Convert a 74 442 to manual

[b/w442]

I have a 74 442 with a 455 and a TH400. I was thinking about converting it to a manual. Maybe a 5 or six speed. How difficult would the conversion be? I figure I will need a custom bell housing and would use a hydraulic clutch. I think I would enjoy the car more with a manual tranny.

Any thoughts or experience would be helpful.

[MrRocket]

I have no experience to help but I want to do the same conversion in the future so I am interested in this topic. Please post everything you do as it progresses. I think a stick shift in our cars would be awesome! Sorry I couldn't be of help.

[mdkingsley]

There are factory B.O.P. bellhousings that would work. I guess the hard part would be finding the pivot ball and socket. Plus I dont think any of our engines were drilled for the pivot ball except the 260ci. Check on an aftermarket hyd. clutch kit. Four speeds bolt right in with only a clutch line up, 5 and 6 speeds require being set up using adjustable pilot pins to a very tight tollorance of only a few thousands or they will wear the pilot bearing out. Next problem the crank is not drilled for the pilot bearing. Would be lots of fun but lots of work also to accomplish it.

[b/w442]

At this point I am only getting information. Right off, I thought of getting a hydraulic throwout bearing to avoid needing a equalizer bar and the pivot on the block. I know the 73 had an optional 4 speed, so is the crank that came in that 455 a different crank? I guess I would need a bellhousing from that car or a similar Buick or Pontiac of the same era.

I figure a 4 speed would be fun but a five or six speed would give the car some real legs on the highway.

[W451973]

That sounds like a very interesting conversion. Try this 73-77 Chevelle board.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/65/keyword/1973-1977_Chevelles/

I thought I saw something about a simular conversion on there a while back. Everything should be the same except for the flywheel and bell housing.

[b/w442]

That sounds like a very interesting conversion. Try this 73-77 Chevelle board.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/65/keyword/1973-1977_Chevelles/

I thought I saw something about a similar conversion on there a while back. Everything should be the same except for the flywheel and bell housing.

I will have to take a look at this site. I also have to find a 73 GTO forum and a 73-74 Century Gran Sport forum. I remember seeing a 73 or 74 Gran Sport 455 with a 4 speed. Can't remember the year, but the car was sweet.

[W451973]

Here is a 73-77 Pontiac site.

http://users.boardnation.com/~abodysite/

Good luck on finding a 73-77 Buick site.

[radracr]

I have done this.

I bought a 76 Cutlass to to turn into a Circle Track car and wanted to put a 4-speed into it. I wanted to keep it all Olds power and not dump a 350 chevy into like so many do.

So, after rebuilding the 100K+ mile motor I bought the high dollar pilot bearing from Mondello that presses right in. No, to my surprise I did not need to drill out the crank. And, no I did not have to grind off and of the Input Shaft's pilot. Next, I picked up a complete 4-speed set up from a 78 Pontiac TA, from pedal to tail shaft. Included was the BOP bellhousing. I just added the clutch pedal to the brake pedal assembly. The 350 Olds was drilled and tapped for the clutch ball. As far as the crossmember, well, I took the TA cross member and added 9.5" each side and drilled an additional bolt hole on each end - the holes did not line up. So you might be able to use your stock cross member. Mine 'accidentally' was thrown away! The TA had dual exhaust so this was a much needed plus.

There is a punch out hole in the firewall for the clutch pedal linkage to go through. I even got the rubber boot with the tranny package. I did, however, have to modify the linkages as I believe the shifter the guy sent me was from a T-10 and I bought a 1-line Saginaw. I did have to weld in place the frame mounting bracket for the pivot ball tube - the roll bar was in place over the holes!

Overall, I was very surprised at how easy this went together.

The driveshaft was a direct bolt-up. The car originally came with a TH-350.

Cutting a hole in the floor pan was just a matter of starting small (based on measurements taken with a tape measure) and making just as large as you need. Since the one thing I did not get was the shifter 'box' I have to make my own and buy a shifter boot. It doesn't look bad! Just need some weld and fabrication skills, or the one from the TA!

My goal is to prove that an Olds 350 can woop up on a Chevy 350! So far, the Olds seems to make more power with less gear/RPM. Oh, the Oil Pan, for my application, is troubling me. Moroso wants +$325!

Any other questions just ask!

[442MUCH]

Would a Toronado pan fit?

[radracr]

Everything I have read tells me that a Toro pan WILL fit. But trying to find a cheap one has been the problem. The one thing I don't know is if the oil pump pick up is the same our not.

Imagine my panic when I went into the turn at 5000+ RPM and the oil light came on and the gage said 10# oil pressure! Needless to say I didn't make too many more laps. But damn was the car handling great! All I could do was add another 1.5 quarts and continue racing.

