253 manual to auto conversion in hz sandman

[Cocko750]

A standard 253 driven hard will smash an Aussie box so no hope if you drive a 308 like its meant to be I've got a couple of m21 boxes stashed away if I can get an original girl but will have to baby it or get a turbo block and put a 400 or 700 behind it . I bet a few Aussie 4 speeds were smashed in the old van pull tug a war days

[wbute]

You are forgetting one thing. The factory alternative is an absolute piece of cr@p, an aussie 4spd!

Nah didn't forget that. But at least they don't sound like you can't drive a manual car. Just so uncool that v8 note decimated by a poxy auto shift.
I have yet to blow an Aussie 4 speed up yet touch wood. I know they are easy to break though.

[buck]

There are some pretty tuff 4 speed m21 being built at the moment for classic race scene, but they cost big dollars, mine still has the original m20 box in it, but I did put a set of bearings in it at 225, 000k, as third was a bit noisy.

[Big Rob]

My local Historic Car Club had a show and shine today and I've been working to get the van's interior done so I could take it. I also have a stock standard Valiant VG Safari wagon that was my Father-in-Law's and it's on club rego, so we wanted to take it too.

My Wife won't drive the Val, as it's only got drum brakes and she had a bad experience years ago in it in a panic stop, so I had to drive the Val and she drove the van (for the 1st time). She only drives auto's (yeah, I know....) so she was OK in the van (253/trimatic). It was so cool following her to the show listening to the vans exhaust note, then watching everyone's mind explode when they saw a woman driving it.

Where I'm going with this is that if it was a manual, we would have only been able to take 1 car, or she would have (probably not) had to drive the Val.
So the van's staying auto for the time being. Come to think of it, the 383 stroker I've got that I'm thinking of putting in the van is a turbo pattern block so maybe it'll get a turbo 400........

[HK1837]

The 5 litre HK GTS that i'll be working on soon will be getting a TH350, just don't want the hassles of a manual. TH350 is because it fits with no floor work, i'd use a TH400 otherwise. The yellow GTS327 will get a Muncie as it is the only box that will fit without tunnel mods and will handle a BBC.

[Robbo]

Ha,Ha,Ha, @ Glacier,how did you find out I drive like a grandfather? Seriously though, I never did use my ute beyond it's design capabilities. It did some work, but was mostly used for highway work, driving all over nsw. It was just a sandman ute, not a speed king.

If I had wanted something quicker I would have looked at a V8 Chrysler ute, or a 5.8 litre Ford ute. They were way ahead on power, compared to Holden's best offering at the time. It matter's little now though, these adventure's happened a lifetime ago.