automatic to manual

[El Capitan]

one quick question, im lookin at a 96 hatch, and i found one for a good deal, not the color i want though i know how to paint it, and its an automatic, and i would really like a manual, so my question is should there already be somewhere to bolt up a pedal assembly and gear shift in the car or is it lotsa fab and drawings and engineering stuff? (sorry i tried searching but i guess in using the wrong search words)

Thanks so much in advance

 

[Estorvito]

Originally posted by El Capitan@Jul 30 2005, 07:18 PM
one quick question, im lookin at a 96 hatch, and i found one for a good deal, not the color i want though i know how to paint it, and its an automatic, and i would really like a manual, so my question is should there already be somewhere to bolt up a pedal assembly and gear shift in the car or is it lotsa fab and drawings and engineering stuff? (sorry i tried searching but i guess in using the wrong search words)

Thanks so much in advance

[post=533420]Quoted post[/post]​

well there are a couple of topics about this here @ hondaswap....
Theres no fab whatsoever unless you're broke like me,...lol If im not mistaken all you need is the auto to maual tranny mount from http://www.Hasport.com
You'll need a manual pedal assembly tingy and it should bolt right on with no problem..

 

[92dxhatch]

not worth the effort in my opinion, try searching for the one you really want, its out there, good luck yo!

 

[confusatron]

Im doing the auto to manual conversion on a 93 hatch, and yeah, dude just find yourself one that's already manual, its a LOT less hassle, and chances are it will cost less if its a five speed. Find yourself a stripped down base model, like a CX i think is the lowest trim level, with a 5 speed manual. Save yourself a few hours at the junkyard and fiddling around under your dash bent over backwards at a weird angle straining your back and neck muscles bolting the clutch pedal in and screwing with teh hydraulic line install. It's not that hard, but trust me, save yourself the hassle and buy one that's already manual. It just ain't worth it.

 

[ksrcivic]

96-00 auto - manual conversion

92-95 auto - manual conversion

 

[confusatron]

And its also gonna cost you a lot in parts. I'm learning that right now. If you're lucky you can find a lot of parts at the junkyard, if they even have a car like yours to strip, which out here there aren't many. And even at the junkyard I spent about $100 on parts. I found exactly one civic hatch, and was lucky it had most of the parts I needed. But the other parts I needed are costing me hundreds of dollars in total. It all adds up bro. Save yourself the money and hassle and just buy a 5 speed civic. I wish I had.

 

[brian11to1]

its only a hassle if you let it get to you.

its only a hassle if you have only one car.

its only expensive if you dont search for parts. it's easy to get the parts you need from a junk yard. just simply search as best you can, resort to the internet when you need to do so to find certain parts.

ive done a few at-mt's. they arent easy, but by no means are they hard. unless of course you arent mechanically inclined, I guess.

 

[confusatron]

Originally posted by brian11to1@Aug 17 2005, 11:27 PM
its only a hassle if you let it get to you.

its only a hassle if you have only one car.

its only expensive if you dont search for parts. it's easy to get the parts you need from a junk yard. just simply search as best you can, resort to the internet when you need to do so to find certain parts.

ive done a few at-mt's. they arent easy, but by no means are they hard. unless of course you arent mechanically inclined, I guess.

[post=541586]Quoted post[/post]​

With all due respect, I think you're missing the point. This guy is asking us if it is worth it to buy himself a civic that isn't manual, and convert it TO manual, just so that he can do a motor swap into it.

My advice to him is that for the money and extra work, he is better off buying a civic in the same body style he wants, that is ALREADY manual. I am saying this for these two very important reasons: 1) The manual civic if it is the base model, will likely be cheaper and also lighter weight due to lack of
power windows and locks, and possibly even A/C on some models. and 2) the manual civic will save him the unnecessary extra expense and hassle of the extra parts and conversion steps, in addition to already getting the car for less than the automatic. He asked for advice, and you are suggesting he spend a lot more money and time on the project, to get the exact same end result. I am suggesting that he save himself the $$$ and extra hassle, just because it's the wise thing to do. Why blow cash if you don't have to to get the same car in the end?

