Anyone put a manual Transmission in a Caprice/Impala?

I have always wanted a V8 with a manual transmission. Up until recently, I had a 78 Trans Am with a th350, that would have been an obvious manual car. Never found a manual to put in it, though.
Now I am back in a good old Caprice and now I found a Borg Warner Super T-10 for very cheap, everything is included and all I will beed is a pilot bearing for the crank, a Z-bar/linkage and ofcourse the pedals.

Has anyone ever seen, driven or had a 77-90 with a manual transmission?
I know a Firebird uses the same transmission crossmember and the possible the same lenght driveshaft. Other than that, I thin kI will on need the open up the transmission tunnel and cut a nice clean hole in the carpet, that can be closed again, should I regret it one day.

I think the transmission crossmember and driveshaft issues are simple. Where you will have the most difficulty is the clutch pedal mounting and linkage. I have sen it done one time, but I suspect it's. Big job.

I spoke too soon. There is a highly detailed description of installing a manual in a later model B body. Look in the Forum Topics and you'll find "Old Scool Manual Transmission....". Lots of work, but I bet it's a satisfying ride.

Yes it's right there! Oh man that's great :-)

Marx3 said
Has anyone ever seen, driven or had a 77-90 with a manual transmission?

I have an "ex" drinkin buddy that had installed a muncie 4-speed in a bone stock mid-eighties Impala. The car was a blast to drive with the exception that he put in RIDICULOUSLY stiff clutch springs.

I only checked out the install once, many years ago, but it was fairly simple using all chevy parts except the Z bar. He did have to craft his own Z bar, but it functioned well. He also did some support plates on the firewall to ensure rigidity with the heavy springs and abuse.

Wish I had some pics to share, but I do not.

Also...

If anyone is interested, I have a cherry T-56 6-speed transmission, complete with bellhousing, clutch, pressure plate, hydraulic reservoir.. low miles from a collectors f-body that got rolled over.

Was going to install it in my own car, but will cost me megabucks to install with a external balance 400 chevy engine which is what I have.

I got it for a steal and will pass the savings on to you @ only $1950.00

Will post pics soon, feel free to inquire or email if interested.

Osborn F. Enready wrote:

I have an "ex" drinkin buddy that had installed a muncie 4-speed in a bone stock mid-eighties Impala.  The car was a blast to drive with the exception that he put in RIDICULOUSLY stiff clutch springs.

I only checked out the install once, many years ago, but it was fairly simple using all chevy parts except the Z bar.  He did have to craft his own Z bar, but it functioned well.  He also did some support plates on the firewall to ensure rigidity with the heavy springs and abuse.

Wish I had some pics to share, but I do not.  

dang, I would have loved to see pictures of that installation. Do you remember why he had to fabricate his own Z-bar? Why wouldnt a Z-bar from, say a Camaro or Trans Am work?

Marx3 said:
dang, I would have loved to see pictures of that installation. Do you remember why he had to fabricate his own Z-bar? Why wouldnt a Z-bar from, say a Camaro or Trans Am work?

I don't think he "had to"... I think he just wanted to get it going instead of hunting the salvage yards.

I want to say he got most of the parts from a g-body... monte carlo I think, and the z-bar wouldn't work, so he just fabbed one using the measurements he needed.

I did a manual swap using parts from a junked '71 camaro (6cyl 3 speed car, I think it's original color was rust). The only real modification I had to make was adjusting the 'z bar' to line up, and had to have a machine shop put an s bend in my stock brake pedal. Oh, and cut a hole in the floor. Did most of the work over one weekend (my step mother's mom was in town, and I hated her, so I needed something to do.)

I'm doing another swap in my current project Impala, but I want to do a hydraulic one this time. I had issues with the clutch not releasing all the way under full throttle and had to tie the left side of the motor down.

Nice thing about Chevy is that an old school 4 speed with bell housing is the same length as a TH350 and most muncies and saginaws use the same yoke.

Also, if you can find it, there is the elusive "New Process A833" for an early eighties half ton chevy truck, it's a standard 4 speed with the same gear ratios as a 4L60E, making it a 4 speed with overdrive. It's actually a Chrysler transmission that was adapted to fit chevy trucks.

Howdy kit1078

I am looking for some info on the manual swap on 77-90 B bodies.

I have 2 of these A833/NV440 transmissions out of 80 something GM 2wd half tons.

I was getting everything ready for the swap and looked under my dash {88 caprice wagon} and choked a little. Fuse block seems to be in a VERY unfortunate place as it seems to be where the clutch pedal wants to live when depressed. That, and about 15 pounds of factory wiring strewn exactly where the clutch pedal would mount to the stock brake hanger.

While reading "old school manual conversion" here on this site there was no mention of this little wiring nightmare. Can I impose on someone to post some pics of the installed clutch pedal in a 77-90 B body??
Any insight in to how to deal with the wiring barrier and getting the clutch pedal by it would be sweet.

The wiring is thick looms of under dash wiring that seems to have little play/movement. It does not seem like it will simply be pushed out of the way a little to gain clearance.
The fuse block seems like it would be crushed with every depression of the clutch pedal.

I have had 0 luck in finding a picture of the clutch pedal installed in the boxy caprice/impala. I would love to see HOW the brake pedal is bent. I would LOVE to see where the 72-81 F body clutch pedal ACTUALLY sits in the car with relation to the fuse block.

Also, I have a "frying pan" sized brake booster. I would LOVE to see where the clutch fork push rod exits the fire wall because the booster seems to want to exists in the same spot.

Please help a brother out.

P.S. I am no beginner to the manual trans swap game. I have stuffed m21 muncies in my 84 Cutlass {easy job with Iraqi Taxi parts}, a 1929 ford roadster {NOT easy} and a T56 in my 1959 Bel-Air 2 door HT {Canadian modal}.
These B bodies are a little different that what I am used to.