Hiya guys. My first post, please take it easy on me.

First, here's the deal. I've live in CA and have an 84 el Camino w/ an LG4 and a three speed auto (I think these were turbo 200's) and 197,000 miles. I've been driving stickshift cars for the last 20 years, and want to convert to the car to a stick box (No a big deal, I've got most of the parts off a prior conversion.) All 82 and latter g bodies came w/ auto boxes only.

I can change the car to a stick box if I install and engine that came with a stick box from the factory that was offered in CA.

Looking at the drivetrain list (hugely helpful), it breaks it down as to what was available from the factory vis-a-vie the engine and transmission combinations, but does not break out what configurations were available for sale in Cali. I know that some of the configurations were not available for sale here.

Yes, I know it is possible to make the cahnge and get a friendly smog guy (and I don't know any friendly smog guys) to buy off, but I want to do this square and legally. I want to find and engine/ manual box combination that was available here in an F body and swap it into the pickup. If the configuration came with a tbi or tpi, that would be gravy, but a carb setup would also be OK.

This is for a daily driver. I'm not looking for big horsepower or 12 second quarters as much as (hopefully) 17 mpg, a bit mor scoot off the line, and the ability to pick a gear, any gear.

Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

Well, the easiest and most obvious is the LG4/T-5 combo. That was available in CA.

There were 4-speeds in 78-80 or thereabouts A & G cars. So, you'd need a bell housing from one of those. I believe a S-10 T-5 would probably be the most nearly direct manual trans swap-in from there.

It might be possible to use the entire BH/trans combo out of a F car, I don't know for sure. It is however certain that a F-body trans won't go in without a F-car BH, and vice-versa.

I have a 78 El Camino; the same idea has occurred to me, but I've never really pursued it.

 

Thanks RB83L69

I have the pedal assemblies, frame brackets, and Z bar from an '83 we did a number of years ago in another state into a LD5 car. It was not a bad swap, just not what we expected.

I'm not questioning that an LG4/T5 was available- can you tell me what year(s) and your source. This would make it an easier pitch to a referee here in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia.

In SoCal where we have biannual emmisions checks, if you execute a transmission change that deviates from the factory, you need to go see a referee. He'll investigate the change and, if approved, you get a new sticker on the car that says the car is OK with a stick transmission.

I'm also looking at what other year/combinations are available- I believe that I'd get better drivability and perhaps better mileage ( becoming more important in a dialy driver) with a tbi or tpi- I'd want to incorporate that at the same time- like an LB9 or an LO3. After getting the approval on this change, I could drop in a goodwrench 350