anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

I just picked up a good 1993 NV3500 today with shifter, release arm, and slave actuator and i really want this in the 87 SWB. I already found a slave unit for the firewall and know i have to do some plumbing(tube bending), but thats the least of my worries. I still need to find all the clutch/flywheel hardware, but what demons are hiding in this project? thanx , crossy

pics would be GREAT!

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

crossy, I can't help you much with the involvement to switch up, but was wondering if you could do a detailed description of what goes into this switch. I am planning on doing this in the future to my '82.

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

:gi: except i wanna put a 6 speed in mine from like a vette/zo6...maybe a an IRS setup or 12 bolt...

if anyone has already accomplished this...some advice or pictures is greatly appreciated for all of us.....

Kris

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

what about a speedo ?

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

yes, I've had a nv4500 in my 80 model dually that I tow my jeep and dragcar with. We put the tranny in behind my old 350 that was in this truck and my other dually. Put the bellhousing on bolted tranny up used jacks and stands to support everything. Then put the tranny mount on bolted crossmember up and drilled two new mounting holes. Cut and balanced front half of driveline at a buddies shop. The speedo was replaced with a electric version I found at the junkyard out of a 90-91 suburban. I found a wiring book on ebay for the 90-91 model gm trucks and subs. Found wiring info for the speedo and made it up. Fixed a adjustable drac module that drives the speedo head from pulses from tranny. My biggest problem has been with the hydro clutch. The thing seems to want to eat slaves and masters. But I can say that it has helped the truck out alot. I wish I would have done the swap years ago. Maybe by now I would have the clutch issues fixed.

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

if you're not already old & gray, you will be by the time i get around to ANY of my projects.:waah:, but yes I'm pretty good about taking pics.

the elctric speedo was work needed so you didn't have to buy that special elctronic to mechanical converter i HEARD they made. I also heard it was expensive, but thats the route I planned on taking. I got the tranny at the right price :-),

I do have a Complete t56 6 speed here with clutch, bell and shifter also and although I'm FAR from a physics major my EYES tell me that the truck itself is a little too boxy and heavy to pull that STEEP 6th gear with the 3.42 rear i have planned for it.. If i wanted to sell that tranny I probably could get enough for it to pay someone to install this 5 speed. I may be buying a factory 91 w/ 5 speed from a guy i work with and that may help inspire me also.


maybe CHEVYTECH could help with why it eating slaves? thanx again, crossy

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

odee, i got the same problem with my 86 dually, with a heavy duty 4-speed. it eats slaves and masters too. replaced both atleast 4 times in the past 2 years. thinking about getting the linkage out of a 77-81 clutch truck, and installing it.

Re: anyone put a later 5 speed in a 81-87?
 

crossy, sounds like you are as fast as I am working on projects. I start them, or plan on starting them only to never finish.

Question for the guys that have done the NV3500/NV4500 switch. Does the old bellhousing, say off of the SM465 fit onto the NV4500? I thought I saw they have removable bellhousings, where the NV3500 is a full piece transmission? Is this right? The problem I am going to have is I want to run this change on a 4x4 truck. Just saying that caused me to not want to do it. Good luck to anyone getting ready to tackle this job.