Directions for C4 to Manual Transmission Swap

Disconnect battery.
Drain radiator & remove transmission lines, remove radiator hoses & radiator.
Remove top bellhousing bolts.
Disconnect the vacuum line that runs from the intake to the transmission modulator valve, plug at intake.
Raise car at least 1 foot all around.
Make sure you've got it where it won't roll or move. I don't trust jack stands, I used old rims & 4x4 blocks of wood for the rear wheels.
Remove the front wheels & use concrete blocks under the frame.
Remove exhaust at the donut gaskets & swing out of the way if possible or remove completely.
Remove driveshaft; release parking brake cables & brackets.
Remove starter, and then remove all the torque converter nuts (4).
Finish removing the remaining bellhousing bolts.
Disconnect the shifter rod from transmission.
Use a floor jack to support the transmission under the pan.
Remove the transmission brace.
Loosen the transmission from the engine by moving it side to side, then lower & remove from under car.
Remove driver seat, dash bezel, shifter, and steering wheel & drop steering support bracket right under dash.
Unbolt master cylinder & carefully move it aside to make it easier to get to the bolts holding the brake pedal bracket.
Remove the two remaining bolts at master cylinder then the 2 small screws that holds the brake pedal bracket.
Take the brake pedal apart from bracket & remove the brake light switch (carefully), then remove brake bracket thru the dash.
Be very careful with the brake light switch! You don't want to break it.
Remove flywheel. (Took to parts store & had it faced/cleaned up.)
Putting it back together!

Install pilot bearing. First check to make sure the pilot bearing will go on the input shaft of the transmission.
A bit of white grease will help it go in better. Find a socket that's bigger than the pilot bearing inner hole & tap "lightly"
until it's in the crankshaft.
The automatic bellhousing & flywheel or spacer between engine & bellhousing will NOT work.
Now put the flywheel on. Torque to 75-85 lbs. Add a little sealer to the bolt threads.
Now you can install the clutch & pressure plate using the clutch alignment tool.
Installing the transmission is next. Two people will make this job a lot easier!
Put the trans on a jack so it's fairly level. Raise the trans till its level with the engine & the input shaft is right at the opening of the pressure plate.
Move the trans into the pressure plate. Now the trans will probably stop about ½ inch short of the engine.
This means that the input shaft isn't in the pilot bearing. Now for the fun.
Wiggle, twist, move in & out till it goes completely in. This might take some time to do.
*Warning: If you put a bolt in the bellhousing & try to make it go you might bust the bellhousing. So be very careful here.
I did it, but I was careful to notice if the bellhousing was moving closer when I tightened the bolts (one on each side).
It's time for a beer break after this! You deserve it.
Install the starter & hook the cable back up. Making sure the battery is still disconnected.
If you removed the aftermarket headers now is the time to re-install them.
Bolt up the Z-bar brackets on the engine & frame. This step is kinda hard because of the steering column.
I was able to use the old speedometer cable by putting it over the transmission. Re-install this now.
Replace the driveshaft, leave the parking brake loose for now, until you bolt the trans support back up.
My car was a 200 six cylinder to start with. The gas line was run up beside the transmission by the master cylinder.
But now with the V8 & headers I was a little worried that the gas line might get too hot.
So I unhooked the clamps & drilled a 3/8's hole thru the driver side fender well.
Re-routed the gas line into the fender well & sprayed with undercoating.
You'll never see it if you didn't know it was there J Remember, this is a daily driver. Little things like that are ok.
Inside the car
Take the pedals apart, and then put the pedal support bracket thru the now empty dash. The pedal goes on under the dash.
Put the pedal on the bracket & pull the bracket to the front of the dash. Then you can easily replace the big spring.
Put the master cylinder back on by bolting it to the pedal bracket under the hood, and then put the other 2 bolts in the bracket.
Replace the brake pedal & brake light switch,
CAREFUL. Make sure the brake rod is inside the master cylinder! Don't forget to put the small steering wheel column spacer back on.
Leave the steering wheel & seat out for now. To make sure you're finished under the dash.
After you think you're finished under the dash hook the battery up & check all the switches, lights etc.
All that work under the dash might have pulled a wire loose.
When you're through checking the gauges, lights etc then you can put the seat & steering wheel back.
Currently I still need to put a spring on the clutch pedal for its return.
Shifter I put a new Hurst shifter on my 4 speed. Follow the instruction to the "T". If you do it goes in pretty easy.
I left the transmission hanging down a bit to help with the installation.
After the shifter is in I raised the trans & put the trans brace on. The automatic brace will fit. Hook the parking brake back up.
I hope I didn't forget anything! If I did let me know.
Ronnie Knight
Cruzer