Has a Manual to Automatic swap ever been done? 

"My citroen won't start" (lucasboechat) 09/17/2015 at 16:20 • Filed to: None

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I’m curious (baring disability adaptations of course)

crowmolly > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:22

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Thousands of times.

See: TH400, PG

My citroen won't start > crowmolly 09/17/2015 at 16:24

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From the googles I assume something related to cornerless racing?

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:26

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It is rare, but it does occur. I remember at least one manual to SMG swap in an e46 for someone that was missing a foot.

EL_ULY > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:29

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old pick up truck restorations/restomods are where i’ve seen it done

Cherry_man1 > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:29

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Old Muscle cars do it a lot of times.

crowmolly > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:31

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Yes, kind of.

For a while an automatic was the only way for a hobbyist to handle big power in a muscle car (with a few exceptions).

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:31

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If you want to count virtually all Deuce hot rods ever, then yes.

My citroen won't start > EL_ULY 09/17/2015 at 16:32

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Oh, I had no idea, apparently this is a trend amongst old muscle cars. Why do they do it?

My citroen won't start > Cherry_man1 09/17/2015 at 16:32

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Huh, interdasting, why?

My citroen won't start > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP 09/17/2015 at 16:33

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I’ve seen it done for people with some sort of disability too, put people do it in old muscle cars apparently.

My citroen won't start > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 09/17/2015 at 16:33

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Huh, I had no idea this was a thing, why do they do it?

DoYouEvenShift > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:34

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Porsche has mastered that swap recently.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:36

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Probaly, though since most entusiasts prefer manual and usually it's only enthusiasts doing tranny swaps, it wouldn't be quite so common as the other way around.

Master Cylinder > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:36

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I think it’s relatively common in the drag racing world. Despite the benefits of a manual, one thing automatics have always had over human-operated gearboxes is consistency, and basically any modern auto is also faster to shift, especially with modified valve bodies and shift kits. These are considered Good Things for drag racers.

Wacko > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:39

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old men so used to automatics, Easier to drive. And If i’m not mistaken quicker shifts, and 0-60 times. ssince you can’t blame you’re self for bad shifts.

lone_liberal > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:39

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Makes the engine swap easier. No worries about clutch linkages and such.

crowmolly > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:42

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When you put a “modern” drivetrain like an SBC 350/TH350 into a ‘20s-’50s car (etc) a manual trans is much harder to do. Sometimes there’s no room in the tunnel, sometimes there’s no place to pull a shifter through, no easy way to do a clutch pedal, etc. An auto is just a cable and a smile.

Cherry_man1 > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:42

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Well, Drag racing, Old people with bad hips, the Ford C6 is bullitt proof. 4R70W is amazing for muscle car gas millage.

KnowsAboutCars > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:44

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One of the two Huron 4A’s was converted from manual to CVT by DAF.

(And as many people have said already it’s not rare at all amongst vintage American car crowd.)

My citroen won't start > Cherry_man1 09/17/2015 at 16:46

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This is genuinely interesting, I had no idea this was part of Muscle car culture.

My citroen won't start > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 09/17/2015 at 16:47

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Apparently really popular with old Muscle Cars.

My citroen won't start > crowmolly 09/17/2015 at 16:48

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I learned many things today! This is car culture I had no idea was a thing, thanks!

My citroen won't start > Master Cylinder 09/17/2015 at 16:48

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Huh, it makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

Cherry_man1 > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:49

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Ya, most people keep the old trans unless it’s not Numbers Matching. Old clutches can be odd as well either sledge hammer you need to engage them or they are butter.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:49

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The Model 18 series Fords came from the factory with a 3.6L flathead V8 and a cast-iron case three-speed stick, and the most popular drop-in is a small-block Chevy (5.0-5.7L) and a TH350 or similar transmission. Mostly due to ease - the shifter mounts anywhere, leaving the mounts and radiator/etc. the only things to worry about, and all the parts for fitting it are readily available, pre-made.

EL_ULY > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:54

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They run smoother with the newer crate engines they put in them. Better for cruising

crowmolly > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 16:55

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Well, hold on...

It’s still the way to go for drag racing, as an auto is typically softer on the hit, more consistent, faster shifting, and very tuneable. You are also not getting 1500 or so HP behind a manual (in just about every case).

However, times have changed a little:

Since, say, the T56 and hydraulic clutches came about things are a bit different. All it takes to get a 600 lb-ft/700 lb-ft rated trans in your car is a credit card and an afternoon. So if you want to build a 600hp Chevelle and go beat on it without worry it’s easily doable. That used to require an M22 and a stiff mechanical clutch. If you are building a ‘32 hot rod you can run a hydraulic clutch. Internal rail shifters also clean up a lot of the issues that muscle car guys had with linkage. Nothing is worse than:

Hard launch in 1st! FUCK YEAH!

Powershift 2nd! FUCK YEAH!

Powershift 3rd! FUCK YE...OHH SHIT SHIT SHIT THAT’S 1st!

Dusty Ventures > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 17:00

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Just to clarify on the talk of automatics being swapped into drag cars and muscle cars: they’re automatics, yes, with torque converters and all that, but they’re still shifted manually with a lever. I have one in my desert truck, attached to a gate shifter. Shift pattern is P-R-N-1-2-3. In the numbered gears the transmission will only ever be in that gear. If you’re in 1 pinging off the redline it will never switch to 2. If you’re in 3 and barely touching 800 RPM it won’t shift down to 2. Gear selection is fully determined by the driver, just without a clutch.

ETA: this is what a gate shifter like mine looks like

boxrocket > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 17:06

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Yes.

Wheeler Dealers had a recent episode where Edd China pit an column-shift automatic in a Ford F-1 pickup which had a rough four-on-the-floor.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 17:07

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for a drag car there comes a point where a clutch simply cannot handle the torque, additionally, it gives them more repeatable launches and shifts. since a torque converter on an automatic has no physical connection to the transmission, it can handle quite a bit more power while protecting the driveline from undue shocks.

AFAIK, all the really stupid-fast Supras have been converted to automatic, and the auto record is almost 2 sec faster than the manual record.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Dusty Ventures 09/17/2015 at 17:34

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this needs to be a thing in all cars IMO. minus the automatic crawl at lights

Danger Ranger XLT > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 17:37

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Dodge Vipers for women, or so the ads claimed.

I’m not being sexist, but the classified ads I used to see for auto-swapped Vipers were borderline. This would’ve been ~15 years ago, so sadly no proof, but I recall more than one ad saying things like “1997 Dodge Viper, profesionally swapped automatic for the wifey, selling due to loss of interest”

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 19:25

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Iirc in the last season of wheeler dealers when they did the old ford truck they swapped the 3 on the tree for a 5 speed auto

bryan40oop > Dusty Ventures 09/17/2015 at 21:20

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Could of just said “manual valve body”

XJDano > My citroen won't start 09/17/2015 at 23:17

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A guy I used to know swapped a wrangler manual trans for a Cherokee auto AW4. Reason being bad knees & the AW4 is able to be wired to do a lock out of 1st gear since it was a PRND3(2-1). Apparently it was kind of a pain because the AW4 is longer that the wrangler autos, so stack on a t-case and it was really close to the differential & needed a custom shorter driveshaft.

Dusty Ventures > bryan40oop 09/18/2015 at 12:03

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True, but I’ve found a lot of people, even car people, don’t know what that means.

bryan40oop > Dusty Ventures 09/18/2015 at 13:38

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True