FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

Here is a conversion I did to retain the bench seat in my FC. I love my bench seat and it wasn't going anywhere. I modified the shifter mounts to move it forward, and is in a very comfortable position. I originally saw this conversion in a 'how to' in an early issue of Custom Rodder. Colin Allsopp had done this conversion to his FE and allowed me to make a copy of what he did. I have pics to easily explain what was needed.

These are the brackets that we made. On top are the shortened linkages. The bracket on the left bolts to the original shifter bolt holes and features a riser for the rear shifter mount. The bracket on the right is shaped to the contour of the top of the box and bolts directly to the box. It features a right angle that allows the front two bolts of the shifter to bolt up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv07.jpg)

Here are the brackets bolted in place. Make sure the height of the rear riser and front mount are level and there is enough room below to put the nuts on the front bolts. The rear riser has a nut welded inside. It is made of hollow tube with a nut welded to a washer which is welded to the tube. (about 1" high). You can see how these bolt up using existing bolts.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv05.jpg)

This pic shows the standard shifter bolted into place. The linkages need to be shortened.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv06.jpg)

Right side of box showing stock shifter mount and linkages.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv03.jpg)

Right side of box showing modified shifter position and shortened linkages.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv04.jpg)

Left side of box showing stock shifter mount and reverse linkage.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv01.jpg)

Left side of box showing modified shifter mount and shortened reverse linkage. Note that the shifter now mounts ahead of the reverse bracket, resulting in a Push-Pull action as opposed to the stock Pull-Push action.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv02.jpg)

I hope the pictures tell the story, and the description is not too confusing. I don't have exact measurements, as the box is in my car, so don't ask. Lol. I only needed to cut a hole in the floor for the shifter and I made a bubble section to cover the linkages. I used the curved shifter from a one tonner box.
Regards
Alex

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv08.jpg)

Cool 8) stuff alex il keep this in mind when i decide to put a floor shift in my  old girl when i get it  thats  a briliant idea alex  jolly good show mate   the pics explained it well and  all cheers mate .keith

Alex, I know you are keen mate but is that gearbox sitting on your pillow?
regards Gary

Hi Alex,
   :D
Thats a top set up Alex (very professional), ;) you wouldn't happen to have a template of the mounting brackets that you might pass on.
I'm in the same opinion as you, i fitted a trimatic gear box to my FC so that I could keep the bench seat, but i would prefer the 4 speed.
I also have a lay back seat that i will recover in the near future and I was going to modify the front of the seat (cut a "U" shape out at the front) so that i could fit the manual box   ;D
But not now thanks to your achievement.  :) :)

Regards,
Steve

gidday alex

did you have to use the one tonner stick with the conversion or was the standard shifter good enough?

did you have to weld in a new hump or is there a way of getting around this?

do you have any inside shots to help?

job looks very proffesional and is exactly what i am wanting to do myself. thanks for the photos they will help.

denis

It just goes to show when Liam raised this subject about a month ago - that nothing is impossible. ;D
However as I have said a dozen times before, this is not the stuff for the faint hearted.  :-X
A considerable amount of skill, trialling, making & remaking, head scratching and frustration went into making what in the end looks so easy. :D
Believe me its not!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ???
A lot of people modifying FE's and FC's just think you bolt something up and a few little adjustments here and there and presto - its done. ;D
Yes you can fit an Aussie 4 speed in an FC with a bench seat and you can fit a Trimatic behind a grey motor and you can put a V6 in the engine bay. 8)
BUT DONT EXPECT THAT IT WILL BE EASY  :-[ :-[
The benefit of car clubs is that you dont have to do everything yourself once you find someone who has done the same swap that you want to do - they are often only too willing to help.

