Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 As some of you know I also have a V8 Valiant, it doesn't see the road much as I have a couple of issues to sort out with it which hopefully I'll start attending to soon. Long story short, one of the things I don't like about it is the automatic transmission it has. The transmission is fine, shifts well etc but it's just a bit dull. So I want to make it manual which isn't as easy as it sounds, also to quantify it has a 383, so "chuck a W50 in it M8" isn't really an option. Gear box choices seem a bit limited or expensive, There are plenty of manual boxes available ex USA but they are race orientated, expensive, and a bit agricultural looking. A833s are around but they are old AF, 4 speed, likely fucked, will need an expensive shifter etc. Big commodore and falcon boxes are expensive too, hard to come by, and huge. W5x boxes are expensive now and probably not up to the task? R154 seems like an option, they are reasonably priced(ish) but they are long, it would put the shifter in the back seat, I could move it but meh. Finally I see the R154s ginger haired brother, the R150/151. Cheap, available,strong, short, forward shifter, long input shaft available, R154 up grade parts fit. I'm not fussed by the wider ratios, I have enough torque to stop it from being a problem. Give me your thoughts, what do you know about R150/151. Is this a good idea? Valiant pic as proof of ownership. 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustHarry Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Is a brand new tremec 5/6 speed out of your budget? Would otherwise be an excellent option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustHarry Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 The r151 have a "weak" 5th gear. Even in a gutless slug like a 1kz landcruiser towing is recommend against. Might be an issue with something with more power? The r151 is also a pretty bulky gearbox. How much room do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 Not that keen tbh. Price, size, shifter location, etc. I have as much room as I care to make, I'd prefer to leave the tunnel strengthener in place but needs must. Also I think weight is the main factor with the 5th gear issues, a cruiser towing a trailer could be up to 6t. Google says a stock AP is 1200KG I feel like that will give me room to move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyteler Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 A lot of people are using 350Z boxes now but I thiiiink because of that they've jumped up in price in recent times. Might be worth looking at though. CD009 is the code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cletus Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 After our phone sharns I did some investigation Peter, and found there is a bell housing option to bolt a toyota r box on to a small block, use a v6 Dakota manual bell housing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 Yeah I saw them too but again they are big, long, and expensive for the reasons you mentioned. The attractive thing about the Toyota ones is the price, short length, shifter location, and the potential to use R154 upgrade parts if required. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 @cletus, you have no other option then. Also. People, regale me with your sharnes of hydraulic release bearings, slave cylinder set ups, clutch cables, and Zbar designs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNAMUCK Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 My experiences with clutches are, That a metric fuckton of thought goes into every aspect of factory clutch design. From the pedal travel, pedal sweep/arc, lever length etc. How I intend to manual convert my VJ, is to have an angled aluminum block machined up, which enables an MC to be mounted flush to the firewall where the factory push rod (to the Z bar) normally protrudes. Then run a stock pedal, and just have to fine tune the length of the flat bar (on the end of the clutch pedal shaft) that the push rod (to the z bar) normally attaches to. (To get the correct stroke length for the master cylinder) this will place the cylinder down low. But it's nothing to mount a remove reservoir higher in the engine bay. (You're not running a booster, so theres less stuff in the way) What's then easiest is to run whatever clutch set up the donor stuff used. If they're from a cruiser, then there should be some pretty heavy duty clutch options. And at a pinch you could run a billet flywheel to suit your needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNAMUCK Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 The firewall will.also need bracing on the inboard side to prevent firewall flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNAMUCK Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Also I wouldnt fret any about a weak fifth gear. It's not like you'll be smashing into it. Even at the drags you'll never see top gear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyteler Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, RUNAMUCK said: Also I wouldnt fret any about a weak fifth gear. It's not like you'll be smashing into it. Even at the drags you'll never see top gear. Also, almost all manufacturers appear to suggest never using OD gears during towing regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUNAMUCK Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 What kind of bucks do these gearboxes sell for? A quick Google found some.aussie blokes talking about them. They agree that the r150 has a 5th gear made of glass. They run more overdrive than the H150 box, and if they get hot the gear explodes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.H. Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 I spent a fair bit of time looking at manual boxes to use behind a mercedes v8. Ended up on deciding to use a t56 for the following reasons Removable bellhousing Very strong, Double over drive giving nice cruise rpms Easy clutch options, Pretty easy to pick up secondhand or spend the money and buy a brand new one Other factory boxes that are strong are the ones behind the v6 nissan 350z ect and a bmw GS6-53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4nd Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Are the Soarer auto boxes up to that kind of Torque? There's controller kits to make them into Semi-Auto, with control over clutch engagement rates, if that removes enough dullness? Apparently they're strong in the original application, get replaced with manuals, so they're plenty available and cheap ?(disclaimer, info may now be a decade out of date) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlownCorona Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 we picked up a navara (?) i thnk it was 6spd trans for the hemi powered merc sl600 racecar were building at work for 5/10ths of fuck all. its the same as a CD009 but the ratios are a bit messed up, essentially we should be operating it as a 5spd because 1st will be useless. i haven't looked too closely at it, but a pretty senior engineer was driving the decision. its a 4wd gearbox, but he discovered that the transfer case is pluged into the normal cd009 output shaft. so we pull the transfer case off and plug in the driveshaft and good to go. itll look a bit weird because the tail housing is meant to have a transfer case plugged into it. but function+price > looks for a transmission. it was something like $200 from memory weve yet to see if we can remedy the gear rations, but with the correct diff ratios it should be mint as a 5spd. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 @RUNAMUCK the boxes are on TM for $1200 to $2000 for a rebuilt one. 5th gear isn't concerning me, I'm not building a tow car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 26 minutes ago, h4nd said: Are the Soarer auto boxes up to that kind of Torque? There's controller kits to make them into Semi-Auto, with control over clutch engagement rates, if that removes enough dullness? Apparently they're strong in the original application, get replaced with manuals, so they're plenty available and cheap ?(disclaimer, info may now be a decade out of date) No thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyteler Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 20 minutes ago, BlownCorona said: we picked up a navara (?) i thnk it was 6spd trans for the hemi powered merc sl600 racecar were building at work for 5/10ths of fuck all. its the same as a CD009 but the ratios are a bit messed up, essentially we should be operating it as a 5spd because 1st will be useless. i haven't looked too closely at it, but a pretty senior engineer was driving the decision. its a 4wd gearbox, but he discovered that the transfer case is pluged into the normal cd009 output shaft. so we pull the transfer case off and plug in the driveshaft and good to go. itll look a bit weird because the tail housing is meant to have a transfer case plugged into it. but function+price > looks for a transmission. it was something like $200 from memory weve yet to see if we can remedy the gear rations, but with the correct diff ratios it should be mint as a 5spd. That's a good tip. I wonder how adaptable a typical CD case is to one. Definitely one to try lodge into the memory banks for available options. Chances are they'll be sorter too then to accommodate the transfer case or not so much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valiant Posted March 27, 2020 Author Share Posted March 27, 2020 Just to add. I have a 3/1 diff ratio so a 6 speed/double overdrive box is not required. I'm unwilling to save money on a gearbox to spend more on a diff rebuild. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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