joes83z28

I just bought an 83 z28. It has a manual transmission and I was wondering how I could determine what kind it is. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Joe

rbjones

Is it a 5 speed?

joes83z28

No its a 4 speed. Not original to that car as far as I can tell.

TransAm12sec

You could get a 4 speed in 1983 according to a Haynes Firebird manual. It lists 76mm 4-speed, 77mm 4-speed, and 83mm 4-speed and 5-speed.

rbjones

OK--as mentioned above, there were 4 and 5 speeds available that year--I wasn't sure if a 4 speed was stilll available that year. Now you need to see if the shifter goes directly into the top of the tranny toward the rear (which would be an original factory 4 speed, not too strong) or if it has the older style shifter bolted to the outside of the tranny with exposed linkages on the driver's side. If the linkage is exposed you probably have a Muncie. Check it out.

joes83z28

It had the linkages exposed. The reason I'm wondering is because I want to get a new Hurst Competition Plus Shifter, and I need to know what kind of tranny it is for the moutning plate kit. The one on it has been butchered in its mounting.

Thanks for the help!

Air_Adam

Is it a steel or aluminum case?

rbjones

Yeah--as above, is it a cast iron or aluminum case? Also, if it's a 4 speed it'll have three linkage rods: a 1rst/2nd, a 3rd/4th, and a third one, shorter, for reverse. If it's a 3 speed it'll just have two linkage rods.
If I could figure out how to insert fotos in this site I'd take a picture of the Muncie M21 sitting here on the floor and you could see if it's the same. This Muncie here has a Hurst shifter on it, too, so you could see how it mounts to the tailshaft housing bolts.

joes83z28

I'll check tonight whether it's alum. or steel. It has the three linkages for a 4 speed. One of my more ignorant friends says that it's a saginaw, but considering that he's a ford fan, you never know! Thanks Guys

Joe

TransAm12sec

If the picture is saved on your computer, Click on Browse... button to the right of Attach file:, then find where the file is on your computer, and click ok.

rbjones

OK thanks--I tried that but I get a message that the file is too big. Maybe if I change the camera to a lower setting it will work.

rbjones

Look--I'm doing something wrong--can't get my foto to attach--and this is a nice M21 sitting here--rats.

TransAm12sec

go to the folder, or where ever it is saved on your computer, the right click(for a PC) or hold the button(for a mac) then click properties.

At the end of the file, does it say .jpg or .bmp or something else?

Or, you could sent it to me, lansch@milwpc.com

rbjones

TransAm12sec--thanks, you have a PM.

TransAm12sec

Here's the pic.

RB83L69

The pic is a Muncie. It's not out of a thirdgen. No Muncie is out of a thirdgen; at least not from the factory.

If your car is a 4-speed, it's either a Saginaw or a Warner (T-10). They are easy to tell apart. Look at the reverse shifter shaft. If it's in the extension housing, like the Muncie in the pic, it's a Warner. If it's in the case, up there by the 1-2 and 3-4 shifter shafts, it's a Saginaw. Also, T-10s are virtually all aluminum (except for the side cover, which is iron); there are all-iron ones, but they're so rare it's not worth considering the possibility. Saginaws are all cast iron.

rbjones

Thanks, TransAm12sec--I've got to figure out how to do that.
And RB83L69, is it true that you can tell if it's a wide ratio or close ratio Muncie by the rings on the input shaft?

RB83L69

Yes, it's true.

2 rings is the std wide ratio.... 2.62 1st gear, or thereabouts. No rings is the close ratio, 2.20 or so. I don't recall what the 1-ring kind is.

rbjones

Outstanding--thanks! Then this is a close ratio--came out of my '60 Austin Healey with a big journal 327, now has a T56. Poor Muncie close ratio 4 speed, now it just sits on the bedroom floor.
And thanks for your earlier help with the speedo gear setup on my T5--I tried to thank you including part #'s of the stuff you recommended but, again, it wouldn't send because I attached a foto of my Camaro--got to figure that out.