Hey Guys,

I've got a 2003 TL Magna and am looking at doing a manual conversion in the future. I am just after a few answers.

1 - How much will it cost?
2 - Would there be any manual boxes suitable for the TL at a wreckers, or are they too rare. Or would it be Easier finding a donor car?
3 - Anyone that has done this... Is it a long costly process, or no too hard?

I am planning on going to a mechanic to do this. Any help would be great as I'm doing this to find out if it will be worth it or not. i.e. Cost and Time etc.

Thanks in Advance guys,
Aidan

It will be cheaper and more cost effective to sell yours and buy a factory manual.

What he said, finding a box seems to be the biggest problem manual converters face, then there is the cost of the box and the labour to fit it. In all, you'd be better off buying a manual car. That's what I did :D

Yea unfornately mate these guys are right. Finding a manual box is extremely difficult and then after that the buying and installing can cost alot. When I crashed my second magna I sold my manual box off to YLD-35L for $450 and that was cheap as.

No idea on mechanics price for installation but taking a magna engine out, attaching a gearbox and putting it back it can take a bit of time and thats gunna stack up. I'd go with MitchellOs idea, sell your magna and buy a manual TL.

But yea once you get a manual magna goddamn its good.

A manual conversion has just been done to my Verada. Picking it up tomorrow. Parts and labour cost me $3200, with a few hundred of that being the extra i had to pay to get a few problems sorted out during the conversion.

More info about it can be found in my car's thread (link in my sig below). Also, do a search for manual conversion as this has been covered heaps of times before. Good luck with the conversion if you decide to go ahead with it.

ive doing mine soon, if you are really keen, keep searching the fourms and e-bay and stuff for wrecked magnas, i think there is one now, in the F/s section, but its from a TF.
i got mine from a member here, got it shipped down from QLD, and i plan on doing it myself.
if you have the mechanical knowhow, do it, otherwise, if your car is stockish and you havnt put that much work into it, sell it and buy a manual.

mate i just brought a 98 TE wreck of ebay, the guy wanted $1000 he was :nuts: ..yer it was a manual yer it had a wing yer it also had the drivers pillar cut and front end smash ...the bottom line is it didnt sell so i wrote a messge and offered $500----- yes i put it out there and guess what ... i pick it up next week ...

its going to cost me $250 to pick it up though i will save in doing all the work myself.. i plan i doing it all in one week end..

what i scored of it is engine mounts a windscreen the conplete conversion , all the suspension struts as mine is on super low and will come in handy.. the boot lid is perfect and doors plus its fitted with a wing which im not interested in so i will sell.... every thing else i will salvage parts and sell for what i can...

the bottom line is...... buy a doner car and flog what you can from whats left , this way the conversion will more or less pay for its self..

if your not machanicaly minded then like the other guys said buy a manual car and dont worry with the convert...

in your favour though you do have some realy great ppl on here that will always be more than willing to help
cheers