Hi all,
is it possible to convert FireBird 1986 3.8L auto to 5MT manual transmission using parts from 2.5L or 5.0L?
why I asked so is because GM never sold 3.8L manual version, and I am not sure if the manual parts can be used in 3.8L engine ?

 

There were both Camaros and Firebirds that did come with 6-cyl/T-5 combinations, in 86 and other years. "Never" is not true. In fact they are/were quite common.

No you cannot use the V8 parts with a 6-cyl. The bolt patterns are different.

 

Thanks. If I want to convert Firebird 2.8L auto to manual, what is the better way to do and where can I buy complete parts for conversion?

 

Sell the automatic car and buy a stick-shift one.

The only other way is to buy a perfectly good stick car (except maybe wrecked), take the 2 cars completely apart, re-assemble the one car you want, and throw the remaining parts (essentially, one whole car, except in pieces) in the trash.

Used-car dealer, craigslist, classified ads on this site, etc.

Nobody is going to have a "kit" to do that kind of swap to an ANTIQUE car just sitting on a shelf. Especially not for a 6-cyl one, which most people wouldn't bother with this sort of modification anyway. People who do that sort of car selection, teardown, & storage, aka "junkyards", tend to concentrate on the cars people want the parts for in the highest volume. They crush cars that don't have the commonly desired parts and melt down the various unwanted components that have scrap metal value. 6-cyl ones of these cars are not popular for modification and therefore the parts unique to them generally seem to go into the crush / scrap category.

 

Ok thanks.
i just want to make sure if there exists any compatible parts from old Camaro 2.8L 5MT to fit into 1986 firebird 2.8L one
In your reply, that seems not possible

In Taiwan(R.O.C), there is no manual version sold here and also too costly to import a complete manual car for swap. That is why I want to try to find if any solution for transmission swap and bolting to Firebird 2.8L engine.

 

I have no idea about that sort of thing in Taiwan. Never been there. It would have helped to mention before that you aren't in the US.

There were MANY 6-cyl / T-5 cars sold here. 86 and other years. They are quite common. It's hard to imagine that they weren't sold there, or really, anywhere, but I am no expert on such matters. The page of the FSM that you scanned doesn't say that, not sure how you got that interpretation out of it; it says that the 2.8 was the standard engine in the SE and wasn't available in the Trans Am but doesn't say anything about transmissions paired with it.

All of these cars are the same in this regard, as far as what fits what, except for 82 (they used a 4-speed that year, the T-5 wasn't introduced in them until 83) and 83 (the hydraulic clutch system was introduced in 84). The 2nd design T-5 was introduced in 88, and if you're going to do a swap, 88 - 92 would be the best kind to get. But the 1st design and 2nd design T-5 are identical as far as "fit", they differences are all completely internal. As far as "fit", you could use parts from any 6-cyl Camaro or Firebird, 84 - 92. There's nothing special or unique about 86 Firebird. You could use the T-5 setup from any 6-cyl Camaro or Firebird in any of those years and it will bolt in.

No other kind of car's parts will fit. What you want will have to come from 83 - 92 Camaro or Firebird, preferably 84 - 92, ideally 88 - 92.

As to how to get one from here to there, unfortunately I don't have any great ideas.

The transmission tunnel is significantly different between the auto and stick cars, which is why you'd be best off starting out with a whole car as the donor.

 

Thank you for your great info and sorry for late reply.

 

The transmission tunnel is the same shape and size. The only difference is the hole for the shifter and the brackets for the console to bolt to

 

Precisely: which is why it's best to start with a donor car that came with the right transmission. Otherwise it can be difficult to get it all to line up. Beats the hell out of trying to cut holes, fill holes, and Jerry-rig things into fitting right.

I would however, that there ARE differences in shape: the place where the shifter boot goes is quite different from an auto car.

The best course of action remains, especially for a car that isn't particularly sought-after like a 6-cyl car, sell the one with the trans you don't want, and buy one that has the one you do. BY FAR the cheeeeeepest and eeeeeeeeeziest way to execute the swap.

 

It's not, it's exactly the same except for the reinforcing ring for the shifter boot, that and the bracket for the console is shorter. The tunnel is otherwise the same shape and size. I have a cut from a manual car of the area and it is the same, I assure you

Mind, I am not arguing about the benefits of starting with a manual car, I am only correcting information

 

These days stick shift "regular" cars(V6, not high performance, etc. ) are cheap, not many buyers. Sell what you got and find a nice stick shift car.

 

The easy solution ; Sell that car , move to the US where these cars are still somewhat plentiful (Compared to Taiwan , where it sounds like there are no manual shift third gens ) and then buy the manual shift one you want .

 

I assure you the tunnels ARE NOT the same.

The auto one doesn't have the large hole for the manual shifter, and doesn't have the welded-on reinforcement for the boot. It has a small hump thing that the shift cable goes through.

It is QUITE DIFFERENT from the tunnel for the manual setup, as anyone who has laid up under an auto car and tried to figure out where to cut the manual shifter hole, or who has tried to mount an auto shifter to the different shape of the manual tunnel after cutting off the part that interferes and covering the giant hole with sheet metal, can easily tell you..

 

I have laid under many of both and an extra stamping process does not make it different dimensions and shape. It is still the same floor with an extra/differing process'. I have a cut of a manual tunnel, it is the same except those differeing holes and the added reinforcement. The auto tunnel is still the same shape as the manual and the manual boot sits correctly on with no modification. The reinforcement for the boot is not really necessary and it is easy enough to plug the hole for the auto select cable.

If you want to get into the merits of starting with a manual transmission car the real advantage is the reinforcement for the clutch master cylinder on the firewall so it doesn't crack over time. The tunnel "differences" are irrelevant and trivial for a swap compared to the pedal setup and the hole in the firewall