I'm going to convert my VL 6cyl to an efi 5L. I have just been offered a VR Calais 5L auto with some damage on the front for $2200. Not sure how bad the damage is or what parts may be affected but I can inspect it on Sat. I want to do the conversion with a manual but they seem to be a lot harder to find. I wouldn't mind hearing some opinions on whether this is worth considering as a starting point and then sourcing the manual gearbox and ecu separately.
IMO chase up a manual wreck or something makes life a lot easier.. people ask top dollar for manual conversions if you ask me, works out a lot cheaper buying a whole car, plenty of cheap VN 5.0 manuals etc out there
yeah wait and try find something.i purchased my engine and box out of a vn witch i tryed to buy whole but they wouldnt sell in the end i was missing so much stuff also missing lots of nuts and bolts etc
Whats the difference? Just get a manual box when you see one cheap and get it bolted up and sell the auto and interior off, or maybe use the seats in the VL.
the difrence is a whole lot less messing around by buying what he wants the first time insted of trying to sell an auto box witch he may have to give away lol.
youl need vb-vl v8 manual pedals to thats the only thing you cant use from a vn-vs
keep an eye on ebay i got my eng and t5 from there
Yeah ebay is good but I'll prob need to factor in shipping as most parts seem to be in Vic or Sydney. I do agree it would be less messing around to get the lot in one go and more convenient. Will prob go and check out the car and have a chat to the guy who's got it. He deals in spare parts and maybe I can work something out regarding a transmission.
theres nothing wrong with getting the auto one its prob a good deal but the number of times ive seen vn v8 manuals go for 2k on ebay isnt funny.shipping aint to bad from sydney.pitty we wasnt closer cause im selling my drive line soon to go another way again lol
From what I've read converting the VR auto to manual could be troublesome. Will check the papers for Brissy on Sat and see if I can find a more suitable car.
You should be able to find an engine and box for $1000-$1500. It might be a better option if all you're going to use from the car is that stuff.
Then again if you buy a complete car atleast you know it runs and drives - might be worth paying the extra for the peace of mind.
How about a VT auto, would it be hard to set it up with a T5 gearbox? Just got offered one, I know that they have the roller cams so would they be better than the VN to VS motors?
Like most people have said, try find a car that's already manual.
Otherwise, go VN-VP 304 motor and source the box later. If you're going with a VR and above 304, get it with the manual box and harness. It will be a lot easier later on to get it all wired up.