 

[Estorvito]

Originally posted by brian11to1@Aug 18 2005, 12:27 AM
its only a hassle if you let it get to you.

its only a hassle if you have only one car.

its only expensive if you dont search for parts. it's easy to get the parts you need from a junk yard. just simply search as best you can, resort to the internet when you need to do so to find certain parts.

ive done a few at-mt's. they arent easy, but by no means are they hard. unless of course you arent mechanically inclined, I guess.

[post=541586]Quoted post[/post]​

 

[brian11to1]

Originally posted by confusatron+Aug 18 2005, 01:03 AM-->

Originally posted by brian11to1@Aug 17 2005, 11:27 PM
its only a hassle if you let it get to you.

its only a hassle if you have only one car.

its only expensive if you dont search for parts. it's easy to get the parts you need from a junk yard. just simply search as best you can, resort to the internet when you need to do so to find certain parts.

ive done a few at-mt's. they arent easy, but by no means are they hard. unless of course you arent mechanically inclined, I guess.

[post=541586]Quoted post[/post]​

With all due respect, I think you're missing the point. This guy is asking us if it is worth it to buy himself a civic that isn't manual, and convert it TO manual, just so that he can do a motor swap into it.

My advice to him is that for the money and extra work, he is better off buying a civic in the same body style he wants, that is ALREADY manual. I am saying this for these two very important reasons: 1) The manual civic if it is the base model, will likely be cheaper and also lighter weight due to lack of
power windows and locks, and possibly even A/C on some models. and 2) the manual civic will save him the unnecessary extra expense and hassle of the extra parts and conversion steps, in addition to already getting the car for less than the automatic. He asked for advice, and you are suggesting he spend a lot more money and time on the project, to get the exact same end result. I am suggesting that he save himself the $$$ and extra hassle, just because it's the wise thing to do. Why blow cash if you don't have to to get the same car in the end?

[post=541652]Quoted post[/post]​

No, I got the point. Seriously. I wanted a manual, but when I came across my sedan, I got it. I mean it was only $250. I got what I could get. And what better way to get used to working on a car, then to swap transmissions?

Originally posted by Estorvito@Aug 18 2005, 06:16 AM
brian11to1

@Aug 18 2005, 12:27 AM
its only a hassle if you let it get to you.

its only a hassle if you have only one car.

its only expensive if you dont search for parts. it's easy to get the parts you need from a junk yard. just simply search as best you can, resort to the internet when you need to do so to find certain parts.

ive done a few at-mt's. they arent easy, but by no means are they hard. unless of course you arent mechanically inclined, I guess.

[post=541586]Quoted post[/post]​

[post=541706]Quoted post[/post]​

Bah, thank you!

 

[asmallsol]

Brian and I have both done this swap, I have done it on a 5th gen civic, and brian did it on his 2nd gen integra. His integra sounded like a LITTLE more work but only a little bit more.

Alot of automatic chassis sell SOOOOOO cheap. Really, unless you buy all new parts, it will not cost you a ton at all. The extra parts that you need if your swapping everything otu (including engine) would be....

Pedal assembly (all three pedals)
Clutch master cylinder and resvior
Hydrolic lines
the Hasport mount
coutter pins
Small sheet of metal
Caulk (or weld it in place if you have one)
drill bit and 2 nuts and bolts to fit

I have done this swap and it took a little less then one weekend to finish and that was in near zero tempatures. It is not an impossible swap by any means

 

[brian11to1]

Originally posted by asmallsol@Aug 19 2005, 09:40 AM
Brian and I have both done this swap, I have done it on a 5th gen civic, and brian did it on his 2nd gen integra. His integra sounded like a LITTLE more work but only a little bit more.

Alot of automatic chassis sell SOOOOOO cheap. Really, unless you buy all new parts, it will not cost you a ton at all. The extra parts that you need if your swapping everything otu (including engine) would be....

Pedal assembly (all three pedals)
Clutch master cylinder and resvior
Hydrolic lines
the Hasport mount
coutter pins
Small sheet of metal
Caulk (or weld it in place if you have one)
drill bit and 2 nuts and bolts to fit

I have done this swap and it took a little less then one weekend to finish and that was in near zero tempatures. It is not an impossible swap by any means

[post=542344]Quoted post[/post]​

exactly, not hard at all.

