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Who should I deal with on my axles and driveshaft?

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Manual conversion has begun

123K views 391 replies 149 participants last post by  PONY MAN 
#1 ·
I have ordered all the parts for my tranny swap to manual. I should have everything by the end of the week! I need to decide on the driveshaft for it and check the bell housing on the GXP tranny to make sure that the ZR1 clutch conversion will fit (no one has put one in a G8 yet) and I will be set. Thanks to a few people on this board and others I finally got all the part numbers I needed and it was NOT easy or cheap! Once I have gotten everything and I check all the contents and install info I will try to get that info to the other guys that want to do this.
 
#260 ·
If its already a manual bro, it's a very easy swap!
 
#262 ·
sounds like a lot of work !!! good luck
 
#263 ·
Sex on wheels man, nothing beats a stick on a car like this.....man I'd be divorced if I had done this.....because I'd never be home haha.
 
#264 ·
I'm so jealous. I wish I could row through the gears on my car. Nothing beats a manual
 
#265 ·
the 6L80 doesnt hold the kind of power some of us are making. and even after spending 4 grand to get it built, they still dont stay together very well.

and even when they are still together, if i launch too hard it wont shift, and forget it if my tires break loose....poor 6L80 doesnt know what to do.

yes a manual might be slower in a 1/4 mile...but for me every day driving is more important.
 
#269 ·
I rebuilt my trans this summer and I am pretty sure my converter just bit the dust. I am with you man, we need an affordable manual conversion. This auto is making me angry.

Good work though, we definitely need some more updates on the parts, brackets, and wiring needed to get this done.
 
#266 ·
The TR-6060 is only rated for 600 lb/ft.
 
#267 ·
Can you post stock part numbers, I am interested... I have a T56 MAG, Twin Disk Clutch sitting around - need to make use of it.
 
#270 ·
I am not very good with the build thread building guys but, if any body is serious about doing this just contact me, come see me whatever! I am willing to help whoever really wants to do this, Gordon, you got the most important part man. Holler at me when you are ready, PM me and I will give out my phone number
 
#271 ·
Dave, looking for some more info on adapting the wiring to the car. I have a plan for bypassing the TCM. So far there are three other wiring items I am concerned about: bypassing the circuit that locks the key until the car is in park, figuring out how to get the reverse lights to work, and using the reverse lockout solenoid that is in the TR-6060. Greg from Pace is helping me out with all of the small parts (bellhousing, driveshaft, etc) and I am grabbing a built trans from one of the new Camaros. I am 99% sure I have all of the mechanical stuff I need, just need some more insight into the electrical parts.
 
#272 ·
Dave, if you are still on the site, please let me know if you can help. I have all the parts, but have some mechanical questions on mating the longer Camaro input shaft to our engine since the GXP bellhousing is almost 1" shorter as you said previously. I have been told that using the T65 input bearing should work. Any support you can offer would be appreciated. Still need to source a wiring diagram so I can figure out how to fix some of the issues you mentioned.
 
#273 ·
just saw this thread cool build. How is it holding up?
 
#275 ·
I am well on the way to being number two of the manual GTs. However, I am trying to use as many camaro parts as I can. So far, the brake and clutch pedals, the clutch, and the shifter are interchangeable. The shifter boot is unique to the GXP and the GTO reservoir the camaro guys are using seems like it should work. The driveshaft is shorter by about 1.5 inches and you HAVE to buy the GXP trans. Well, if you want everything to bolt up like it is supposed to. I didn't want to fab up a bunch of parts, and believe me I tried to get that camaro trans to work.

You will need a tune from a Holden VE so it will ignore the fact that the TCM isn't there. Simple jumpers needed to bypass the ignition key lock, and you will need to jump two sets of pins in the TCM connector. Still working on how to get the reverse lights to work and how to make the reverse lockout solenoid work, but I will get there in time.

Hopefully this will inspire more people to tackle this project. Especially since most of the supporting parts seem like they can be sourced from the camaro. Oh, and get a 3.45 diff while you are at it.
 
#276 ·
Can you rack up a parts list while you are doing this, with part numbers?

I'm at least a year out. It also depends if I retain my contract beyond the year. If all goes well, this is exactly what I would like to do.
 
#277 ·
Got parts !

just want to put it out there that i have a gxp stock shifter complete with quite a few extra leather boots from redling goods ... if you guys that are thinking about doing this swap need this stuff great deals can be made right here... just send me a pm let me know... you can see the boots on the for sale forum under my user name take a look they are sweet ... sorry to bust in on your thread but i know this will help someone that is in need a save them a bundle... thanks guys... and hell of a job on the swap this is no small task at hand and hats off to you... it will make your g8 bad to the core with the third pedel... true muscle car now ... row on my shifty friend... lol...lol...lol...
 
#278 ·
Respect! This is a great project, you can't just go out and buy a kit for this one. Just sourcing all the parts is a project in it's self. Good luck!
 
#279 ·
If you want the parts list call Todd at Heyward Allen Pontiac GMC in Athens Ga. Please give the guy a chance to sell you the parts, he gave me a lot of help on this and was the only one that would! I lost my receipt that had the whole list and when I called him for a new one it occurred to me he should help others and hopefully make a buck or two.
As for the reverse lockout problem, I will ask Rob what he did tomorrow and post it cause mine works.
Poseidon is Steve right? I tried to call you back, hit me again tomorrow sometime
 
#281 ·
One and the same. I have been preparing for and in a conference all this week and I haven't had time to even think about the car. I am taking pictures of all of the parts as they arrive. Once I am done and know everything fits, I will post my writeup on both boards.

