I've been working on my project alot lately(86 Chevy C10 w/ a 383 stroker), tried everything i could to make sure that the transmission was fine, but after all that, 3rd gear deffinitley slips. I'm looking to either put in a 700r4 or convert to a manual transmission. If I were to convert to a manual tranny, how hard would this be? What would be the hardest parts of the swap? Approximately how long would it take for a first timer compared to just pulling out an automatic and putting a new one in? I have pulled out and put in several automatic transmissions but never anything with a manual transmission. Please let me know. Thanks in advance! -Mike

Old automatics don't care much for being attached to new engines. A Th350, 700R4, or 4L60 is being asked to do a lot when fastened at one end to a 383 and the other to a C10. These transmissions as built to factory specs are really over their design limits in this situation. It takes a run through a custom tranny house to modify them for this service environment.

Going to a manual if using a passenger car gear box will require a T-56.  A T-5 would be in the same spot as your automatic, overloaded! It's not to difficult to do but it's expensive.

Bogie