hey guys i have the 81 malibu wit a 3 speed floor shift i want to change it to 4 speed later down the line any suggestions and info on the transmission and engine setup that would good for me as this car will be my daily driver..THANKS CHRIS
price wise what am i looking at for swap?Doober said:A 4-speed Saginaw, T-10 and Muncie is a bolt-in, no changes needed to bellhousing or crossmember. I believe later Muncies had 26-spline input shafts (new clutch disc needed) and 32-spline (TH-400) output shafts, and T-10s also have 26-spline input, some are 32-spline output. I had to find the same stuff when I swapped my 3-speed out 8)
thanks alot well when the time comes for me to do the swap u will be the first person i hit up maybe we can link up and do te swap how far from avondale are you?Doober said:Depends on the trans. Doesn't seem to be a lot in the way of replacement gears/hard parts for a Saginaw, but that's the cheapest. I picked my 4-speed up on CL for $125. Bought a new shifter install kit for another 4spd I had, ~$125 for that (rods, selector arms, shifter bracket), got a used/rebuilt Hurst shifter off eBay for $100, so you could figure about $225-$250 for a good/rebuilt shifter & new install kit. If it's a driver the Saginaw should hold up fine. I got one with a 3-ring input shaft, which has a similar gear spread to a 2004R, you just need highway gears (2.29-3.08 depending on tire height), same can be done with a T-10, but they cost more on average. The least you'll pay for a decent T-10 trans is probably between $350 and $500, but they're stronger than a Saginaw.
This may be of help when you find a trans. Shifter body will be the same, but you'll need a different install kit, and may have to do a little modification to the floor.
http://www.maliburacing.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=89587