Puke

Just looking for some opinions here.

I bought my truck while living in Los Angeles and the last thing that you want in that kind of traffic is a manual tranny, so it's an automatic.
I'm now in Salt Lake and wished I had a manual.
My problem is, even if I could find someone to trade me (even if I paid extra to do it) across, I do not have a 53 block, I have an '03 VP with all 38 revisions (or however many there were), and I service my truck religously.

Does anybody think I could ever find anyone to trade me their 24V manual, for my 24V auto? (I'm more afraid of someone trying to unload something with a 53 block, or other problems).

Just a thought. I'm a little to old and lacking of energy to ever try to switch trannys out. That's for the young guys.

I was always of the opinion that the older a truck got, the more desireable a standard tranny is. When I was younger I used to go to the auto auctions with my neighbor, and any older truck with a stick always went for more than one with an auto. But it was the opposite with newer trucks.

dozer12216

Unjustly paroniod about 53 block after milage accumulation.
Don't have to replace engines to get your manual trans.
Bunch of steering column, pedals, some wiring, floor covering and more.
Why don't you trade trucks. You could perhaps change vehicles for 2 maybe three thousand and get better one in the process.

Puke

That's what I was hoping. But I'm worried about changing trucks for a couple thou...and getting a worse truck instead.

I guess it's a chance you either take...or don't take,

dozer12216

It's called checking it out carefully. If can get former owner to tell that helps. Insist on having it inspected by third party if not qualified. Don't fall for you got to buy it now. There is another one for sale nearby. My family has had great success buying out of texas from dealers.

Southern Pride

Puke, i just picked up a 5spd w/ a little over 80,000 miles on it and got everything for the swap for 2300, wouldve been 2000, but i didnt have a core so had to pay the core charge. i bought a new clutch for 300 and got fly wheel resurfaced for 60, and had to get new input bearing and gear for the t-case 250 (w/ overnight fee) so im up to $2910 now. not to bad i think. im in the marine corps so i dont get home till later in the evening, but should have eveyrthing bolted back up by this weekend, knock on wood. everything pretty much just bolts back in place. so far its been pretty straight forward. i dont know how much you wanna pay, but i live in NC for now. im from texas and could've gotten everything for a few hundred cheaper back there though. i have the name and number of the guy i got my stuff from here if you want,i can pm it to you and see if theyll ship it out.
jimmy

Puke

I don't have the energy to do that kind of thing anymore. Not young, ..you are stil lucky you have that kind of energy.
I'd like to find someone I could pay to do it.But don't even have a circle of friends here yet (moved to Salt Lake City).

If you took pictures as you go, folks on this site would love you for it. I haven't had a tranny it in about 22 or 23 years, and probably would forget some stuff. I'm sure others are the same. Maybe I'll start looking for a tranny from a wrecked truck, and then start looking for someone to do it for me.

I guess I'd also end up with an automatic trans. for sale. And I think they are pretty pricey as well. Not sure.

jungle cat

i had an auto,got rid of it.hard to stop,less fuel econ.less power.way better with a standard

hipsi

What does one do with the column shifter after a manual swap LOL

jrs_dodge_diesel

A souvenir ?

Busboy

Convert it to "5 on the tree"

Southern Pride

i think im gonna leaved the shifter on the column just to confuse people and puke, yeah, i though about taking pictures after i tore everything out. i think im gonna take some of what it looks like now, and then the install. it was pretty straightforward doing the dissassembly, kinda went slow and in between getting 4 years of mud falling on my mouth, ears, and eyes, i thought to myself "huh, i should have washed the underside". me being the hurry up and do it person and not think about what your doing, im at a stand still now. i was told that the flex plate bolts would work bolting up the fly wheel. WRONG. and i had to order those, flexplate, and tranny bolts from dodge. should be in tomorrow. so from there should be somewhat smooth sailing, i hope

hipsi

So how does one rig up the clutch in the cab?

Southern Pride

the clutch: there is a bolt that holds the brake pedal in. it has two clamps holding it in place, one on each end of the bolt. you have to take off the clip thats on the driver side, wich is pretty easy, i just used a flat head screw driver, then push bolt towards passenger side, but before that, you need to loosen the bolt that holds the brake rod that connects from the pedal to the master cylinder. one nut and its off. there is a rubber grommet just to the left of the brake pedal. pull it off and slide the clutch master cylinder in. it bolts right up real easy like. when putting the bolt back in with the pedals on, it can be a little tricky lineing up the holes. putting that little c-clip back on the bolt was a little pain in the butt. it took 3 beers, several cuss words and a flat head screwdriver.

then attach the clutch rod to the clutch pedal and brake rod to the brake pedal. and all done. hope that helps