Goldhawg wrote:
I think I remember you saying that the 6 speed is an awesome way to go, but it requires tunnel work--but you thought it was worth it. Do you have a picture of the floorpan showing how much has to be cut out to get it to fit well? Since the shifter is in the right location, I'd love to see how much hacking to the other parts of the floor pan is necessary.
Not only tunnel work, but work to the X-member as well!
The 6-speed has a slightly larger bell housing and the right side of the transmission is wider than a standard 5-speed. On Mike's roadster the x-frame was modified extensively, to the point where we had to reinforce the outside edges of the X.
Since James' car was previously modified for the ultra-wide SR20DET automatic transmission, it was an easy fit.
To fit a 6-speed it would probably just be faster to rebuild the front two-legs of the X to give a little more room to clear the transmission rather than do all the little modifications to the X frame to clear the gear box.
Here are a few photos:
This is the automatic transmission, but it shows the modified front legs of the X-member.
The top and bottom of the X-member were plated to reinforce them...
This shot shows the 6-speed sitting in the frame. Click to enlarge!
As you may or may not know, the transmission tunnel is not symmetrical and it is much narrower on the passenger side. As the 6-speed is much larger, the side of the transmission tunnel needs to be modified to provide clearance.
Here is a shot of the side of the transmission tunnel removed from the body:
And the new replaced section:
With the carpet and sound deadening installed, you can't tell that the tunnel had been modified.
Lots of work! Just another day at the office...
Michael
