17 replies to this topic

[Bigfella237]

G'day Jason,

 

I wouldn't drill & tap myself, if the dowel pins were in the same spot between the two patterns then I'd say yes, but having to move the dowel pins half a hole as well can lead to trouble unless you dial-in the bellhousing again properly.

 

Adapter plates also have drawbacks, having everything spaced backward can lead to balance and alignment issues too.

 

An adapter bellhousing is definitely my choice, there are a few different companies that make them but one of the more common is "Dellow Conversions" in Sydney who have been making them since the 70's.. They're pretty common and quite often come up second-hand on gumtree / ebay / etc.

[Redslur]

Good advice above ^^

[yel327]

Just be careful which bellhousing you buy as some clutch mech setups mount off the bellhousing bolts using special bolts. Some of the aftermarket housings use longer bolts, also the bolts move for SBC pattern.

Full cable clutch can be a problem as there are no V8 UC clutch pedals do you have to modify a 6cyl or Starfire one.

There is a guy in Sydney who redrills the blocks for less than $300 but it is done off the crankshaft so it is hard from Perth.

[DMLC71]

It’s been tried many times the 4 speed conversion to Trimatic pattern

Success rate is very low

cheers 

Dazm

[yel327]

Have a look at this CRS bellhousing. They are a multi fit so suit TH or 4spd block. See how the the bottom bolts are far longer? Really screw up the standard Torana V8 and HX to mid 1978 HZ both with half cable, half rat-trap mechs. Works OK with HT-HJ or mid HZ-WB setups.

In a Torana might be worth investing in a hydraulic setup?

https://www.rodshop....ll-housing.html

https://www.rodshop....rsion-1340.html

Edited by yel327, 29 July 2020 - 06:53 PM.

[Ice]

It’s been tried many times the 4 speed conversion to Trimatic pattern
Success rate is very low
cheers 
Dazm

Not if you use the right parts

[dattoman]

CRS and Dellow will be your main culprits for a bellhousing to bolt straight up

There were some from Seton Engineering too... but I've never seen one

 

I just bought a bellhousing from Dellow for another project... $800 by the time it landed here in Perth

And that's just a bare housing... nothing with it

Should be here in a week or 2

 

I have this CRS bellhousing to put turbo block to aussie 4 speed

But its not the later style cable setup and has no fork etc...I was going to use a hydraulic system so didn't care

Shop it around and keep your eye out... one might pop up eventually

 

If you want to get it redrilled you'll have to strip the engine and take it to someone like Gardiner Engineering in Welshpool for him to do

 

 

 turbo to ausie.jpg   239.15K   1 downloads

 

 t to oz.jpg   126.08K   2 downloads

[Statler]

Place a WTB post on the torana / kingswood / commodore FB Groups & i'm sure you will find one. Plenty of guys with T-5's will have them gathering dust somewhere . lol 

 

Modifying a clutch pedal for cable is simple if you can weld . 
 

I don't think spacers & manuals mix . 

 

There is also 'Aussie 4-speeds' who were advertising their re-co services . Might be worth a call . 

 

Try and get the inspection cover with it if you can . 

[yel327]

Thanks everyone for your response. I will keep my eye out for bellhousing or possibly chase down a trimatic engine maybe

Doesn’t have to be Trimatic. Any manual HT through to VL 308/304 will do.

But if you can’t get the block redrilled locally, far better converting to a hydraulic clutch and just buy a Chev to Aussie 3/4spd bellhousing either new or used. I think GMH may have even made them, but not for local use. Some of the South African HK through to HX had Chev type 6cyl engines with Aussie 3spd, just not sure if they were 6cyl or V8 boxes. Chevrolet gearboxes like Saginaw, Muncie, T10 etc sit somewhere between Aussie 3/4spd input shaft lengths do not sure which way they went with them.

[Bigfella237]

I wouldn't go to the trouble of swapping blocks, and it's getting hard to find a decent 308 block these days.

 

How set are you on the Aussie 4 speed?

 

For the cost of the bellhousing (a brand new one anyway) you might find a whole T5 gearbox out of a VN-onward Commodore V8 that will bolt straight up to your TH block. You will still need to convert to a cable clutch, and maybe swap the extension housings if you don't want to cut the tunnel, but they would probably handle the same amount of abuse as an M21 (which isn't a lot really).

[bat 53]

fitting a t5 would mean lifting the tunnel a couple of inches