My 79 4sp Trans Am needs an overdrive bad. Previous owner put some different gears in the rear end and 55 is all it likes to do without going past 3000 rpm. Does anyone know what it takes to put a 5 spd in it? Wondering if it will bolt up or need a different drive shaft.
thx
craig

 

You'll have bigger problems than the drive shaft.

It's funny how people always think that's some kind of big deal, when all it is, is, you walk up to the counter and hand the guy your current drive shaft and say "make this xx.x inches long"; and you come back a couple of hours later and swipe your card, and you're done. How is this a big deal?

Of greater concern, is getting a bell housing that will bolt up to whatever motor is in your car; and hooking up whatever kind of clutch linkage that the whatever kind of BH, requires.

What motor is in it? The answer MUST BE Pontiac, Chevy, Olds, or Buick. (or something else?) Don't say "400", "6.6", "stock", "350", etc. That's not enough info, and no one can tell you what to do if that's all you know about what you've got.

What's the big deal about going past 3000 RPM? I remember all too well from personal experience how those things were pretty damn gutless at high RPMs; but is it really that weak?

 

It's the Pontiac 400. I figured I would need to get a different clutch plate because of a possible spline difference. I don't know about the bellhousing though. I haven't seen a 5 spd out of a car to be able to tell for sure. I thought maybe someone on here had done this before and could point me in the right direction.

It isn't an issue of power. It's watching the gas guage drop like a rock.

Craig