86 chevy c20 4 speed to auto swap

[joes455]

Wife can't drive a 4 speed std, I have a turbo 400 to go behind the 350 chubby.Truck is a 4 wheel drive .What type of mods will be required fo this swap?thanks joe

[mike nixon]

Well, for a bolt in you'll need a 4wd specific transmission, the adaptor between it and the transfer case. You already know the flywheel will need to be changed for a flexplate and you'll need to run trans lines and mount a cooler or replace the raditor with one made in it. IIRC the d/shaft lengths are different also so you'll probably have to have the rear shaft shortened and the front may need to be longer. You can leave the clutch pedal hang for a handy neutral saftey switch or you can switch it over when you change the columns, the wiring should plug right in to the column mounted one.If you want it to look OEM you'll want to swap out the pedals also.

I think this will cover it but I may have forgotten something as I usually go the other way on the 4x4's.

BTW, IMO it'd be easier to teach the wife how to push a clutch pedal.

[joes455]

Thanks for the info Mike,The turbo 400 came out of a 77 c20 it has the short extension housing.Does that make a difference how it mates to the transfer case?Thanks again joe

[Keith Seymore]

BTW, IMO it'd be easier to teach the wife how to push a clutch pedal.


I thought that, too, but didn't think it would be a particularly helpful response...

:D

Thanks for posting the technical solution too, Mike.

BTW - ALL the ladies at my house (wife and 3 daughters) can drive a stick!

K

[455Grandville]

BTW, IMO it'd be easier to teach the wife how to push a clutch pedal.

I'm up for a debate on that one Mike :D

[mike nixon]

Thanks for the info Mike,The turbo 400 came out of a 77 c20 it has the short extension housing.Does that make a difference how it mates to the transfer case?Thanks again joe

The shaft length on the 4x4 [K series or V series] is different from the C / R 2wd trannies.

The mounting patter is the same and the auto but the adaptor is different from the stick to the auto and legnths changed depending on transmission and transfer case.

Mike

[mike nixon]

I'm up for a debate on that one Mike :D

I'll tell you how to accomplish it in short order.

Step 1 sell the wife's car with the Auto and disable everything else with an auto trans in it at your house.

Step 2 Put her in an old rusty GM truck with a stick and tell her that's your ride until I find you something suitable. YOu do need to explain the concept and the shift pattern prior to leaving.

Step 3 wait 3 months until you buy a car for her.


It worked for me and now she's proficient at it, even in my dump truck. If there's a shift pattern marked she can drive it. She may not like it but she can drive it.

Mike

[BILTIT]

Thanks for the info Mike,The turbo 400 came out of a 77 c20 it has the short extension housing.Does that make a difference how it mates to the transfer case?Thanks again joe


You can swap the output shaft and ext housing from a 4x4 to the 2x4 case.

Usually it is just as easy to find a trans and t-case as one though.