Manual Conversion (aZk - Project :M:)

[azkwazere]

Well for all of those which didn't ignore this thread!! Good on you! It not one of those stupid threads where a noob is asking whats needed, how much etc... it's actually the complete opposite!

Background:
This year, feb/march sometime, i decided to convert my VPSII from an automatic to a manual. This took some serious thought as it was a costly problem. I decided on the idea of a manual after my auto gave itself up (started slipping) and i LOVE manuals! So i looked into it... various posts on this and other forums lead me to believe that it was not such a difficult process. The hardest part was sourceing all the parts + finding an installer.

After getting everyhting sorted, ie loans to pay for it etc.... it was game on. My parts were being shipped down from SYD to MELB and it was taking awhile! Then, one fateful thursday morning, i was driving to work and i wrote my car off. The parts arrived that day!

After much deliberation i bought another car, this time my current VNSII. As i was UBER stressed out, i didn't end up selling the parts and they were stored at my dads house. I then relised that the VN/VP parts were interchangeable. And so it began.......

Conversion Useful Information:

[PRICES]
Parts - $1900 (includes 100% Everything)
Shipping from SYD to MELB - $200
Labour to have installed - $800
New H/D Clutch - $300

[PARTS REQUIRED]
** Gear Box
** Pedal Box
** Clutch Kit (Plate, Housing, Bolts, Cable etc.....)
** ECU (manual)
** Tail Shaft
** Bell Housing
** Series II 8 Bolt Flywheel (series I need a 6 Bolt)
** Gear Plate (Covers Gear Box in tranny Tunnel)
** Wiring Harness
** Center Console Cover Plate
** Exhaust Y Peice (check mods done extractors = yes)

[NOTES]
1. Buy a NEW clutch, never use a 2nd hand one, too much cost to pull it out 2 months later to replace!
2. Replace Spigut + thrust bearing
3. Machine your flywheel first
4. Exedy made my HD Clutch kit (www.exedy.com)

[INSTALL PROCESS]
Day One - Not much happened today, car was dropped off at 7:30am and by 4pm when i got back, the auto hadn't been dropped yet! Tailshaft was off and the auot was on its way out.

Day Two - Was getting pissed off by now as the auto was still in!!!!! Came out that nyt and flywheel went on.

Day Three - Was hoping for a finish today but wasn't to be... Clutch went on, box went in. Auto selector came out. They said it should be done by tomorrow! They really dont have to do much but my project seems to be on the back burner! Will update tomorrow!

[THANKS TO]
** Exedy (www.exedy.com)
** cj's Holden Spares (Parts) (http://www.cjs.com.au/index2.html)
** Fast Fit Mechanics Steve, Allan and James
** j/c Members.

Will post all pics shortly!

aZk.

[azkwazere]

*** Update ***

Day 4 - Well the drive line is done... its on the floor and ALL auto related goods are gone! When i got there they were removeing the pedal box.... for anyone that asks... this is a bitch!!!!! steve was pissed lol... They got it out and put the manual one in.... well its resting there anyway. Whilke i was there i installed the manual ECU. 2 Seconds...done! Tomorrow brings the completion of the box, clutch adjustment + cable install and then the shifter plate and shifter install. Then bit of a test and where cooking with gas!!! This has been a very tiring process for me as i really hate not having a car, but it will be back tomorrow. Well it should be back tomorrow anyway... ill be pretty pissed if its not. Will post up all pics and a final write up in the morrow. Catch!

aZk.

[Emackulation]

Good to hear u went through with it all. Those mechanics sound like they took way too long on dropping your old auto man, shouda gave them a slap and said do myne first since you paid good laybour price.

[azkwazere]

Yeah.... i was cool with it as i just wanted it done right so waiting that week was ok....

They could have done it in 2 days but they'd rather do it as a side project to mkae sure they had spare mech's to mdo other jobs, its a business thing and im totally cool with it. I would'a done the same... neway its in my driveway now so!!!! ahahaha

Man manuals rock.... i wanna drive an auto again just to feel how crap it was! ill do pics 2nyt if i get time, im flat out with my 3 jobs... speakingof work... gotta go there now! arg.

aZk.

[NKX]

I am happy for you. I went rhough the process of converting my auto VR S1 V6 to a manual. $2500.00 worth of parts and labour... nearing the end of the install they couldn't get the speedo sensor working and they "misplaced" the modified wiring harness to get the error codes cleared etc. My car was in their workshop for 6 months while they fiddled around and couldn't get it all to work. Apparently a VR 1-piece harness is a pain to source and or get modified. At one point they were all like "it a problem with your immobiliser, so its your problem"... which was such a lie.

Two weeks later I had convinced them they were useless, showed them a mechanics report indicating the speed sendor was brokem, the auto wiring harness/ECU was still in and not compatable, and that the manual they gave me was about to die. Was quoted another $1000.00 to get it fixed (ground into second, slipped in reverse). They then swapped me back to the auto.

I have since had the auto fully re-worked with over-sized billet servo etc etc (essentially what you used to call a level-2-shift-kit) and I am very happy with it. Would prefer an manual... but alas its a large-ish job for the conversion and you have to trust all these "mechanics" who just don't seem to care if they are shafting you these days.

Glad I have finally heard someone happy with the conversion. Keeps us informed on how things are going.

