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Ls conversion with columshift auto


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#1 _ScottyLX_

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Posted 25 July 2015 - 09:33 PM

Hey can this be done ?

I have an lx i want to keep bench seat and columshift. But i want to convert from 6 to an ls v8 injected.

Any idea on how i go about this ?

#2 Bigfella237

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Posted 25 July 2015 - 09:55 PM

Anything can be done if you have enough time, money and skills available! :P

 

I can't remember which side of the 6L80E the shifter is on (the wrong side I think) but either way I'd be thinking about a cable-shift conversion?

 

The biggest issue that comes to mind will be the extra clearance needed for the lever sticking out the side of the column, most of the time it's a question of millimetres clearance to the headers without a bloody great lever sticking out?

 

Maybe you could modify the column to have that inside the car and just run the cable across under the dash and through the tunnel adjacent to the shift lever on the trans?

 

Another thing is the size of the tunnel, which will almost certainly need to be enlarged, may give you problems with the seat adjusted all the way forward?

 

You have a few unique challenges ahead of you but compared to the rest of the conversion, I wouldn't rate retaining the column shift as being the most difficult of them.

 

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#3 _ScottyLX_

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Posted 25 July 2015 - 10:22 PM

Thanks big fella how about keeping the trimatic 3sp and using an adapter?

#4 Bigfella237

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Posted 25 July 2015 - 10:37 PM

Except that the shift lever may now end up on the driver's side of the trans (and the tunnel won't need enlarging), it doesn't help with the column clearance.

 

I'm not saying you couldn't make a set of custom LS headers to clear the column shift linkage but you'd certainly have your work cut out for you. As I'm sure you're aware, most people have to shorten their column and/or move it over and replace/move steering uni joints just to fit the pipes through.

 

I can't see a problem otherwise, just with header clearance.



#5 _74LH_

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Posted 26 July 2015 - 10:56 PM

Thanks big fella how about keeping the trimatic 3sp and using an adapter?


I'm no expert on the trimatics, but I'm doing a 6 to 8 (308) conversion into my LH at the moment and keeping the column shift and bench seats.
Now the 6cyl trimatic probably won't hold up to any v8 so give up on that...now how much power the v8 trimatics can handle is a different question, I spent $1200 rebuilding mine to be able to handle a mild 308 reliably, some may say it's overkill but I like peace of mind, if I was to work my engine to say a 355 stroker and go to town on it, then Ive been led to believe I'd have no choice but to look at t350/400. Now an LS is obviously more powerful than a standard 308 (something like 350-400hp at the flywheel depending on model/age/condition?) so from memory that would be right on the limit of a massively modified trimatic, if it's even possible at all...can anyone confirm this or have I been led astray by trimatic haters out there? Has anyone bolted a trimatic behind an LS before?

#6 dattoman

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 12:51 AM

You could still use a 4L60/5 trans with the LS

Either an old cable style or an electronic

If your handy on the tools you'll make it work



#7 _JChantrey_

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 09:49 AM

T700? 350/400?



#8 _imj411_

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 10:03 AM

I think people just like to talk shit. Picture this. A VL turbo doing 8 second passes using a transbrake to get it to hold to it builds to full boost before launching using a trimatic. There is heaps of VL's running trimatic conversions as standard they came out with a jatco, cheers Aaron.

I think people just like to talk shit. Picture this. A VL turbo doing 8 second passes using a transbrake to get it to hold to it builds to full boost before launching using a trimatic. There is heaps of VL's running trimatic conversions as standard they came out with a jatco, cheers Aaron.

#9 _74LH_

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 12:10 PM

I think people just like to talk shit. Picture this. A VL turbo doing 8 second passes using a transbrake to get it to hold to it builds to full boost before launching using a trimatic. There is heaps of VL's running trimatic conversions as standard they came out with a jatco, cheers Aaron.


Yeah I'm dubious about trimatic hate, I just don't know what the limit with them is.
Perhaps it's an issue to do with value for money? Maybe you get better results for less money with other transmission choices and that's why people hate on the trimatic.
However because I wanted to go with keeping the column shift (and keep everything easier) I also went with the Trimatic because everything else was left hand shift and trying to get that set up and neat would be a massive pain

#10 yel327

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 12:39 PM

It isn't hard to get a trimatic column to operate a 4L60/4L60E or 4L65E. There was a HZ build thread I had that a guy did this years ago, his name was Brett Ferguson. It was a fabricated thing but pretty straight forward.

 

HQ-WB also were standard with column shift TH400 and TH350 so you could use one of these behind the LS with the crossover off one of these Holdens in an LH-LX.

 

In either case you'll probably have clearance issues with the LS headers as previously mentioned.

 

A far simpler conversion would be a manual pattern 308 with a RH shift trimatic and simply put the top end and cam off an injected 304 onto it.

 

Another solution for the LS and 4L60/65 box would would be to keep the bench seat and put a little B&M shifter on the tunnel or even a original HQ-HZ TH400 T-bar shifter but leave off the indicator (console bit) - just put a little vinyl boot over it and use a small digital trans gear indicator up on the dash. 



