Will any shifter work or do we need to modify the shifter to work in the tunnel? So....I guess what I am asking is if I was to use a 78 5 speed - can I still use my '72 shortened shifter?

My stock 72 shifter works just fine. I put it in a close ratio tranny last night. Too bad I haven't tested it on the road yet.

An exterior difference between the early Z and later ZX fives speed transmissions is the early box has no reverse lockout, which is that oval shaped plate on the side of the rear housing fastened with two 10mm bolts. All shifters should be interchangable 72 & up, except one type I think from later ZX's which has a straight rod and a different bushing design. There may be a thread on that shifter and converting one to the other or vice versa.

Basically, gear ratios.

Thank you for this info...I just pulled a tranny from my 1980 parts car and had done some recent reading to find a lack of info as to if I had the close or wide ratio tranny. For some reason all the info I found made NO mention of the 1980 model. If the only difference is in 5th then I'm in good shape and got what I wanted for my Z as I will be autocrossing.

Just to add information to this thread, here's a link to some more on the early vs. the late 5-speed tranny: http://www.geocities.com/inlinestroker/ratio.html

Note the other physical difference in the picture, one vs. two "ears".

Is one of these (from a ZX I'm told) considered "SHORT RATIO"? And is that "better" or worse going into a 71 240z? Easier/harder?

Thanks,

Mark

Do you mean 'close ratio'? The would be the 80 and up, 5th gear notwithstanding. Not sure what you mean by better or worse. As far as installation, there's no difference in how any of them would mount in a 71.

The seller referred to "Short ratio" I suspect that is the same as close ratio... By "better" I meant from a driveability point of view, given a stock 71 240z motor.

If you still have the stock 3.36 differential, acceleration though 1st and 2nd won't be as crisp as your stock 4 speed. Most of the 5 speed cars had 3.54 and up.

I do still have the stock diff but would not be against swapping it out if the tranny is too sluggish... I think I'm going to try to find out some more about the tranny... thanks

Just to add another tranny option to the mix, the late maxima (1983-4) has the following ratios

1st 3.321

2nd 2.077

3rd 1.308

4th 1.000

5th 0.752

This would be my choice for a normally aspirated car. You get the great launch of the early tranny, with the great OD of the later. plus many Maximas weren't beaten on like Zs were. you can tell the Maxima tranny from others because the fill plug is on the driver's side. The early Z 5 speeds were also known to have the bolt holding 5th back off and cause failure. the later trannys got a reverse thread bolt that solved the problem.

Jim

Do they swap in as easily as the Z and ZX 5 speeds?