I was attempting to use as many parts from a 2010 SS Camaro as I could. It looks like most of the ancillary parts will work. The major assumption for my build is that I didn't want any custom parts. Everything should fit if you buy it from the GXP. Here is my current run down of stuff that swaps and stuff that doesn't:


  • Transmission: Use the GXP one. I could possibly have used the Camaro trans, but I didn't want to fab up the trans mounts, shifter linkages, and driveshaft to make it all custom.
  • Shifter: Camaro works, just get one with an aftermarket shaft (Hurst, MGW, etc), something with the press on connection, not the threaded one
  • Pedals: Direct swap from the Camaro. Save yourself some time and make sure to get the clutch wiring harness from the donor. These are $55 to replace!
  • Driveshaft: I am using the GXP one. It is about 1.25-1.5" shorter (when fully compressed) than the stock G8 shaft. However, it may be possible to use the stock driveshaft. I will attempt this combination when I get everything in place, but I am concerned about it 'bottoming out' if I hit some railroad tracks or something
  • Clutch Master / Slave: The stock Camaro ones should work, though I have one of the upgraded Master cylinders and a slave cylinder from the ZL1 clutch kit
  • Clutch: ZL1 clutch. This is a dual disk setup that is supposed to have great street manners. Also comes with the 6 bolt pattern for the flywheel which we need for our cars.
  • Clutch reservoir: get one of the GTO ones the Camaro guys are using. Cheap and readily available.
  • Transmission support member: These were $40 when I bought mine but my parts supplier said the GM price is over $300 now. :eek: This should be a temporary thing. Again, this is because I wanted to be sure the driveline was in the proper position/angle and that everything would bolt up.
  • Wiring: 1) Key removal - simple jumper needed on the connector that goes to the automatic shifter. 2) Reverse lights - probably going to have to fab up a mount for a micro switch for this. This connector is also on the same connector for the automatic. It just needs a signal. 3) T-56 connectors - buy the set of vehicle speed sensors, reverse lockout solenoid, and skip shift solenoid connectors off eBay. They are $30 with shipping. I will post the wiring diagram in my final writeup. 4) Clutch connector - you got the connector from the donor car right? If not, go on eBay and get one, or you can get one from several other donor cars (corvette, volt, malibu, etc. Basically anything within the last few years old). Wiring diagram will also be posted later. 5) TCM - need to jumper two sets of pins on the TCM connector. This, combined with a proper tune, should make it so you don't need to have parts of the automatic transmission grafted into the car.
  • Tune - I am getting my tune from a Holden VE using the EFI live Autocal. Supposedly, this should make it so that the computer stops looking for the TCM and as long as you jumpered the wires above, you should be golden. This is also required so that the logic for the reverse lockout and skip shift (if you want it) are enabled in the tune.
I think that is enough for now. It will be about another two weeks before I will know anything else. After giving it my all, I decided that the Camaro trans just wasn't going to work for me. So I am going to get the GXP transmission so I can make sure everything works. I would say wish me luck, but we all already know this can be done.

I don't want to step on any toes, but my parts guy is putting together a conversion package with all new parts for ~$4500 without the clutch/flywheel. You can probably save quite a bit if you source the things that you can off other vehicles. The trans by itself is about $3k though.
 
#280 ·
Cool, thanks Dave! I would suggest informing him to set that parts list aside for future calls. I seriously might do this next year. I helped a buddy convert a MX6 auto to a manual once, so I understand how much energy this can take.
 
#282 ·
Thanks for the info.. already save it on wish list...........Please keep us updated... I saw a camaro tremec 6060 but I'm not so sure that the bellhousing is going to fit, besides that, is there other diferences in the transmition ( camaro vs GXP )?

Thanks!!
 
#283 ·
Camaro trans turned out to be too much work for me. The entire bell housing is about an inch too long which also caused fitment issues with the input shaft. And it threw off all of the mounting points for the shifter, trans support, and would have needed a custom driveshaft. So I sold it and bought the gxp trans. Still waiting to finish it but I am working in finishing the basement first. It will probably be snowing when I drive it for the first time.
 
#284 ·
I wanna keep this thread open, becuase I am going to tackle this project myself.....I wanna road race the car and the Auto just isnt gonna cut it with big power...I will PM the op and hopefully get some help, im wondering if hes still on the roads today with this setup/
 
#285 ·
Hi all, I'm a forum mod from a VE (G8) forum in Australia. Another mod on our forum found this link to a workshop manual for the VE.
This may be of assistance or not I'm not sure whether our cars are exactly the same as yours in the US. That being said I'm pretty sure it's for a V6 as well.
Anyway here is the link from our forum: http://www.clubve.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=589
It's a 186MB in size.
Hope it helps.
Cheers.
 
#286 ·
Yea, i am still on the road, when i am not breaking parts...dont go with too much big power lol. There are two other guys on here working on this setup right now so, i wont be the only one for long.

The VE is the same but, the V6 model is as different to ours as our V6 model is so if Steveo and get a V8 manual you would really have something! I didnt have anything like that when i did mine. The wiring is actually the hardest part so, wiring diagrams are important and getting the manual VE tune is a good thing (i still dont have it though...)
 
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