LUVTruck.com

Hi, does anyone have dimensions/photos of a 5 speed install showing the new required hole in the floor? I need to cut mine before installing my trans and want to do a clean job.

Hope this works photo bucket sure changed alot sense the last time i used it.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

I don't know what happened to some of my pics and why they wont enlarge but i will work on it hope these help.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Very helpful, thank you. I'm pretty unfamiliar with the undercarriage of these trucks, I see you cut away the existing crossmember, does that weaken anything and require extra bracing anywhere? Also, I can't quite tell what parts do what, I'm assuming that none of that is welded, just bolt in stuff?


Also, on the shifter, it appears that the 5 speed stick is in roughly the same spot as the 4 speed stick and the 4x4 short stick is the only one that requires relocation? Can you offer any decent guesses on the distance back from the original holes?

Somebody on this site had the measurements and i cant find the ones i wrote down.But when you install the trans you can see where to start your cuts .

The 5 speed stick is in the stock position close enough that it belongs there.

What i did was cut the stock X-member out and cut it and mounted it the the transfer case to keep the E brake linkage in stock position .

I used the Trooper X-member cut 3 in out each side and dropped it i think 2in then made angle iron mounts using 4 of the 6 bolts on each side putting the strength back into the chassis.

i will try to repair the pics so you can see it better.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Ok, so if I follow correctly the following steps to install are:

1. Remove the 4 speed trans
2. Cut away the cross member, save the center for the E-brake setup
3. Position the 5 speed trans to locate and cut the new hole for the 4x4 stick
4. Position the 5 speed cross member and add mounting holes to the frame
5. Cut, drop, and reweld the center of the 5 speed cross member
6. Bolt everything up and go.

So, if I follow correctly, the Trooper trans cross member isn't a direct bolt in? The 2 inch drop welding part was not something I was expecting, any way around that? How do you know when the pinion angle is correct? Which drive shafts do I use and what are the Ujoint CL-CL lengths?

Thanks!

The Trooper X member is way to wide for the LUV frame.

The piece of stock X member is bolted to the stock Trooper mount on the transfer case but i had to grind it flat and tap the holes and if you look at the pics the stock X member is in direct line with the frame parts and could be welded back in (BUT I WOULDN'T )

The rear drive line i think is cut 2 3/4 -2 7/8. The front Trooper drive line bolts in.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Ok, looks like sawsall and welder time, I thought it would be more of a bolt in adventure but apparently not. I now have the 5 speed, crossmember, drive shafts, etc out of the Trooper (what a greasey mess!) So now I'm going to clean everything up and get it ready for the swap.

The trans had a couple wires harness ends hooked to it, do I need those harnesses from the Trooper or will the stock wire harness hook up to the 5 speed trans in thier place?

I need to buy a new starter, a new alternator, and a new clutch. I have the complets clutch, presure plate, and flywheel from both the Trooper and the Luv, should I install a Trooper clutch? Trooper starter? Any special alternator I should get?

The Trooper has a different engine than the LUV, make sure to use parts that match the engine, especially the flywheel. Clutch is the same for either. Use a LUV starter & alternator- match the engine.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

The wires are the 4X4 light and a back up light it's up to you if you want to use them. I used both on mine.

A new clutch would be wise but i used my stock one and by the way the Trooper one is the same size as the 79-80 4X4 LUV's as they use a bigger clutch then the two wheel drive.

If you do the power steering (you will LUV it) be sure to save the smog pump mount bracket as you will need it. Oh and i do have pic's of mine if you need them .

When you start the transfer shift lever will be just in front of the raised rib in the floor under front of the seat.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

I plan on going with the power steering, and yes, pics would be great! Thanks!

Here is the frame with the cab removed, I photo shopped the current cross member to show the proposed cut area. I plan to reuse the center portion for the E-brake mount as you did.

I marked the areas that I'm thinking need to be changed based on your photos and instruction. Does this look right? If so could you tell be the dimensions on your truck for "A" and "B" on my photos?

Thanks!

Now thats cheating as i did mine from under the truck but you got the plan just right but after cuting the cross member out install the trans/engine assy and bolt it in to make sure you can get the crossmember in just right. Also on the rear driveline be sure your truck is at ride hight when you start to measure and fit it.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Well it's been a while but I FINALLY got back on the LUV project. So far I've got the rolling chassis sand blasted, coated in black epoxy, rebuilt the entire suspension soup to nuts, and am in the process of bolting the Trooper 5 speed up to the LUV engine for the first time so I can set it in the chassis and measure for my new cross member placement.

