So I took my 1989 iroc z 350 into the shop to get swapped to a manual. He quotes me 8 hours of labor. He's had the car for 4 days now and claims that this car wasn't meant to be a manual and that he has to drill a bunch of holes and other stuff that created a lot more labor. Is he right? I thought all f-body's were the same and that these swaps were fairly simple. The transmission is a t-5 out of a 1985 iroc z.

 

Yup, there's a fair amount of stuff that has to be done.

The shifter hole is completely different; the hole for the clutch master cyl is not present; the entire pedal assy has to be swapped out.

So yeah, it's "fairly simple" depending on your definition of "simple". To somebody familiar with the details it's a piece o cake; OTOH to a "shop" that doesn't ordinarily work on antique cars, might be a bit of exploratory surgery.

 

I'd say your up **** creek without a paddle. Obviously this guy has never done something like this on one of these cars, I'd say to someone who's done it before it is way way way more than 8 hours labor. Your kind of a fool for not doing your homework. I am now in fear for your poor car.

 

About 10 years ago when I had a shop in MA, I did the swap for $500 flat rate, if the customer supplied all the parts. I did a bunch of them.

I could usually get it done in 5-6 hours.

Every car I did, the floor insulation had a template for me for the master cyl. A hole saw for the center hole (1 3/4" if I recall), and two 3/8" holes. Unbolt the pedals, push the brake booster forward. Connect the hydraulics, bolt the new pedals in. Plug the N/S switch in. Feed two wires to the trans for the reverse lights. Cut a rectangle in the floor, and use a afermarket hurst boot with seal and some sheet metal screws.

-- Joe

 

Damn Joe,
5-6 hours is impressive! But then again when I did mine I'd never done it before and I was working on jackstands

 

Lift, the correct tools, and experience parting these cars out.

Back in like, 2002 maybe a kid in the shop timed me doing a clutch + flywheel job on one. Just over an hour.

I'm quite a bit slower now. Last night I was working on a 10 bolt rear end, I'm like "ok press on the bearing. ok that's good, let's go in the house and visit the fridge. Got to then check the news and email. Back outside, lets put that in the housing, check the drag. Looks good, back in the house, anything show up on the for sale forum? Nope. Ok bathroom, now back outside"..

-- Joe