6 speed manual for L-series engine?

[kensval]

Does anyone know of a 6 speed tranny that will bolt up to an L-series engine?

[240260280z]

I think a japanese variant of the 240sx has a 6 speed that will work but some mods are required.... machining Z bell housing and drive shaft shortening and cross member adjustment. Most just use a 240sx transmission for better shifting but the same mods are required to make it work.

[kensval]

I've already got the later 5-speed in my '76, which does help greatly on the highway. I'm just looking for options that will cause me the least amount of headaches should I decide to move up to a 6-speed. Sounds like there's no real easy way to do it. What about a 6-speed from a late model Z?

[240260280z]

There are no bolt-in 6 speeds that I know of. Have you considered changing the differential to move you into either into quick launch or low cruise rpm?

[kensval]

Hadn't considered that as of yet. Maybe down the road. Went looking online last night to see if I could find anyone producing a new, conventional 6 spd manual with a separate bellhousing, but was mostly unsuccessful. Tremec and Richmond both make 6 speeds, but they're designed, and sized, for American V8 cars and trucks. Might have to do a lot of sheetmetal work to make one of them work in a Z car, and with the original L-series engine's limited power, they'd be overkill. What was the brand of the 4 and 5 speeds in the original Z cars? Did Nissan make their own, or were they outsourced?

[jmortensen]

There is at least one person who put a T56 behind an L6 in a turbo 510 no less. It's a lot of work and the T56 gets you a .5 overdrive 6th gear, so basically 6th is worthless unless you plan on driving 250 mph. I would suggest you stick with a 5 speed. The L motor doesn't usually have such a narrow power band that you need a 6, and it's not sufficiently torquey that you can idle up a steep grade like you can with a big V8.

[kensval]

I read somewhere that some later Z cars brought into the U.S. came with Borg-Warner T-5 trannys. I had one of those in a Mustang I used to have. Not a great transmission, at least not the earlier ones.

I'll probably stick with the 5 speed I already have. It's gotten me up to 140 MPH. That's fast enough. However, I'm already thinking of looking for another Z to stuff a V8 into and that one I won't really care about changing the sheetmetal on so if I have to make a new tranny tunnel, so be it.

Still, if I never asked, I might still be wondering if I could have had another gear...

[sblake01]

I read somewhere that some later Z cars brought into the U.S. came with Borg-Warner T-5 trannys....

The 280ZX Turbos had that trans.

[jmortensen]

Yep, 280ZXT. The later 280ZX NA 5 speed (80-83) has much better gear ratios for a NA car though. The earlier Z 5 speeds and the T5 have very wide ratios, not so good IMO.

[John Coffey]

Taylor Race Engineers can easily build a Quaife Sequential 6 speed that will bolt up to your L6. They built me a 5 speed sequential a few years ago.

[kensval]

I took a quick look at their website, which took me to the Quaife site. How much did you pay for your 5 speed? I saw £6595.00 for the 6 speed. I might be able to absorb $3000 or so for a tranny, but not $15,000. Cool idea, though. A sequential would be great for when I build my spare L28 into a turbo stroker.

[sblake01]

I think £6595.00 would actually be more in the range of somewhere between $10,000-$10,500 but it's still more than I'd want to ante up for a tranny. I could buy 3, maybe 4 Borg Warner T-56 6 speeds for that amount.

Edited October 13, 2011 by sblake01