Hi, my name is James and this is my first post to this forum. I have acquired an XC falcon station wagon with a 4.9L v8. The vehicle isn't registered at the moment, but was last registered about a year ago. The engine runs well, however the 3 speed auto gearbox is dead. It was slowly dying, using lots of fluid, and was not very responsive up until it really gave up. I don't know the exact symptoms of it's death (I wasn't driving it), nor do I know much about gearboxes.

I want to get this car back on the road. The options I guess are to either repair the box that's in it or completely replace it. My preferred option is to replace it with a manual gearbox. I don't have any parts to do this, and I have no idea what a job like this would cost, or include. I am not a mechanic, so would have to get it installed professionally. I read some other posts about conversions for a 4.1. Off the top of my head I'd need a gearbox, center console plastics, clutch assembly (hoses, pedal, clutch etc) and various other bits and pieces. Can anyone with some more info or experience clarify what I need to do to do this? I would much prefer a manual gearbox, as the auto is/was a slug. Given I have no parts and have to buy or find everything, and pay for installation is this possible with a budget not much bigger than $1000? Or should I just repair or replace the auto gearbox?

Also, this is less urgent, but my dad hit a dog (the dog was fine), and it smashed the plastic grille. We have looked around and it seems no wreckers in my immediate vicinity have any XC grilles. Anyone with a grille in Sydney, or in the Orange, NSW area who has a grille or knows where I could get one, your info would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

mate its a bit of a job to do its not rocket science but it isnt a 1 day job either. well for starters you will need your new gbox you will need a new clutch for it as well you are going to have to change your pedal arange ment under your dash wich should be easy to get parts from wrekers im not sure if you need a differant cross member, you'll have to get the right bell housingfor your new box you will have to spend money i have no doubt you might be able to find some real heap of s**t XC that you can get for a couple of hundred and rape all the parts off it ..thats what ide be trying to do for as cheap as you can manage.... also then you can see exactlly what you have to do and where to mount stuff...

Thanks for that info. I'll keep my eye out for a wrecked XC then, and also look for a workshop manual.

I am in the process of a manual conversion and stroker rebuild. Doing it properly the conversion has cost $$$$ but im sure as 409stroker said you could get a wreck to pinch parts off.

Heres what I found, for a guide if you cant find a wreck:
Gearbox - 200 to 1000 depending on what you're after
Bellhousing - 250 wreckers
Clutch - 650 (big brass/organic, could use a $300 if you want)
Clutch fork - 125 (ebay)
Clutch fork boot - 50 (The XB shop, suits toploader)
Master cyl - 80 (Repco)
Slave cyl - 35 (Repco)
Lines - 10 wreckers/ebay
Pedal box - 50 wreckers/ebay
Tailshaft yoke - 25 wreckers/ebay
Driveshaft machining - 80 (to fit new yoke and adjust length)
Flywheel - 10 to 370
Flywheel bolts ARP - 30
flywheel machining - 50
Gearbox Fluid - 20 to 140
Clutch fluid - 10 (Im using DOT3 brake fluid, Iv been told DOT4 doesnt work as well in the older setups)
Shifter - varies heaps... the std shifter isnt that great IMO
Speedo cable - 70 (ebay)
Crossmember - 10 (ebay)
Starter motor spacer - 12 (ebay)
Sandwich plate - 20 (ebay)
Gearbox mount - 20 (Repco, may be called rear engine mount)

Check the speedo drive when you're looking at the box, I forgot and its taken an extra 3 weeks to find one and get it posted. The XB shop sells new ones for toploaders, as well as a few gears, Rare Spares does a few different gears.

The manuals have a spacer to move the starter motor back a little to suit the flywheel. You may be able to make one but they are usually on ebay cheap.

Well, thats most of it, I had my toploader rebuilt so there was a little more cost there. I could have done it a lot cheaper but I like shiny parts too much ... Doesnt take long to add up...

eBay is your friend

Hope that it helps.

Thanks for that Mac Winter. Now I have some good info to start from. I will keep an eye out for a manual wreck. I imagine the V8 gearboxes are different to the 6 cylinder ones, as well as the bell housing etc. I just bought a workshop manual for v8 xc. There are manual wrecks/project cars on ebay at the moment, but they're all 6s. What's the difference between a toploader and single rail gearbox? The toploader is stronger or what? There is a toploader on ebay at the moment for $250 starting bid (no buy it now option) with a bell housing and flywheel to suit a v8 http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ford-borg-warner ... dZViewItem

apparently it is in working order. That to me seems like a very good price. Shame I live in Sydney. rarely are things for sale in or near Sydney. I think I'll make sure I have about $1500 sitting in the bank before I start thinking of buying parts though.

The toploader when built right is the better of the 2 boxes. But if your not putting heaps of power through it the Borg warner is fine (350hp?). Actually, I have heard of more than a few borg warners behind warm 351's no worries. The main difference is the shifter but Iv never had a borg warner apart so Im not sure about the internals, from what Iv heard they are very similar.

$250 is very cheap for all that gear. I would be getting it rebuilt regardless of what the seller says, do it right once. As far as I know the 8 and 6 boxes were the same, the bellhousings and clutches were the only differences.

The GT toploaders are known as "Bullnose" boxes and have a higher nickel content in the steel making them stronger, but these will go for $2k or more usually. Apparently they can take another 200hp ontop of what the normal toploader can. You should be able to put 550hp through a std toploader with good bearings, as long as its kept sensible.

Dont take all that as gospel as its all stuff that Iv heard when getting my toploader together. Hope it helps.

Ok, I bought a Borg Warner 4 speed for $100. I am going to rebuild it in the next couple of weeks. Now I need to get all the other bits and pieces. The ball is in motion