Finally found a 5speed for my sedan. Two of them actually. So now it's time to start the conversion to better highway speeds and fuel mileage!

 

I pulled the 1400 4speed out of my 73 coupe so I could get an idea of what I gotta modify to put the 5speed in my car.

Now quite a few differences. The 5speed has a bigger bell housing for the 1600 motor, this is not a problem since I'm already running a 1600, it just means I can use the correct bell housing now.

The 5 speed is decently longer than the 4speed but the mount sits in the same location so that's not a problem either.

The most interesting difference is the shifter mechanism.

As you can see the 4speed shifter clamps directly to the tail housing in a solid tube and all the linkages are inclosed.

This whole tube goes into a cavity in the floor of the car and is sealed with a rubber boot. It's actually a pretty good set up with only 2 pivot points to where out. Now I know why the shifter in my 74 is so tight.

The 4 speed shifter won't work at all on the 5 speed unfortunately. But I still had to take it apart to check it out.

 

Here's a nice exploded veiw of all the parts. You'll notice the electrical switch that goes inside the tube. I haven't confirmed it yet but I assume it has something to do with the back up lights.

So here's a little step by step of the reassembly.

First we put the switch back in the shift rod and hold it in place with the little screw, then secure the wire with the little rubber bands.

Then install the shift rod into the support tube and slide the shift arm pivot tube and dampener weight into the back side.

Then install the roll pin to hold it all together.

Now you can see the hole where the bottom of the shift lever will sit.

Finally insert the shift lever and secure it with the upper pivot bolt. All set to go.

Now that it's all set I'll stick it on a shelf to collect dust because I'm not useing it for this conversion.

I'm installing an ea81 with a 5sp fwd trans in my 77 coupe. Should be just as interesting as your swap.

Now to get to work on the 5speed.

This tranny only has 40k on it and the shifter seal already looked like it was leaking. So I'm gonna tear it apart and see if I can find new seals for it and check out the conditions of the internals.

 

When I first took off the tail shaft housing my heart sank.

It looked like water had been sitting in it and it was all rusty.

Looks scary. But it turns out that it was just discoloration of the gear oil. I was told it had been sitting on the shelf since 82 and it was full of gear oil. The gear oil was turning into a gel like substance but it wipes rite off and everything was nice and clean under it.

I tool most of these pics to help remind me how to put it back together.

The reverse idler.

Shift rods with all associated pins and spring.

So that pretty much leaves me with two empty case halves to get cleaned up.

More to come.

I'm installing an ea81 with a 5sp fwd trans in my 77 coupe. Should be just as interesting as your swap.

 

Ah yes. 77 I assume it has the same internal shifter mechanism?

Too bad you can't get an earlier model 5-speed, they have the rear housing that actually isn't so different in terms of shifting mechanism.

Too bad you can't get an earlier model 5-speed, they have the rear housing that actually isn't so different in terms of shifting mechanism.

 

Lol. I had a hard enough time finding these. God only knows where to find the 1400 5speeds.

That's why I begged Charlie to keep every 5 speed he had. I still think there's at least one early 5spd. there in his stash.

That's why I begged Charlie to keep every 5 speed he had. I still think there's at least one early 5spd. there in his stash.

 

Lol. We know how much luck I was haveing finding one of those.

There's 3 of them listed on car-part.com. http://www.car-part.com/

[url=http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi][/url]

There's 3 of them listed on car-part.com. http://www.car-part.com/

[url=http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi][/url]

 

I have heard about this. I found mine locally but I considered checking out the ones on car part, then I figured I already got a spare so I'll leave the other ones up for grabs.

Ah yes. 77 I assume it has the same internal shifter mechanism?

 

Nope! From around '76 even the four speed transmission had the changed shifter arrangement. Most likely because the earlier transmissions had a reputation (and least in the automotive press - if not in my experience) of jumping out of gear on rough roads.

Nope! From around '76 even the four speed transmission had the changed shifter arrangement. Most likely because the earlier transmissions had a reputation (and least in the automotive press - if not in my experience) of jumping out of gear on rough roads.

 

Really!? Brand new Subarus of that time period? I've never experienced that problem with my 74, but my 78 would do it occasionally.

Alright not to let anyone think this project has been abandoned or anything. Here's an update.

 

I had the halves cleaned up, I wanted them shiny new but after driving around with them in my trunk for two weeks I decided to just get them back together befor I lost anything. I also spent alot of time trying to find seals and bearing for it without alot of positive results. About the only things easily available were axle shaft seals and carrier bearings, since mostly everything looked fine anyway I just changed those and put it back together.

 

I was also working on this during my down time at work and as ussual we get really busy when I want a little down time, but then again I only make money if I'm working so busy is good. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to take a few more pics of the reassembly proccess.

 

 

But there it is all back together and ready to go in. I just gotta gather some shifter pieces for modifying the shifter set up and order a new clutch to put in. Oh and get this on the road so I have something else to drive for a day or two wile I do the conversion.

 

If we do Carlisle are you bringing the Brat too?

If we do Carlisle are you bringing the Brat too?

 

You know I'm gonna try.

I'll offer to drive it if you let me bring my old Ducati. :burnout:I'm going to throw it together even if its not running it'll look damn close enough. I'd want that bike with me when I sleep ,though.

All prettied up and ready to go in.

Matching bell housing.

So nice and clean!

 

Did you paint it or blast it?

So nice and clean!

 

Did you paint it or blast it?

 

 

Looks like paint to me.

Yeah just paint. Well see how well it holds up. I was gonna get it blasted but all my connections were having issues with there blasters and I got sick of waiting so that's as pretty as it's gonna get.

Well I was trying to wait to put this in untill I had my other motor ready to go in also.........but the motor may take awile still and I really want some better gearing to drive across the state next weekend so, here is some more info on the prodject.

So this was the easy part. Changed the bell housing and got the tranny in.

Now when I had the trannys on the ground next to each other it looked like the 5 speed had the tranny mount in just about the same spot as the 4 speed. The biggest deference was the mounts themselves.

As you can see the studs are way longer, and the rest of the dimensions are slightly larger also as well as the space between the studs. So first I opened up the holes on the crossmemeber.

But then I discovered that nothing lines up any where close to the 4 speed mount. The crossmember hits the back of the tranny and the tranny mounting braket. So I had to cut out the cross member to clear the tranny and modify the tranny mount braket to clear the crossmember.

 

Then I realized the transverse bar was gonna hit the lowest bolt on the tranny and I can't cut up the transverse bar. So I had to move the motor forward a 1/2 inch.

Here is where I drilled the motor mount braket.

After adjusting the pitch stop there was just enough room for everything to clear.

Yikes! Nice effort. I don't recall hearing about so much relocation work from Charlie or the guy or two from down under. But you are the man so rock n roll!