Questions that came up today in the process of adding the 5 speed to the engine:

1. I have the original 4 speed block plate (flat steel spacer plate that goes between the bell housing and the block) as well as the one from the Trooper 5 speed. They look the same at a glance but have a few differences (extra holes and minor shape differences on the Trooper version, and the LUV version is thicker). Which of these plates should I use?

2. While examining my parts pile for the flywheel setup I found a round flat plate with six bolt holes and one non bolt hole through it. It's a spacer of some kind that goes either on the engine side, or the transmission side of the flywheel when it's bolted to the engine (flywheel bolts go through it). Which is the correct location? What is its purpose? The Luv had one, the Trooper did not.

3. I have the two cast iron stabilzer legs that bolt from the transmission to the block, one on either side. I have a set for the LUV and a set from the Trooper, which set works the best when combining the Trooper 5 speed to the Luv engine?

Thanks!

1. Use the LUV engine plate, it is matched to the LUV flywheel which you must use.
2. Bolts go through the washer, then through the fylwheel. If it is cupped the cup goes towards the bolt heads. Use thread lock, torque to 69 ft-lbs in a criss-cross pattern.
3. Whichever fits best.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

Got it, thanks!

CRAP! .........Now I have a big decision to make. I had my engine rebuilt by a local rebuilder last year, they do a lot of volume with small engines. They offer a 5 year warranty and back thier work with a reputation of quality. It's been in mothballs awaiting installation since then and now that I'm putting things together I'm noting some issues. #1. it has a 200 head on it as opposed to the 180 head it was wearing when I dropped it off, not a huge deal but a potential drop in compression if that's all they swapped. Next, and this is the bigger deal, the crank is a 6 bolt 2WD unit while my original was an 8 bolt 4WD unit. Now my original flywheel won't bolt on and the clutch is slightly smaller as well. I had a 6 bolt flywheel laying around so I had it machined and bolted it on, I also bought (another) new clutch for the 2WD application so here I sit with 2 brand new clutches and flywheels (parts store I bought the other clutch from is now out of business so no exchanges possible).

The dliema: Do I force the engine shop to give me a correct 180 engine with the correct 180 head and 8 bolt 4 WD crank, or do I just add the 2WD flywheel clutch setup and call it a day? Will the 2WD clutch be enough clutch for the 4WD setup?
Help!

Look on the block just above the driver side motor mount, G200 will be cast into the engine if it is a 1.9 lower end. If the machine shop gave you a complete rebuilt 1.9 in lieu of a 1.8 then you are good to go. If you have a 1.9 head on a 1.8 block I would talk with them about correcting it.
As far as I know all G180-G200 had a 6-bolt crank/flywheel, 4Z engines have a 8-bolt. The 4wd 1.8 and the 1.9 use the same flywheel and the 8-1/2" clutch rather than the 2wd 8", but that should be the only difference. Are you absolutely sure about the old engine having an 8-bolt crank? You sure it's not from a 2.3? I have a 6-bolt 1.8 flywheel on my 1.9 right now.
Once you get the engine size straightened out this is what I would do: buy a new 1.9 flywheel from say rockauto.com (they are less than a new clutch & not much more than having an old one resurfaced), then use the 8-1/2" clutch you have, sell the new 2wd clutch and resurfaced flywheel.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

Ok, it's definately a G180 block with a G200 head. The crank is a 6 bolt. So, will the 1.9 rock auto flywheel fit the 6 bolt crank and accept the 8.5 clutch and pressure plate?

Well I went back to the engine builder and had them swap the head for a 180 head (all fresh with new valves, etc.) and pushed the issue about the flywheel not working. They came up with a 6 bolt flywheel that accepts an 8.50" clutch (I don't know where they got it) and it all bolted up nice. Here's todays latest progress, the engine mounts are bolted up and I'm sorting out the final position of the trans before I make the mods to clear the transfer case and add the new trans mount cross member. I'm considering clearancing the current cross member without removing the center entirely (it's a tight fit, most will need to be cut away so it might not be possible without adding back some further reinforcements) and adding an extension bracket forward for the new mount location rather than an entirely new cross member in the forward location. I'll post results as soon as I have them.