 

[reckedracing]

i've done this as well

note to junkyard people

try to find a car with a pulled motor/trans
getting your hydro lines is much easier...

 

[confusatron]

Originally posted by asmallsol@Aug 19 2005, 09:40 AM
Brian and I have both done this swap, I have done it on a 5th gen civic, and brian did it on his 2nd gen integra. His integra sounded like a LITTLE more work but only a little bit more.

Alot of automatic chassis sell SOOOOOO cheap. Really, unless you buy all new parts, it will not cost you a ton at all. The extra parts that you need if your swapping everything otu (including engine) would be....

Pedal assembly (all three pedals)
Clutch master cylinder and resvior
Hydrolic lines
the Hasport mount
coutter pins
Small sheet of metal
Caulk (or weld it in place if you have one)
drill bit and 2 nuts and bolts to fit

I have done this swap and it took a little less then one weekend to finish and that was in near zero tempatures. It is not an impossible swap by any means

[post=542344]Quoted post[/post]​

You also need:

Shifter linkage
Shifter
Shift boot

The junker I found didn't have an uncut set of linkage bars, so I had to order some online. Wasn't cheap. The rest of the parts I got off the junker for around $100.
I agree with you guys that the conversion is not insanely hard, it's just unnecessary if you can get the exact same car and skip those steps completely. I also agree in hindsight about the learning experience being pretty cool, but I guess it all depends on what you want. If you have a lot of patience, do it the hard way. If you just wanna get the damn thing done, get a 5-speed car. And I don't know what part of the country you guys live in where you can get an EG Civic for $250, but around here in Chicago, clean ones go for $2500-4000. You might find a beat up rust bucket for around $1000. You guys are very lucky if you can get em that cheap. That's amazing. I guess it just depends on where you live.

 

[confusatron]

Originally posted by reckedracing@Aug 22 2005, 02:59 PM
i've done this as well

note to junkyard people

try to find a car with a pulled motor/trans
getting your hydro lines is much easier...

[post=543639]Quoted post[/post]​

Good advice. I got lucky and the only wrecked one I could find in the area had already been stripped of its motor and tranny.

 

[brian11to1]

I did the swap with my bestfriend we did it in about a day or so. I mean, if I wouldnt have went to boot camp all would have been done in a day.

Seriously, the hardest part is drilling a hole (if you have to - cable trans).

Advice: Get a good clutch, if you are converting from at-mt you are performance oriented, why not start good here? If you have a cable trans, make sure to get a BRAND new clutch cable. They stretch over time and if your car is a cable trans, its more then likely already stretched. Try to get all mounts and brackets as well, make it look good while doing it.

You may also need a Manual ECU for your car, if you are keeping the stock engine/trans, otherwise make sure the ECU is for a manual. You will get CEL if it is for an Auto.

You could also get a Manual Gauge Cluster, to keep the "not swapped" look, the main difference. The manual cluster will not have prnd21 on it. It will just be blank where these letters/numbers are. Also, the manual cluster may have a higher RPM redline than the auto.

Im pretty much out of things to say right now.

 

[reckedracing]

You could also get a Manual Gauge Cluster, to keep the "not swapped" look, the main difference. The manual cluster will not have prnd21 on it. It will just be blank where these letters/numbers are. Also, the manual cluster may have a higher RPM redline than the auto.

black electrical tape over the auto row works wonders, hardly noticeable unless you know its there...

 

[brian11to1]

Originally posted by reckedracing@Aug 23 2005, 08:28 AM

You could also get a Manual Gauge Cluster, to keep the "not swapped" look, the main difference. The manual cluster will not have prnd21 on it. It will just be blank where these letters/numbers are. Also, the manual cluster may have a higher RPM redline than the auto.

black electrical tape over the auto row works wonders, hardly noticeable unless you know its there...

[post=543955]Quoted post[/post]​

Well ya know. I like to do things the hardway.