#11 _74LH_

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 12:50 PM

It isn't hard to get a trimatic column to operate a 4L60/4L60E or 4L65E. There was a HZ build thread I had that a guy did this years ago, his name was Brett Ferguson. It was a fabricated thing but pretty straight forward.

HQ-WB also were standard with column shift TH400 and TH350 so you could use one of these behind the LS with the crossover off one of these Holdens in an LH-LX.

In either case you'll probably have clearance issues with the LS headers as previously mentioned.

A far simpler conversion would be a manual pattern 308 with a RH shift trimatic and simply put the top end and cam off an injected 304 onto it.

Another solution for the LS and 4L60/65 box would would be to keep the bench seat and put a little B&M shifter on the tunnel or even a original HQ-HZ TH400 T-bar shifter but leave off the indicator (console bit) - just put a little vinyl boot over it and use a small digital trans gear indicator up on the dash.


I didn't know the column shift HQ-WB were turbo boxes, I thought it was a trimatic option only...the more you know!

I'll look for that guys built thread (unless you know where it is?) Be interesting to see how he set that up. Would the HZ have more room to accommodate the box and selector than a LH/LX?

#12 Bigfella237

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 01:51 PM

Don't be a sheep, throw a Mopar Torqueflite in it!

 

They're the transmission equivalent of a fraud 9" diff and some models had a secondary pump driven off the output shaft making them able to be push-started!



#13 _74LH_

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 03:54 PM

Don't be a sheep, throw a Mopar Torqueflite in it!

They're the transmission equivalent of a fraud 9" diff and some models had a secondary pump driven off the output shaft making them able to be push-started!


Ah yes the torqueflite...are they able to be hooked up for a column shift?

#14 yel327

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 04:15 PM

I didn't know the column shift HQ-WB were turbo boxes, I thought it was a trimatic option only...the more you know!

I'll look for that guys built thread (unless you know where it is?) Be interesting to see how he set that up. Would the HZ have more room to accommodate the box and selector than a LH/LX?

 

It is actually only HQ-HZ that had TH boxes column shift. It was how they came standard unless console shift was the standard fitment (Sandman, GTS, LE, SLE or Caprice). WB only ever got column shift with 308 after trimatic was standard behind 308 (late 1981).

 

Column shift auto V8 always had issues with extractor clearance.

 

I just looked in the web archive for Brett's page but only the text is there, pictures aren't there.



#15 _74LH_

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Posted 27 July 2015 - 04:42 PM

It is actually only HQ-HZ that had TH boxes column shift. It was how they came standard unless console shift was the standard fitment (Sandman, GTS, LE, SLE or Caprice). WB only ever got column shift with 308 after trimatic was standard behind 308 (late 1981).

Column shift auto V8 always had issues with extractor clearance.

I just looked in the web archive for Brett's page but only the text is there, pictures aren't there.


Well shit, no one told me! Oh well, trimatic will do for me anyway, only being a mild 308.

HOWEVER, to bring it back to the OPs original dilemma, will a TH column shift auto be suitable behind an LS? I'd be inclined to say yes, but modifications will be required....

Haha yeah I've been told all about extractor clearance issues, I'm running pacemaker tri-y's and from the mock ups it looks like only small modifications needed to fit them up.

#16 _CustomEHWagon_

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Posted 09 September 2015 - 09:08 AM

Have you thought about using a T700? you will still have clearance issues but will gain an over drive! some model VS commodores (more common in the Ute than any thing else) had column shift and bench seat!



#17 _LS1 Hatch_

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Posted 09 September 2015 - 09:49 AM

Instead of a 700, why not just the 4L60E that comes behind an LS1 ?  All the harness will just plug in, the computer will run it, etc.  Then just make up a cable convertion perhaps for the shifter from the column down to the box. Just have to watch the exhaust and what not...

 

Oh and your column won't have the notch for another gear (3 vs 4) but suppose you could either puill the column apart and try to modify it or just leave it so D is 4th gear and not worry about manually shifting into 1st. 


Edited by LS1 Hatch, 09 September 2015 - 09:50 AM.


#18 UCgazman

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Posted 09 September 2015 - 01:11 PM

Cant hold a 4l60e in first gear anyway...



#19 _LS1 Hatch_

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Posted 09 September 2015 - 01:20 PM

Wasn't sure as I haven't had a 4L60E in ages...



#20 ben23

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Posted 10 May 2017 - 10:43 AM

The gate is easily modified on the column as it's just an external bit of plate with notches cut into it at the lower column. Also with the cable it needs to be attached further down the lever (towards the centre of the column so if you cut the excess off (where the original trunnion and lever bolt to) you probably wouldn't have a problem with clearance. Otherwise all that's needed is to weld a L bracket onto the column to mount the outer cable.

#21 ozyozyozy

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Posted 10 May 2017 - 08:39 PM

Yyyeeesss, be awesome as a cruise car, column shift




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