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Upgrading your M body to manual transmissions.
Several issues with this. First, no factory produced V8/4 speed combos, just /6 ones. So, while you can use the pedal assembly out of any manual trans M
or F body, you cannot use the slant 6 clutch linkage. Nor can you use the /6 bellhousing, flywheel or clutch. What you need, if you wish to go factory,
is a V8 4 speed F (Aspen/Volare) body donor. Or do what I plan to do, use the hydraulic clutch setup out of a Japanese minitruck. It'll entail fabbing things
and if you need me to explain that part of it then you'd be better off NOT doing the swap.
Next, the pilot bushing and YES you need one. All cranks are drilled for the pilot bushing BUT they are not final reamed to fit on auto cars. NAPA sells
a bushing designed to fit auto crank's unreamed hole, part number 615-1033. Or you can spend a few more ducats and get the MoPar Magnum engine setup, it's
a sealed, needle bearinged unit designed to press into the torque converter centering ring. Send $50 and I'll send you the part number, ;). The part
number is 53009180. This part doesn't use the older pilot bushing hole.
So, what you need to swap an A833 4 speed into an M body is the following.
An A833 from ANY A, F, or M body. V8 or /6 don't matter. OD or non-OD, don't matter. B/E/C body A833's, forget it, shifter mount is in the wrong place.
Trucks with OD appear to use the A/F/M body version so look there too. Grab the shifter if it's there and especially if it's an OD version.
A shifter. Hurst still sells a shiny new Indy shifter for the A body A833, which is the same for F or M bodies. It is for NON-OD trans though, the shift
rods are different, you might be able to fab the one rod that is different, up to you. If you have the factory shifter rods they will work with the Indy
shifter mechanism. Dig into the back of the Hurst book and you will find this shifter.
A V8 bellhousing. Slant six, LA and B/RB all use different and non-interchangeable bellhousings. The only exception is some trucks use a bellhousing
that will accommodate the /6 ans LA patterns, but they have rear motor mounts as part of the bell. Shouldn't
interfere, but they are big, heavy and awkward.
A V8 flywheel. If it's internally balanced or externally balanced you better get the right one. Better get the right one to fit the bellhousing too.
130 tooth is typical, 143 is not.
A V8 clutch that fits the flywheel. Usually the 10.5" or 11" SCALLOPED (10.95" actual), they fit the 130 tooth flywheel. The 11" fits the 143 tooth
flywheel. Confusing the 11" for the 11" scalloped clutch will aggravate you.
Some sorta clutch linkage setup. McLeod makes an hydraulic TO bearing for the A833, it's part number 1400-10 for the 23 spline A833. $266.67 is the
quote from McLeod.
A pilot bushing for the crank. You choose your flavor there.
If you are replacing an A904/998/999 than you can reuse your driveshaft, but might need to change the slip yoke to the A727 style, that will depend
on the A833's output shaft. That about sums it up.
How you deal with the hole in the floor to accommodate the shifter is your business. Seal it well so you don't breathe fumes or road spray.
Good luck,
Steve
Mopar transmission dimensions, courtesy Carl and our fleet of MOPARS
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