Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

[TBIRD03JOE]

I drive this 2003 T Bird and wish I had a Standard Shift in it.
Any one done this or know of one done..
I would like to use a 5 or 6 speed but not sure with computer
in these Birds if it would work without lots of problems..
Not like the 50's and just change and bolt in engines and trans.

Thanks Joe

[ThunderBubba]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

I'm with you Joe. Unfortunately no one has come up with an aftermarket kit to swap to a manual tranny. You would probably come out better in the long run trying to put the running gear from a Mustang in your Bird. And that would bring on a whole new set of problems.

[5bird7]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

the computer is geared for the auto transmission. Not sure what the problem was.

[justjon]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

Did I hear Mustang in the Tbird? has this been done?

[Salprint]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

When I owned my '04 PCR I inquired about this. I found a company in California that said they could do it, but the cost was somewhere around $15,000.00. They said it would be professionally done and the computer would be changed and all interior parts would look like it was from the factory. I never went through with it...but if I look around I might be able to find out who it was that I talked to. It was a few years ago, so I can't make any promises.

[TBIRD03JOE]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

I thank You for the responses..
15k way to much for my pockets.
Would rather invest that kind of money in XKE.
If it was not for the computers of today and the companies
knowing average back yard wrencher can not do most of
work these days on their own cars..
Just to listen to changing gas filter forum I am upset with
the future of cars and how expensive having a car will be
and average person will not be able to afford to keep a car
running as it gets older.
And you can see future that most cars will be crushed and
that auto companies push the goverment to go along with
this with the lastest cash for clunkers last month.
I look at antique cars and how many are out there and I believe
very few of our cars of today will make the antique years.
And you look at the plastics and rubber bumpers of 70's cars
that are left and they do not look straight but distorted.
The junk we americans accept for a look of yesteryear.
Pretty scary and glad I am as old as I am for the future
sure does not look bright for the next wrenchers .
Pretty bad when you can not unbolt and put standard transmission
in with a clutch pedal in with out a degree in electrical engineering.

[MerlotBlue]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

I thank You for the responses..
15k way to much for my pockets.
Would rather invest that kind of money in XKE.
If it was not for the computers of today and the companies
knowing average back yard wrencher can not do most of
work these days on their own cars..
Just to listen to changing gas filter forum I am upset with
the future of cars and how expensive having a car will be
and average person will not be able to afford to keep a car
running as it gets older.
And you can see future that most cars will be crushed and
that auto companies push the goverment to go along with
this with the lastest cash for clunkers last month.
I look at antique cars and how many are out there and I believe
very few of our cars of today will make the antique years.
And you look at the plastics and rubber bumpers of 70's cars
that are left and they do not look straight but distorted.
The junk we americans accept for a look of yesteryear.
Pretty scary and glad I am as old as I am for the future
sure does not look bright for the next wrenchers .
Pretty bad when you can not unbolt and put standard transmission
in with a clutch pedal in with out a degree in electrical engineering.

that's quite a rant.

The real problem here though isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be.

This really is mostly "T-Bird" specific.

The expense of $15,000 is clearly ridiculous.

BUT!!!

It costs that much for two reasons.

1. It assumes you farm out the whole job to a pro.

2. It requires that "pro" to make you a car that was never built.


Converting a car like a new Mustang, just to stick with the Ford theme here, from auto to manual wouldn't be anywhere near as expensive or challenging. This for the simple reason that the parts to accomplish the result are already available. A donor car from the wrecking yard could easily provide all the "pro" or shade tree mechanic needs.

The Retro-Bird?

If you simply MUST have a standard........I can't help but think the idea of swapping out the entire engine/transmission and related computer parts is probably the way to go.

No matter what though.......you are now in uncharted territory where unanticipated problems and expenses are bound to crop up.

Things get pretty mind boggling when I stop and think that not even something as simple as adding that clutch pedal can be accomplished without extreme modification simply because Ford has never offered this car in Standard shift configuration.

[justjon]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

I'm OK with the automatic, I just would like 400 horsepower!

[5bird7]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

You could get close to that Jon, just do the Jaguar supercharger switch - 390 HP (but their computers are not compatible.)

[Leroy]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

I would think that since the existing engine and trans. are Jaguar that a Jaguar manual trans. might be the best choice. A hydraulic clutch might work as well. I'm sure it could be done but it would be quite a project. Something a car builder might want to experiment with on an already trashed retro Bird. I think if I wanted a car with a manaul trans. I would sell the TBird and buy a car that was built with one. Leroy

[TBIRD03JOE]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

That is what my thoughts are about purchasing a XKE with manual box.
Putting the T Bird up for sale and purchasing older XKE that I can
work on myself...
Anyone want to purchase a Red T Bird with less than 30 K with
wire wheels...

[Allen P]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

Just my mind wondering BUT The new Mustang is based on the Lincoln - Thunderbird - Jag subframe . Our engines are smaller bore mod motors . So trashed retro bird + trashed Shelby cobra kr = what fomoco could have had done . Some early Lincoln LS sports came with a Getrag 5-speed , but it was behind a six cyl . I had one ----- Smooth . Dot is correct computer would be a nitemare . My LS had a Jag computer in it . I got the increased H.P. but the car thought it had side curtain air bags . Kept throwing an airbag fault , hard to explain on trade in .

[JAB02LHS]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

Putting the T Bird up for sale and purchasing older XKE that I can
work on myself...
...

Hope your retired ,
so you have all day/everyday to work on a old Jag!
I'd rather drive my Tbird!

[justjon]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

Guess why even here in Southern Cal you hardly ever see XKE's on the road.

[Jim Young]

Re: Anyone put Standard Transmission IN

You have select shift... heck if you want to race, get a vett it will clean "our clock" any day. infact about every true sports car will, but my T-Bird looks better, rides better, and gets me around in style... Like the lady said in her $100K+ mercedes... "Sir when I grow up, I want to be just like you ... thats a cool car". Just slide it over in select shift and play like you are really a "mean machine" ... :)
Jim