Well I picked up another parts car. It's a 84 Z28 H.O. with a 5 speed and 3:73 rear. But my question is would it hurt the value of my 89 rs vert if I put the 5 speed in it. I kind of want to. But don't at the same time. But I also don't want to make the vert harder to sell when it dose come time to do it because of the 5 speed. So basicly, I am just wondering if it's a good idea or not. Adam :-)

 

do it. Most are autos---5 speeds are rare and theres always some ones that wants one

 

Yeah i say do it. I just recently bought a 91 RS vert and also had an 85z28 5spd so i took all of the 5spd parts and am currently swapping it into the vert. As long as it looks factory i don't see it affecting its value unless the person trying to buy it wants it all original

 

just make sure you drill the holes properly so the master isnt coming out of the firewall at a 45 degree angle like mine.

Man was that a night mare to fix.

 

Mine has been converted as well. More fun to drive, which is why I have the car!

 

Mine was converted to 5sp.

 

I would say do it... Considering its a LO3 car it might actually help the salability of it. Its really hard to say ultimately. A little historical factoid for you... in 1987 all the TPI cars were Manual and the LG4 cars were Automatic. I believe it had to do with EPA regulations and fuel economy. The ASC conversion cars they did not care, if it had T-tops it got converted.

John

 

Do it! One of the first things I did to my 'vert was swap a 6speed in. It's a million times more fun to drive now.

 

I dropped a 5-sp in my convertible too, it was the first thing I did. An automatic transmission has NO PLACE in a sports car, especially a convertible.

Lou

 

WOW a lot of people have converted

 

Always wanted to do this but was afraid of the cost. For those of you who did it, can you estimate what it cost you in terms of dollars and time?

 

I had a 1987 Formula back in 1990 and it was TPI. It also had the 245 50 16 tires on it which probably meant it was WS6 and I just didn't know better then

 

Well it's far from original now anyways. It has 84 Z28 springs and sway bars, Aluminum drums and drive shaft, 84 Z28 deluxe interior, 83 fiberglass Z28 hood, IROC tail lights, Stereo with 2 12's and a few engine mods. So originality is out the window right now. lol.

That's a good point there. Got to make the LO3 interesting. lol. Should add a few more bucks if I ever do sell it. I just keep thinking that a vert is more of a cruiser. And that's what the auto dose great.


Well the main thing is I don't really want a stick shift car for a daily driver. Early mornings and me shifting gears don't get along to well. But I am in the process of getting a 98 grand prix gtp for a new daily. So that can solve that problem. And also my 87 IROC has a t56. So I already have a stick car. But I think I am going to do it anyways. the car has been running real good the last couple days and I think a 5 speed would make it more interesting. Plus I am going to add the 3:73 gears for good measures. lol. Adam :-)

 

Im getting a 89 RS thats automatic. I want to eventually switch it out to 5 speed, how much would did it cost for those who have done it and how hard was it to do?

 

Bought my 88 IROC last July - job one was getting the swap parts. Waiting for the tax refund to finish it up. Will keep the auto just in case when I sell it to pay my nursing home bill (I'll keep it that long), the buyer may want original. Other swap pitfalls besides not drilling the holes right? Figured I'd have my mechanic(he has an 87 IROC) do the swap, but I wanna be there if possible, be in on it. Trying to bribe him to help me do it on a weekend.

 

I totally agree sports cars have to have a standard tranny
I have a red 88 IROC-Z factory 5 speed vert, replaced the 5.0L TPI with a ZZ383/425 HP crate motor and stuffed a 4:10 posi in the rear, NOW ITS FUN TO DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!

 

huh, I've thought about a crate. My motor is still not quite identified. Does not seem to be original, well the block's been painted, some other non-stock things. The Cam(?) was off 180 degrees, if I remember what my mechanic told me correctly. It's running good right now, but the timing is off like 14 degrees or something. We're trying to get it all sorted out what I have and what's going on. Figured we'd hopefully find a number when we do the tranny swap to identify it. Do you have the T-5 in yours? I thought I'd been reading that a 350 is hard on a T-5, let alone what you have. Yeah, it sounds fun.

 

a 350 is hard on a t5 if you're doing clutchless upshifts, high rpm launches, and sticky tires. If you mostly just cruise around and get on it from time to time you're fine. When i have my 5spd z28 with mods in my sig i did burn out after burn out and a few races and it was fine. its the same tranny i'm swapping into my vert

 

I should clarify that this was ONLY on the 1987 Camaro Convertibles.

JOhn

 

thanks gsxr, makes me feel better. I tried to buy stuff online. I saw someone selling pretty much a whole swap package here for like $500, I think. I bought a rebuilt T-5 from the guy I bought the IROC from. He's a collector, said he knows the guy who rebuilt it, used good stuff. $500 for the rebuilt T-5, not world class. Like $85 for used pedal assembly - was in great shape. Some steel wool, paint & pedal covers, looks like new. Got a clutch set - installed but never driven, so essentially new, included master/slave cylinders & fork. Gotta think about that...?couple hundred? - that's a guess, gotta look that up. Used bellhousing was like $80. Tranny came with a shifter, I bought a new, discontinued Hurst short shifter for like $145, I think. Shifter leather boot/console plate for the 5 speed, which were in really good shape, nice lettering still, boot cleaned right up with some leather dye ^ Kiwi wax shoe polish. Dang, like $45 for that. Gotta watch - shifter plates/boots out there, but be patient for a decent one. I'll try to look those prices up, but that's pretty close. Still need the flywheel. Saw used ones out there, bit I'd like to get a new one. Plus some labor costs, since I'm no mechanic and this seems like a pretty big project for someone with an oil change skill level. I'm good with interior stuff, but the engine/tranny is another ballgame. But like I said, I've seen way cheaper package deals. Plus I started chasing parts down as soon as I got the car but before I really knew very much. More enthusiasm than smarts at times, I guess, although I did get some good deals on some stuff.

 

yeah, the clutch stuff was $190 shipped, shifter $151 shipped.

 

oh, pedal covers, new GM for like $12, but get this - I bought a crossmember in great shape, very little rust for 99 cents. Cleaned it and painted it, figured that was a whole lot easier than trying to do something with the one I have during the swap. Oh, throw-out bearing came with the clutch kit, too.