-----Original Message-----
From: bigshack@usa.net [mailto:bigshack@usa.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 2:49 PM
To: 928
Subject: [928] REQ: '85 Automatic to 5-speed conversion information

Greeting to all from Dallas Texas. This is my virgin post here! I
apologize in advance if my questions are redundant:

1. I have the chance to buy all the parts, including the 5-speed
transaxle, from another "85 with a blown engine.  Is the the conversion
process basically a "bolt off, bolt on" affair or is it a real bugger?

2. Would $1500 be fair for the transaxle and all the conversion parts from
the other car?

3. What should I expect to pay a private mechanic to do it?

4. My entire purpose is to run faster in PCA races - any body care to
comment on potential gains from the manual vs. auto on the track?

5. Finally, will the conversion work if the donor car is a '79 Euro model
instead of the same year as mine ('85)???

I greatly appreciate everyone's shared experiences in this area.

Regards,
Mark Shackelford
'85 928S



From: Dan [dbrindle@kondratyev.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 8:58 PM
To: 928
Subject: [928] RE: REQ: '85 Automatic to 5-speed conversion information

Mike,

A conversion if done by a shop costs $9 to $10K.  That would include the
parts and a rebuilt transmission.  I am not sure who I would trust with this
other than DEVEK as there are some subtleties involved.  You might contact
DEVEK - they have done them before but would be a bit north of my figure and
probably try to talk you out of it.  Tell them I sent you - www.devek.net -
speak to Susan or Marc.  They will also be able to advise you as to the best
bang for the buck for track performance.

Now I am just getting ready to do this to my 86 and have been collecting
some information that may help steer you in the right direction.

1. The 79 will not work as a donor car as you will be missing the flywheel.
Only a flywheel from an 85 or 86 will work.
2. The transmission from 85 up was a different trans and had better syncros
for smoother shifting - that is the good news.  The bad news is that it had
a higher final drive ratio of 2.2 to help the top end and increase mileage
for energy conscious buyers and to lower the gas guzzler surcharge.
3. The '79 trans will bolt up and give you a better drive ratio, but is
going to be clunky and probably does not have a limited slip differential.
This can be added from later models if you can find one but you are talking
more bucks.
4. Now for some more bad news.  The automatic cars were not set up for a
clutch master.  This means that the firewall will have to be modified to
bolt on the clutch master.  Well you say no big deal, but you have not
looked at where the master is located.  It is almost as though Porsche
designed the car as an automatic and as an after thought added the clutch
master.  It is down under the brake booster and put in at an angle.  The
alignment is critical - get it wrong and you will not be able to keep clutch
masters in the car.  If you had done one of these jobs you would know that
this is not something you want to do after each track day.  To convert the
car you have to cut the part out of the firewall of the donor car and weld
it into the conversion car.  I am working on a template and adapter to do
this but it is still down my list of projects a ways.
5. With the transmission be sure to get the rear cross member.  The one from
the automatic will not work.  Of course this implies that you have to pull
the rear suspension as well - right.  Probably time to check the brakes,
shocks and emergency brake bands.
6. You are probably looking at $2500-3000 in new and rebuilt parts without
having the trans rebuilt.  For sure you want to use a new clutch master and
the hoses that go with it.  You can probably cheat on the clutch and torque
tube, but I wouldn't.  I would do new motor mounts while you are in there
and of course new transmission mounts.
7. A rebuilt transmission can be got from German Transaxle Exchange in
Oregon for $375 plus parts.  They say it runs about a $1000 for the whole
job and they give a two year guarantee - although I do not think that covers
track conditions.
8. The center console will have to be modified for the shifter as will the
hole where the shifter comes through.
9. The two disk clutch is a bit tricky to adjust.

Other than that it is pretty much a bolt up.  DEVEK estimated 40+ hours for
the work - but they are professionals and have done the job before.  I am
allowing about 100 hours for mine.  Remember also with a donor car you have
to allow for the time to take the parts out as well.  The auto torque tube
is worth a few hundred and Jim at 928 is short of them so will probably buy
it from you.  The transmission if good being a four speed is worth $500 to
$700 if you find the right buyer - but you have to wait for someone to need
one.  So you might be able to recover about a $1000 on the old parts.

That is pretty much all I can help you with - good luck.

If you decide not to do the job I would be interested in the donor car.

Dan Brindle