe some of the people here said they had rubbing issues. Let me know if I can be of any assistance. Allen allioop108@aol.com
Well, let's do some math: Rebuilt Muncie Trans and core - $950 Used Bellhousing - $100 Rebuilt Hurst shifter and core - $200 Pedals (used) - $100 Flywheel (new) - $200 New Clutch - $300 Rebuilt driveshaft and core - $200 Used NSS - $100 Linkage parts (Z bar, clutch fork etc.) - $300 Shifter handle and ball (rechromed) - $125 Rubber boots (bell, cowl, floor) - $75 New speedo cable - $40 New trans mount - $20 Flywheel/PP bolts - $30 Floor hump (used) - $75 New pedal pads - $20 Over $2800 so far. You can do it cheaper, but a full 100% factory appearing job is expensive. Oh, it took me about 40 hours to do the swap. That includes taking out the T400 trans.
PaulGS- I would love a list of parts. I am working on one, but am sure I haven't thought of everything. I'm somewhat new to this game. I figured about $3,000 also, but that was with a higher price for the Muncie, so maybe I'm off. Where can I get a good transmission? And what will be the most difficult parts to find? Maybe I should start there.
Thanks, allioop. I can use all the help I can get. Yours is an interesting story. I'm not too concerned with mix and match parts. My car is nice, but not concourse and I don't intend to take it in that direction. Obviously, the primary goal in a project like this is that it works correctly when it's done.
