To the tranny guru's: L24 tranny woes

[boro92]

Greetings!

I have a '70 240 and have a 5 speed bolted to it.

Unfortunately, my 5 speed blew, and I'm putting in a 4 speed in temporarily.

I've removed the old 5, and slid the input shaft of the "new" 4 speed into the car.

Oddly, it appears that most, if not all bolts on the bell housing do not line up with the engine block!!

Is this normal? My motor is an L24. The 4 speed is from a '72 240.

I figured that a 4 speed out of a later model 240 should bolt right up into my early model 240 (since they both came with the same motor). Is this incorrect?

It even appears that the dust shield on my car doesnt mate up to the transmission...

Any help is much appreciated. I'd really like to get this thing back on the road:stupid:

[boro92]

EDIT - The motor bellhousing does bolt up.

However, if you're dealing with a type B 4 speed in a car that was built for type A, then don't learn it the hard way as I did:

1) The type B transmission seems to the shorter--it moves the shifter approx 1.5 inches further forward. This necessitates what looks like a required additional cutting for the shifter in the center console (that hole!), and likely needs a whole new center console to accommodate.

[Walter Moore]

Yes, you have to cut the floor, unless you can make a shifter that is very offset. Years ago there was someone here looking into that, but I don't remember how it turned out. In either case the stock center console works, but it often ends up getting broken at the front edge. I repaired mine with some sheet metal plates that I then painted black. It doesn't look too bad, but it has to be bent to clear the shift lever in 3rd and 5th.

The search feature of this site is great by the way. A singe search of 4 speed to 5 speed swap brought up 25 or 30 old threads. For example:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?40450-5-speed-convesion&highlight=5+speed+swap

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?6127-Tranny-swap.&highlight=5+speed+swap

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?2067-4-spd-vs-5-spd&highlight=5+speed+swap

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?1957-Transmission-ratios-and-suggested-rear-gears&s=

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?40450-5-speed-convesion&highlight=5+speed+swap

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?41021-4-speed-vs-5-speed-info&highlight=5+speed+swap

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?9667-Zx-5-speed-in-a-74-260x&highlight=5+speed+swap

Good luck with your project!

[tlorber]

I remember the good old days...when blowing a tranny meant that you had car trouble!

[boro92]

Thanks all. I've installed the tranny and for those who are curious: the standard S shaped shifter will do the trick--no cutting is required.

A straight shifter on the other hand, will have a problem and will require the cutting described above.

[lenponz]

i made an offset gear shift after replacing the original 4 speed with one from a 73. I used the straight shift lever from my 70 cut the 73 shift lever at the nuckle, welded a thich strip from the knuckel and then welded the straight shifter after cutting off the threaded section works great. no need to cut.