[brenz]

$800 !!!!!!! Thats alot of cash for a job that doesn't even take 4-5 hours. Me and my brother converted he's vp calais to manual in about that time without problems. Mate i would of done it for $600 for ya :P wow i can't believe how much they charge.. Goodluck with it all but

cheers brendon

[Stewart1000]

some jobs just mess with you really bad, sounds like it happened to the mechanics working with NKS.

at work we swapped a blown up diesel motor that blew up doing circles with a petrol one, same model same year just the petrol version, the car that the petrol motor came out of was fine, just a stuffed transfer case engine worked perfectly but when swapped the afm buggered up o2 sensor went, temp sensor fuel reg went. so in theory that should have been an easy job. even had to cut out the front cross member and weld in a bit of RHS. took WEEKS to finish! it was a real headache.

but good news on the conversion, i bed its a much more excitign car to drive... that poor diff lol

[Burnout_bro]

dude i could have sold u all those parts for under 500

[STEALTHY™]

Wow. you guys are paying alot.


Mine was as follows

$1200 Gearbox (inc tailshaft, shifter etc and freight from Syd to Adel)
$50 Pedal box
$300 HD Clutch (xtreme if your interested)
$400 labour (mates rates)
**Under 2000 **

Mine took about a day to complete (and 2 cartons of Beam). Was started friday night, and i was out driving it by saturday night.
Only hiccup was having to source the pedalbox at last minute, and as soon as it was dropped off the stands, the power steering line blew (go random)


Also to note, i'm using an auto computer and everything is working fine (no error codes etc) so i can't see why people say you 'have' to use a manual comp (with a VN/P, VR onwards is different).

[defa]

that is a lot of money. i think i payed 700 for my 5 speed over 3 years ago. since then i have seen them lots cheaper. you could buy a v6 5 speed car for less than 1000

[STEALTHY™]

Mine is a V8, which would double the cost.


Even now, a changeover gearbox is still 2500 for a V8

[defa]

yeah i know yours is a v8. i haven't really seen than many v8 gearbox's for sale to be honest..
i was only talking about v6's

[STEALTHY™]

haha i thought you ment mine was alot of money, i got it now you were refering to the first post.

[defa]

yeah sorry. i should have quoted it..

[gooley]

Holdspares in Adelaide said they would sell all components for manual conversion:

V6 - $1250
V8 - $2500

They can install and cost extra of course for the labour and new flywheel

[mischa]

** ECU (manual)

thought they were the same in manuals and autos? maybe just a have a memory block i was just about to say i wish there was a place i could take my VN and say "one manual conversion plz" and come back in a few days to a manual when i saw gooley post. wish i new of a place in syd were i could do that. I realy want a manual conversion now and has moved up to the top of my mod list in my head now. (sry if anyone dosent like the fact i brought up a old thread)

[winton]

yer my car went in for a manual coversion last saturday they said will b finished wednesday at the latest after goin in there everyday asking about it hearing ''it will b done tomrorow'' about 3 times. finially everythign is in and speedo not working. hopefully it will b done tomorrow if not **** IT im taking it weather its working or not because it drivable

[fitzy2005]

my conversion took three days, and thats coz of stuffing around with a stupid adapter flywheel thing that bolts to the auto flex plate.. and a bit of wiring. and they only charged 250 bux labour lol

[fitzy2005]

yer my car went in for a manual coversion last saturday they said will b finished wednesday at the latest after goin in there everyday asking about it hearing ''it will b done tomrorow'' about 3 times. finially everythign is in and speedo not working. hopefully it will b done tomorrow if not **** IT im taking it weather its working or not because it drivable

i cant remeber the name but theres a place that specialises in auto - manual conversions and they told the guys who fitted mine the wiring and how to do it.. if need be, pm me and ill try finding the name and number for ya if u like

[Reaper]

my conversion took three days, and thats coz of stuffing around with a stupid adapter flywheel thing that bolts to the auto flex plate.. and a bit of wiring. and they only charged 250 bux labour lol

??? I'm pretty sure the flex plate is removed when you do a manual conversion.

I did this conversion on a VP Calais a few months ago and it took around 11 hours go to whoa. Extra time on top of that was needed as we found that the starter was incorrect and did not mesh with the flywheel and the box had a fubar 2nd 3rd needing to be swapped for a newwie. (I invented a few new words when I found that little gem).

Overall it is a straight forward job and should take around 8 hours if I had to do it again.

Reaper

[fitzy2005]

it is removed if you actually have a flywheel, i sum how managed to buy a adapter one that bolts to the auto flex plate.. marks 4wd apater or sumin

[mischa]

yer my car went in for a manual coversion last saturday they said will b finished wednesday at the latest after goin in there everyday asking about it hearing ''it will b done tomrorow'' about 3 times. finially everythign is in and speedo not working. hopefully it will b done tomorrow if not **** IT im taking it weather its working or not because it drivable

did they do it all, as in you didnt need to find the parts? i need one of those places!!!

[winton]

nope only thing i went and brought was a clutch. they have suplied a full manual conversion and when the parts didnt fit they found a replacement part free of charge as they should

[mischa]

thats sounds fair to me! mind if i ask how much u paid for it?

[winton]

$2195 i paid for everythign still on the shop tho aparently i will have it tomrorow afternoon