Ken

KEN,

Well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I for one was getting a bold spot from scatching my head at times, or is the bold spot showing my age any- rate, because of this forum and the good people who pass on information and ideas is the main reason my car is on the road today and driven everyday.   ;)

Steve

Hi Denis.
You don't have to use the one tonner stick, I did because I like the way it curves back, in my opinion placing the shift knob in a more comfortable position. I toyed with the idea of making a straight shifter about 3 feet long with a skull on the end. (Hey, I drive a Custom) Practicality won out.
Here is the only pic I have of the inside. I cut out more than was needed and welded some back in.
(http://photo.starblvd.net/customfc/4-4-4.jpg?i=1022951498&pw=*70D3CF4E0C2)
The box fits under the floor with minor mods to the floor inspection plate. Using a hammer, I knocked  2 dings inward where the bolts of the gearbox are for clearance. The linkages do not fit under, I made a "bubble" in the right side of the floor to give them enough clearance. The section of floor in the middle of the box now continues flat over the linkages and then down to the floor beside them. The hole for the shifter is fairly large as the shifter now sits higher. (above the floor line) I naturally reinforced around it with extra plates. You can see the new riser for the rear shifter bolt protruding from under the floor. I made a new much smaller inspection plate at the top of the original opening to allow access to the top bellhousing bolts. I then welded in the remaining inspection plate.
Any gearbox mod of this type will need some additional work. This includes cutting the under floor box section and plating it off. Making a new handbrake set up.  Dellow adapter for slave cylinder. New hose from master cylinder. Speedo cable, just to name the major ones.
Hope this helps. Email me for more info. customfc@rodrun.com
Ken is right about the work, it always looks easier. Give it a go, just don't expect things to bolt up, they never do. Tackle each problem as they come up and seek help when required.
Regards
Alex

good on ya alex, you sir are a champion

sounds like a lot of work with the floor. i remember ken advising some time ago re an ek auto hump [which can be bought new from rod hadfield] do you think this might be a better option for a novice welder or would the custom job be worth the work?

good news about the shifter as i have a standard one.


denis

ps:loved the photos in the racing string

The EK floor will work I think. This will give you more tunnel than you need. If you are a novice welder,.........you are just like ME! Try it, if it don't work, go buy the EK floor and cut and weld it in. (http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/otn/violent/greenchainsaw.gif)
What have you got to lose.
Regards

Alex  -  fantastic

Not only did you do it, you remembered to take photos to show other's how.  Something we all need to remember to do for projects of this nature.

Bump for Phantom
Regards
Alex

Alex
Was it you I redrew this for.

Cheers
Sarge

Sarge

If you are talking the CAD stuff.  It was based of my drawings based off alex's post.  I always planned to draw up the rods needed, but I then my wife started to swell and along came my little boy (child number two).  I've had a shell and half finished aussie 4 speed adapter sitting on my garage floor for over two years now.  50th Ann nationals will hopefully make me pull the finger out and finish it all off.  (provide the friartucking boss doesn't send me to India too many times between now and then!!)

Cheers
Alan

I think the 3 foot stick would be the go, you get use to them and if you want to get real snappy with your shifts you just grab the stick at the bottom.
Only problems are the safety of the passenger(sometimes they accidently get punched out) and you bump you rear view mirror out of place.

OK now who has made the linkages for this adaptor and is there any chance of some sort of drawings so that I can redraw them on AUTOCAD and then the whole things complete.

Cheers
Sarge

Sarge , have you had any success with this post, i have the adaptors made up, and am just about ready to drop the four speed in .
                          Cheers Rusty

G'day all , just want to post a cupple of pics to show what a Bogan can do with the right plans and some excellent advise from this forum which is what it does best, Sarge  thanks heaps mate  for sending down those plans for this conversion, and Alex for originally posting your great pics of this conversion and your help alomg the way, the work on my box dont look as good as yours mate , but it works and that is all that counts. So thanks again guys.
                                        Cheers Rusty (Bogan, Phantom)

dont know how to post all pics in one go sorry
                                                 Rusty

another

more

last one, thanks for your patience , can someone tell me how to post all pics together?
                           Cheers Rusty

Rusty
       Did you make any sketches of the linkages you made if so send them on to me with measurements and I can draw them up with the Adapter drawings. This with help the next person hopefully

Cheers
Sarge

[queue Stars Wars theme]

Not so long ago in a garage far, far away......
;D ;D ;D
Sorry, couldn't resist.

