Auto to Manual Tranny Conversion

[Scyry]

So I got a car, and am planning in the next year to buy a 1996 to 1999 K1500 to have for snow days/going to the mountains, going to Home Depot. I have always been a manual tranny kind of guy and would perfer a manual over a auto, but they are near impossible to find in the 1988-1995 with a 350. Is it even possible to convert a 1996+ to an after market manual tranny without too much work? I mean I understand the steering column, computer and other stuff would need work. The floor pan would have to be cut.

 

I am just tossing around the idea. I like projects. I have little experience with cars/truck mechanics wise; I can tell you what is wrong with my truck in general and change the fluids, but that is about it. I am used to working with my hands, construction, and like like getting dirty and doing it right, myself. I would be getting the truck as my long term toy, to fix up, build up, paint, and so on, just the way I want it. I watch the TV shows now a days and think it looks easy, not that it is, but I feel I could do a lot of the stuff, minus the body work. The idea would be to get the truck, drive it all winter, use the following summer to change out the tranny, drive it the next winter, tear apart and build up the engine the following summer, drive in the winter, and so on. So I would have plenty of down time to do it. My parent's have a ranch, and we are soon building up a shop for my Dad to restore a car or two. So I will have a place/tools to do this.

 

On the other hand would it just be easier to get a 1990-1995 with a manual, get the tranny I want, and start building a pre-vortec motor? I am guessing this is the cheaper/easier route to go. But the 1996+ have the nicer interior, passenger airbag, and probably are in better shape at this point. The exterior will be changed and painted over, so I can make it look like a 1996+ if I want easily.

 

Just hashing this out. I know there are many do-it-yourselfers here, so I figured I'd ask what all of you thought.

[mcreyaufmiller]

I have done manual to automatic conversions, but never the other way around. sorry. I would imagine that painless wiring or someone else would have a wiring harness conversion for you.

[R Dogg 56]

One of the members, Larry, did a manual transmission swap on his '78 K10. You may want to give him a PM and ask what he did.

[nathanfox83]

So I got a car, and am planning in the next year to buy a 1996 to 1999 K1500 to have for snow days/going to the mountains, going to Home Depot.  I have always been a manual tranny kind of guy and would perfer a manual over a auto, but they are near impossible to find in the 1988-1995 with a 350.  Is it even possible to convert a 1996+ to an after market manual tranny without too much work?  I mean I understand the steering column, computer and other stuff would need work.  The floor pan would have to be cut.

 

I am just tossing around the idea.  I like projects.  I have little experience with cars/truck mechanics wise; I can tell you what is wrong with my truck in general and change the fluids, but that is about it.  I am used to working with my hands, construction, and like like getting dirty and doing it right, myself.  I would be getting the truck as my long term toy, to fix up, build up, paint, and so on, just the way I want it.  I watch the TV shows now a days and think it looks easy, not that it is, but I feel I could do a lot of the stuff, minus the body work.  The idea would be to get the truck, drive it all winter, use the following summer to change out the tranny, drive it the next winter, tear apart and build up the engine the following summer, drive in the winter, and so on.  So I would have plenty of down time to do it.  My parent's have a ranch, and we are soon building up a shop for my Dad to restore a car or two.  So I will have a place/tools to do this.

 

On the other hand would it just be easier to get a 1990-1995 with a manual, get the tranny I want, and start building a pre-vortec motor?  I am guessing this is the cheaper/easier route to go.  But the 1996+ have the nicer interior, passenger airbag, and probably are in better shape at this point.  The exterior will be changed and painted over, so I can make it look like a 1996+ if I want easily. 

 

Just hashing this out.  I know there are many do-it-yourselfers here, so I figured I'd ask what all of you thought.

 

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I live in Boulder. I have a 98 K1500 with the 350. It is an manual tranny. I want an automatic. See where I'm going? ;) When you are ready hit me up here and we'll see what we can do. I have all the experience necessary and all the resources, as well as a barn to hold 2 cars while the swap is being done. Seriously let me know!

[Scyry]

Ummm...would you be willing to sell said truck? If so got any pictures, details? I am looking for a truck right now, things changed at work and I am getting sent to Durango for a few months and sort of need a truck for it.