Fitment of an M20 behind a Grey Motor

[EffCee]

I am wondering about the fitment of an aussie 4 speed behind a Grey Motor. As the Holden Grey has mounts at the rear of the engine and the original gearbox did not have any mounts on the gearbox at the rear, would the 4 speed require mounts, thus requiring some sort of crossmember fabrication. Or would I be able to have the gearbox fitted up with out the need for a rear crossmember?

I also understand that the floor pan would have to be changed to suit the aussie 4 speed, to an EK hydramatic floor pan.

Could some one please advise as to which path I need to take?

[FC229]

HI EffCee,
Personally I would say either keep it standard or change the motor too, and if you're going to that effort go for a 5 speed. You will definitely need rear mounts and floor pan mod's to change the gear box. I'm not sure if you could get away with leaving the floor if you went for an Opel 4 speed? Years ago I had an EH with a Datsun 1600 gearbox, and I think that was less invasive in terms of modifying the floor, but I guess you'd be pretty lucky (or not) to track a kit down for that.

[EffCee]

My first car was an FC that had a Much modified Grey Motor with a Datsun 240Z 5 speed. Basically the car that I wish to build is the same car that I once had, except this time I would like to keep it all Holden, and I thought that the M20 fitted behind the grey would do the trick. I was also going to put one of those twin stick Speco shifters in as well.

[mcl1959]

EffCee is spot on, the relatively minor gains you get from this conversion are far outweighed by the amount of modification needed to make it work.

Ken

[mcl1959]

The difference between the old CRS conversions for Datsun and Toyota boxes was that the adapter ring allowed the use of the original rear mounts. The Aussie 4 speed does not have the adapter ring which means the rear mounts can't be used. 

Ken

[customFC]

Paul Kelly at Smooth Customs in Qld has been working on an Aussie 4 speed conversion for grey. Here are pics of one he did recently.






You may also notice that he moved the standard shifter forward.
The conversion also makes use of a Dellow slave cylinder bracket.
Regards
Alex

[mikey]

Very nice, just a shame that nice machinery like this goes underneath out of sight.

[EffCee]

Thankyou Custom FC for the photo's and information. I am assuming that these kits are not available commercially, but from what I can see wont take too much to fabricate. They say that the inspiration is 90% and the perspiration is 10% and this is certainly the case in this instance. I love the way that the inspection plate cover has a piece of rubber moulding inserted to prevent rattles, dust ingress, etc.

I was aware of the need to get away from the mechanical linkage setup that the M20 had originally and the need to adapt it to the hydraulic setup used in the FC. I knew that I would need one of the commercially available kits to facilitate the hydraulic setup.

I remember seeing an article in a magazine some years ago in regard to the forward mounted shifter. If I recall correctly CRS did these in a kit form so that when fitting the 4 speed into the early floor pan the crossmember did not need to be cut.

[fc4me]

John Kean used to make an adapter very similar to that years ago for the opal conversion.

[Effie C]

I have a M20 with bellhousing to suit a grey in the garage, bell housing has side mounts cast into it. (Will check brand tomorrow, but have had the box etc for twenty years now). It mounted to the back of the grey the same as the orig box and just hung there till rust got to the car and I cut it up. I also purchased through Rare Spares a M20 to grey body rear cross member kit which I never got around to using (yea its in the garage as well).

[Effie C]

I remember seeing an article in a magazine some years ago in regard to the forward mounted shifter.

Not sure if still on this forum but one of the members made up his own and posted pictures and drawings on this site about two to three years ago. RET may be able to help out.

[EffCee]

I have a M20 with bellhousing to suit a grey in the garage, bell housing has side mounts cast into it. (Will check brand tomorrow, but have had the box etc for twenty years now). It mounted to the back of the grey the same as the orig box and just hung there till rust got to the car and I cut it up. I also purchased through Rare Spares a M20 to grey body rear cross member kit which I never got around to using (yea its in the garage as well).

 PM sent

[Ed]

that was Alex's (customfc) shift mod... very tidy.

and here it is

http://fefcholden.org.au/forum/index.php/topic,750.0.html

[Effie C]

that was Alex's (customfc) shift mod... very tidy.

and here it is

http://fefcholden.org.au/forum/index.php/topic,750.0.html

That's it and very nicely done from memory as the pictures currently come up as little red X's (starblvde hosting) Alex may be able to send the pictures if asked nicely.

[customFC]

Will have a look at restoring pics after Easter.
Regards
Alex

[FC229]

HI EffCee,
Personally I would say either keep it standard or change the motor too, and if you're going to that effort go for a 5 speed. You will definitely need rear mounts and floor pan mod's to change the gear box. I'm not sure if you could get away with leaving the floor if you went for an Opel 4 speed? Years ago I had an EH with a Datsun 1600 gearbox, and I think that was less invasive in terms of modifying the floor, but I guess you'd be pretty lucky (or not) to track a kit down for that.

I can see where you're coming from. Can't beat individual nostalgic reasons for doing things. Makes it more interesting too rather than all doing the same thing.
I went for a trip down memory lane on the weekend visiting a farm I bought an FC ute for about 30 years ago, and learnt to drive it in the paddocks. Despite the fact it was too rusty for rego then, I am thinking about dragging it back and restoring it to it's former glory, just as it was which was basically standard plus chrome dash and sports wheel.
(grabbed the guages from the dash just in case I don't get back there)

[lucky13]

I had an opel 4 speed behind a grey many years ago same bracket fits aussie 4 speed to grey dellow Bellhousings does them or did easy bracket with ears for mounting to engine mounts
cheers

[I958GM]

There was a bell housing on e-bay last week to suit aussie 4 speed to grey motor. It was a dellow, could still be there- not sure.