Anyway, if you are attaching pics, you can only post 1 pic per post.

BUMP.

I was looking at a BW Commodore 5 speed today and wondered about the shifter.

How far back from the front of the bellhousing does the shifter need to be to fit in with a bench seat?

As I have been asked several times in the past to bring back the pics and due to recent interest, I dug out the old pics and rescanned them.
I can't modify my original post to restore the pics, but will load them here and ask a mod to update.
Hope they help.
Here are the pics in the order they appear in the original post.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv07.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv06.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv05.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv03.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv04.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv01.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv02.jpg)

Here is the other pic mentioned in a relpy.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v608/customfc2/Holden/4spdconv08.jpg)

Sorry, I can't restore rusty's pics, but again perhaps Richard can.
Hope this helps
Regards
Alex

Hi Alex,
I'm looking at putting an aussie 4 behind the grey in my auto body EK, just a few questions....
Clutch-standard FE/FC/FB/EK pedal and master cylinder etc?
You mentioned somewhere in the thread that you need a Dellow adapter for the slave cylinder, what slave cylinder is needed?
Speedo cable, which one did you use (and what ratio diff do you run)
I've pretty much got a handle on the adapters to move the shifter forward-between me and dad (vmx-mxr) we should be able to nut that out.
Not sure if the front gearbox mounts on an FC are the same as EK, but did you make an adapter plate to use original mounts?
Did you make a rear mount for the box?

Thanks in advance,
Jimmy

Hey Jimmy.
Your set up would be different to mine, as I installed a red motor and have HR front and rear ends to suit.
If keeping the grey, you would have to source an adapter for the Aussie 4 to grey, as you will need to keep the rear mounts. (Check with Dellow about the availability of an adapter bellhousing or similar)
I have answered your questions below anyway, as the info may still be of help.

I'm looking at putting an aussie 4 behind the grey in my auto body EK, just a few questions....
Clutch-standard FE/FC/FB/EK pedal and master cylinder etc?
Original equipment.
You mentioned somewhere in the thread that you need a Dellow adapter for the slave cylinder, what slave cylinder is needed?
Original FE-EK, the Dellow adapter allows you to mount it on the 4 spd in the correct location. Depending on the grey adapter, this may not be needed as it may be incorporated.
Speedo cable, which one did you use (and what ratio diff do you run)
Over the counter at Rare Spares. Diff is Torana 3:08 (I believe the box I have is a 1 tonner box)
Not sure if the front gearbox mounts on an FC are the same as EK, but did you make an adapter plate to use original mounts?
Did you make a rear mount for the box?
Another Dellow item was bought that mounts through the floor. Did away with original gearbox mounts, as I use the red motor engine mounts.

Regards
Alex

Jimmy,

I had asked the same question as you some years ago. At that time Alex had taken some photo's of an Aussie 4 speed that had been modified to suit a grey. Have a look at the following link. This may be of help.

http://fefcholden.org.au/forum/index.php/topic,12876.0.html

Keith

Thanks very much for your replies Alex and Keith-very helpful, even though it's an EK i'll be sure to put up some photos for everyone.

Jimmy

 great job. nice to see & great pics..

hello,im amazed at the enginuity on this,seems so simple (im aware its really not). is anyone now manufacturing these linkages from this forum? can buy a set off of them? just saves a fair amount of time which is limited for me now with a 9 month old boy, not to mention that someone could make a little money for jam by saving others that time. i realise there would be limited numbers required but it'll be really popular as fc's get older and older and the bench seat is more appreciated. plus those of us like myself who are spastics with welders in hand would be willing to pay for them to save the embarrassment  :P

                                                                                                           jarred