Oh, I misspoke about the brake pedal. I had to use the bracket from the Cutlass and both pedals from the TA.

[zodiacblue442]

Everything I have read tells me that a Toro pan WILL fit. But trying to find a cheap one has been the problem. The one thing I don't know is if the oil pump pick up is the same our not.


The Toronado oil pump pick up is different. The early Toronado's (1972 and earlier :confused: ) also used some sort of windage tray or anti slosh baffles to help keep the oil at the pick up and screen. The baffles were bolted to the main bearing caps (held by the main bolts) and others were welded on the inside of the pan. The 68 and 69 Toro. engines I took apart were this way. The 73 Toro. engine didn't have all the baffles but the pan and the pick up were the same as the earlier ones.

The extra quart capacity of the Toro. pan is nice. I wish Olds would have put an extra capacity pan on all their high performance engines.

I've got Toro. pans on my 442 and on the race car. They fit fine. Just be sure to use the Toro. pick up and screen assembly!

Have fun with your project!

[oldsmobiledave]

The Toronado oil pump pick up is different. The early Toronado's (1972 and earlier :confused: ) also used some sort of windage tray or anti slosh baffles to help keep the oil at the pick up and screen. The baffles were bolted to the main bearing caps (held by the main bolts) and others were welded on the inside of the pan. The 68 and 69 Toro. engines I took apart were this way. The 73 Toro. engine didn't have all the baffles but the pan and the pick up were the same as the earlier ones.

The extra quart capacity of the Toro. pan is nice. I wish Olds would have put an extra capacity pan on all their high performance engines.

I've got Toro. pans on my 442 and on the race car. They fit fine. Just be sure to use the Toro. pick up and screen assembly!

Have fun with your project!

Ask yourself WHY the Toro pan was never used on the performance cars...the W machines, the 442s or the SX cars.

Answer.....because it is NOT a performance part.

The extra oil in the front of the pan stays there when you drain the oil from the engine. If you want to use the pan be sure to pound out the bottom so that all the oil flows to the back of the pan when you do an oil change. The only reason for the hump was for crossmember clearance on the FWD platform. The Toro pan has a specific oil p/u that must be used. The windage tray is useful but nothing to get excited about in stock or near stock applications.

If you want extra oil capacity use an aftermarket pan. Do not overfill the pan. The main purpose of the deep pans is to get the crankshaft away from the oil & stop windage. Most drag races run 5.5 quarts in a 7 quart pan & 6 quarts in the 8 quart pans. Any more & the crank is swimming in oil & robbing horsepower.

[oldspeed_442]

nevermind...

[radracr]

Alas! I have finally solved my oil pan problem. It took a little thinking outside the box. Actually, it took a look at Summit's website for oil pans for the SBO. The last oil pan listed was a marine oil pan. After doing a bunch of research, and talking with Milodon, I bought the 31270 pan + 18410 pick up, but from Jegs. The pan has windage trays and trap doors, and 7 qt capacity. If it will work on a boat making sharp maneuvers it will surely work on left turn only! Good thing that BBO and SBO oil pans interchange!

Guys, I have to say I've truly believed from the start that an SBO could make equal if not more power than a SBC. But when I bolted up a set of Hooker headers and ran the car on asphalt I was blown away! And the car still needs some tuning! All the rules are built for SBC. The cam I just bought from Comp Cams has an incredible profile! And has more lift than a SBC. The rules state 0.300" lift and stock rocker. You do the math.

I will say that, for every dollar you spend on a SBC, it will cost about $1.20 for the Olds. But it's worth it! When other racers see that I'm running an Olds and keeping up - it makes a statement!

Next up is to reduce the amount of oil going to the valve train. Since, at present, I'm limited by funds, I'm going to try an olds-school trick and stuff the pushrods. Ultimately when its time for an overhaul I'll put restrictors in place and change the pushrods to a smaller orifice.

Again, the power is just incredible!

[77 350]

I was looking at this for mine at a later date, I know the chevy peddels will work and the pivit is there on the colum support, the Z bar from the frame to the bell houseing is the same as the chevy as all the linkage is also. But where are you going to find a bell houseing these days ? with a fork for the
throw out bearing. I had a factory 455 4 speed 73 cutlass in 83 and the car was brudel at the lights.

[W451973]

Actually you have that backwards. The bellhousing is easier to find, it's the correct z-bar thats hard to find. Chevy is not the same, they are different lengths. But you can lengthen them or shorten them if you have the know how. You are correct about the pedals.

What happened to your 73 ?