what 5 speed is easy and cheap?

[clutchdust]

there has to be some 5 speeds in the local junk yards that will bolt right up to the L26 i'm putting in my '72. i figure a 280zx would be easy but they're getting kind of scarce. any other good donor cars that won't require much modification to fit?

[GreenZZZ]

About 15 years ago pallets of used 5 speed Nissan truck transmissions started showing up in Z shops around here. I was told Japan forced cars off the road at 30K miles and parts were salvaged and shipped to the USA (true?). Anyway, I bought one for $50.00. Its downshift from 5th to 4th takes a while to get used to but with my R200 3.9 gear ratio, I had to have the fifth gear so I'm happy enough with it.

By the way, love the name clutchdust

[sblake01]

GreenZZZ, you're talking about the 'dogleg' five speed. It's only a 14.6% overdrive and not really sturdy enough for a 6 cylinder engine. I have that trans in my 64 L320 pickup behind a 4 cylinder engine. I'd go with the five speed from the 81-83 ZX or 81-84 Maxima. It's overdrive is 25.5% and it's designed for a 6 cyl. You can still find them but you have to look. I bought one a couple of months ago for my 810 at the junkyard.

[clutchdust]

thanks blake. i'll make a note for the next time i go junk yard hunting. wish me luck.

thanks greenZZZ. burn up enough clutchs and it becomes a natural coice.

[GreenZZZ]

you're talking about the 'dogleg' five speed. It's only a 14.6% overdrive...

Dogleg must refer to the unnatural 4th to 5th shift where you pop it up out of 4th, push it over hard like going to reverse then up into fifth. That sounds like my transmission. I'm at something like 3700 rpm's at 80 mph, so yes it needs more overdrive. Time to get another transmission

[e_racer1999]

^dogleg refers to the fact that first gear is over and down, with reverse being above it

anyway, 280ZX tranny is where it's at. to use with the stock 3.36 rear gears, get a '79 ZX tranny.

there's also folks modding 240sx trannies to use with the Z bellhousing. requires a bit of work and some machining to get it to fit, though. but they're reliable, cheap, and there's plenty

[sblake01]

I stand corrected. The dogleg is the 77-79 200sx/78-79 510 5 speed. You did say truck trans. That would be the normal shift pattern. 1-4 same as the 4 speed with fifth above reverse. The dogleg has reverse at the top left with 1st below it and then across the gate and up for 2nd, down for 3rd, across and up for 4th and down for 5th. The truck trans has either a 16.7% or 18.7% overdrive depending on the year which is better than the dogleg but still not the 25.5% like the 81-83 ZX/81-84 Maxima trans. The 79-80 ZX tranny is actually the same as the 280Z 5 speed with only a 13.6% overdrive. You want the 81 up for the best overdrive.

[BRE-240Z]

Dogleg must refer to the unnatural 4th to 5th shift where you pop it up out of 4th, push it over hard like going to reverse then up into fifth. That sounds like my transmission.

There was a dogleg in my 510 (it came out of a 200SX) when I bought it. The pattern goes like this:

R 2 4

1 3 5

It was fine, but I upgraded that to a ZX five-speed the first chance I got. For your Z, you'll want a five-speed out of a 280Z or 280ZX.

[sblake01]

There was a dogleg in my 510 (it came out of a 200SX) when I bought it. The pattern goes like this:

R 2 4

1 3 5

Thanks, that's what I was trying to describe.

[GreenZZZ]

I think I'd put whatever I have as a "good cheap 5 speed". Seems to work great, correct shift pattern, but wonky 4th to 5th to 4th shifts and low overdrive ratio. Uses the same stock 1972 driveshaft. I'm very happy with it considering the $50 bucks. If I can get a ZX tranny around $150, I'll probably do it.