Hi all, I have a 1980 ke55 auto, and am changing it to a ke55 5-speed manual.

I started the conversion today but when I went to bolt in the 5-speed, the shifter and gearbox crossmember didn't line up. :lmao:

So I am just wondering is it as simple as changing it to the ke70 5-speed extension housing which has the shifter in the further back position. This should hopefully line up the gearstick with the original selector hole, but do I need a ke70 5-speed rear crossmember, as I currently have a ke55 manual crossmember and it won't line up with the mounting holes in the floor.

Remember this ke55 was a auto. Please any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Mark. :P :P

In one simple quick answer

no

In a long and slow answer

The '55 didn't have both mounts for the 'boxes - it was auto only or manual only. Which means that since your '55 is an auto you'll only have the mounts for the auto and not the manual, which sit back a bit.

There's another thread around from a couple of months back on the same thing and one of the guys posts that he just welded the cross-member for the manual to the auto cross-member and it all matched up. I think he also said that he had some pictures of it in his rides thread as well...

i recently put a 3spd auto into what was a 4spd manual ke55.

 

i was able to put the auto box in using the manual crossmember. however, i had to make holes for the gearbox mount to bolt up to the crossmember.

 

i'll have a look tonite to be certain, but fairly sure the corssmember is mounted where it was for the manual.

My 30 was a 3k 3spd auto and is now a 4k 4spd. Ive had a look at the crossmember and it looks pretty crap. Id just get a manual crossmember. alot neater and looking at how my crossmember was modded it would be alot safer to get a manual crossmember.

Yeah I've already got a manual crossmember, but the floor in the ke55 auto's are different to a manual ke55. :yes:

I'll sought it out though, this won't stop me from putting in the 5-speed. :bash:

Thanks for your help guy's. :y:

If anything the Manual should have plenty of room because the trimatic would be a bit bigger than a K50. Mine hasnt had any tunnel mods as far as i know so you shoule be all good to slot it in.

KE30's are different. They apparently had multiple mounts. Either auto and manual, or K series and T series as they were made in Japland.

 

I do say try a whole KE70 box tho. It should come up though the auto shifter hole.

Trouble With Ke55 Manual Conversion, manual conversion

i done this to my ke55 ages ago before the v6 went in. if you put the auto cross member on and then place the manual cross member directly behind it youll notice that the bolts go in and it sits exactly against the auto one. therefore all you have to do is weld the auto cross member next to the manual one and kinda reinforce it so they don't come apart. i reinforced mine by welding plates at the bottom across both. let me know how you go?

Haven't been able to try it out at all

a custom or modified cross-member Will be needed.

The trimatic transmission, shifters are separate from the transmission, they are set up with linkages and can be mounted anywhere convenient for the manufacturer. I don't understand why more rolla owners don't use trimatics as its the same basic trans used behind a 308 v8 pulling around a 2.2 tonne statesman.

a custom or modified cross-member Will be needed.

The trimatic transmission, shifters are separate from the transmission, they are set up with linkages and can be mounted anywhere convenient for the manufacturer. I don't understand why more rolla owners don't use trimatics as its the same basic trans used behind a 308 v8 pulling around a 2.2 tonne statesman.

 

And they can be built to be *** tough. Drag racers prefer a 2spd over a 3spd due to a 3spd's 1st gear being a tad too low and the extra weight asscociated with another ratio. For me i prefer to choose my own shift points, manual all the way for me.

a custom or modified cross-member Will be needed.

The trimatic transmission, shifters are separate from the transmission, they are set up with linkages and can be mounted anywhere convenient for the manufacturer. I don't understand why more rolla owners don't use trimatics as its the same basic trans used behind a 308 v8 pulling around a 2.2 tonne statesman.

 

Because auto's blow. Full stop.

Because auto's blow. Full stop.

 

AMEN brother.

 

I had a triamtic. not too long ago. In a HJ wagon and it REALLY sucked the nut. first and possibly last auto i will own.

The one i have i've been thinking if i keep it in the car of manualizing the thing....

 

But anyway, before getting to far into it ke20rolla, try fitting up the manual 'box with its x-member and see if the auto x-member will work out. Especially before you start drilling new holes, making up new bits of steel what evers

a custom or modified cross-member Will be needed.

The trimatic transmission, shifters are separate from the transmission, they are set up with linkages and can be mounted anywhere convenient for the manufacturer. I don't understand why more rolla owners don't use trimatics as its the same basic trans used behind a 308 v8 pulling around a 2.2 tonne statesman.

 

Because for us it's stuck behind a weedy (relatively speaking) asthmatic 1.3L pushrod 4, or if we're lucky a weedy asthmatic 1.6L non-crossflow SOHC 4. For the most part, autos are cruisy gearboxes for big cruisy cars, with torque, something a 4K lacks in droves.