FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I know this can be done but I need more info on what is involved, what kits are available and what to look for in a trimatic.  

I believe the linkages changed sides on the trimatic at some stage - can anyone tell me when, I think I need the early one with the linkages on the drivers side?  Also I think there was some change in kickdown operation - cable to vacume or something?  Was it the early ones that ran cable?

I know nothing of auto's as before the Hydro I always had a manual.  Can someone explain the best mods to look for in a trimatic and what the correct speak for it all is?  I hear stuff like shift kit, hi stall converter and the like but it is all Japanese to me.

I am also interested if anyone has an alternative auto box conversion to suggest - toyota?

Thanks,
Burnsy

I believe the linkages are on the drivers side on my column shift HG, but its too cold and wet to go outside and check now.

Something else to consider is how is the torque converter mounted to the crankshaft, i.e. flex plate, flyweel etc. I know things have to be changed to convert a red motor from manual to auto. Even though a red motor gearbox mates up with a grey engine, it doesn't necessarily follow that the trimatic can be made to mate up.

For what its worth a high stall converter means that the engine has to build up more revs before the transmission will provide any drive to the rear wheels. Useful with a cammy engine, but unnecessary behind an engine with a standard cam.

Ray.

I am by no means an expert, just passing on what I know from what I have read and gathered from racers and trans builders.

To the best of my knowledge a "shift-kit" is the package of mods used to make the gearbox shift harder. Rather than "slide" into gear during cruising, the "kitted" gearbox will kick into gear as if you are going flat-chat. There are also "stages" for the kits, so you should be able to specify how hard you want the change. This step is mainly for drag racing purposes anyway.

The stall convertor is another modify-able item, the stall speed is theortically the engine speed at which the motor will stall if you wheels were bolted to the road so as not to spin. The way I think of it is that if you put your foot on the brake and rev the motor, the stall speed is the speed at which you break traction. The reason this is raised in hi-stall application is to enable a drag racer to raise the revs at the start line so the motor is closer to it's power band when taking off. For example if you have a 4500-7000 power band and a stall speed of 4500, you should be able to safely get the motor up to 4000rpm just before the green light. You are then only 500rpm from your power band. The stall converter in my tri is a gemini one, this is smaller than standard and gives a higher stall speed, it has also been modified for the application. I am also of the understanding that a high stall convertor can make a tough motor more "driveable" than a lower stall, not sure why read it in a mag ages ago.

That would account for a large cam ,So it doesnt want to surge or stall when sitting at the lights

mate had a big stally years ago and he siad it was a bastard of a thing on hill stops,,also an auto needs vaccuum to run would that make it a bugger behind a grey motor with cam work?

Hi Burnsey, have PM'd you but will expand on this for others needing help with this as well
I have just put a trimatic behind my grey in the EK wagon, the difference is A M A Z I N G !
wouldnt believe it was the same car!!
To do the job, and keep column shift you would need to look at the HZ -WB trimatic, these have a 360 degree bellhousing and the shift on the right hand side, the commodore trimatic have the shift on the left hand side (OK for T-bar shift but not for column) the bellhousing will need to be slightly modified to suit grey
Red flex plate can be modified to mount to grey motor, use red starter motor and allow torque convertor to bolt up, tailshaft would need to be changed of course,
Neutral safety cut off changed, change the column quadrant, new over the counter speedo cable from rare spares and the accelerator linkage from the manual to  replace the cumbersome Hydramatic kickdown system, vacuum lines made up for the trimatic. The shift linkage needs to be changed, this has been discussed in a couple of places on the forum, and there are a few options for this, some very complex, but mine is the simplest I have seen.
If there is anyone thinking of putting a trimatic behind their grey PM me and I can send you contact details of a really great guy in Melbourne that can make a no modification needed, BOLT IN kit to go!
(dont want to publish his numbers till I check if this is OK with him)
Cheers
Matt

Gday Mat,
      I have just found this great web sight, and have been reading with interest all the tech and mod tips.
       My hydromatic has just packed it in and I am very interested in puting a trymatic behind my Grey too.
        Can you send me details of your guy in Melbourne for the mod kit.

Thanx
Scotty

Matt
I am attempting the same mod for an fe for my daughter.  I would appreciate any information that you may have as I have not tried anything like this before. Any contact details for kit/s would also be great.
Thanks
JimmyMac

Anyone know why you need the 360 degree bell housing?  I have just picked up a trimatic but it has the 180 degree housing, surely if I modify the red motor flywheel to fit the grey it will still bolt up?  Or do these have a different bolt pattern :(

Matt, I hope to ring your guy soon and have a chat about the kit, I don't want to freight flywheels around the country but I may go with the rest of the kit.

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Burnsey, the grey rear engine mounts use the lower half of the bell housing to bolt to! even then you will need to "Re-Locate" one bolt hole each side of the housing. You can hunt around for the front part of the housing (360 bit) and have it fitted to the box you have.
Remember that when using the Trimatic, you only need a flexplate (very light) and therefore the freight would be minimal.
The flexplate will need the bolt holes re-alligned as well to bolt to grey motor but other than that pretty straight forward
Matt

hey burnsy

roger hancock here in vic has a trimatic up against his grey in his ek. he made up his own mounts coming off the bellhousing. im going out his way this saturday coming so if you wish  i can get some pics/info for ya?

Hi all, I currently run a trimatic behind my grey in my EK. I bought the car with it fitted, so don't know too much about it.
Will try and get a few photos in the next day or so and post them for you.

She runs absolutely f'n beautifully, specially now i got a freshly rebuilt grey infront..... i am in heaven.