i have a 1984 chev 1/2 ton truck with a 350 in it and is auto (700r4). im looking into a muncie 4 speed for it and im just wondering if anyone has done this and how hard did they find it? thanks

 

you would find it much more benefit swapping in a 5 speed so you have the overdrive gear, you'll loose the overdrive that the 700r4 has swapping in a a technically 3 speed standard, since 2nd is your first useful gear. but either way, you'll need the clutch pedals and brackets, brake booster, steering column, and some wiring to make it all fit the way it would have from the factory, then its just installing the tranny, adjusting crossmembers and drive shaft lengths, where as with a 5 speed, its the same length as a 700r4; so theres no need for crossmember alterations or change in driveshaft length, i'm doing the same thing (5 speed) on an 87 k10 4x4 and i got the entire hydraulic clutch set up from an 88 'burban and i'm installing an nv3500 with 208c transfer, so far it looks as if it came from the factory that way, and it makes for a killer set up as the 700r4 has a .73 overdrive gear, and the nv3500's 5th gear ratio is .75

 

i did a similar swap on a '92 s10 blazer. i found a donor rig in a "pick-a-part" yard, got trans, pedal and bracket, all hydraulic components. only a couple holes, fairly easy bolt in. for your rig, def go with a 5 speed if you're gonna do it. unless this is pretty much a trail only rig. good luck

 

what other vehicles could i get the brake booster and that sort of stuff from and other chev with a 350 in it?

 

i can't be exactly sure if you need the brake booster or not... everyone i know that i talked to before doing mine said to just swap them. you have to remove the brake booster to get the pedal bracket out, you run into problems with anything older than an 85 if your going to use a hydraulic clutched transmission, as it was 85 that they swapped to hydro clutch set up, but you can custom fab a bracket to hook up and run a hydro clutch on a mechanical linkage style pedal set up, its just a lot more work, look for any 4 speed equipped 10 20 or 30 series 2 and 4 wheel drive truck, suburban and blazer, theres lots of them out there. a lot of junkyards, atleast in my neck of the woods pull them out and shelve them to sell at a slightly higher price, but just the same you don't have to remove it yourself.

 

if memory serves, the brake boosters were different sizes physically to allow clearance for the clutch at firewall. mos gm trucks i've seen have a "knockout" or recessed area where the lines or linkage come thru the firewall. hydraulic is the only way to go, unless you want the infamous "clutch calf" if you have the clearance with the existing booster, i wouldn't worry about it.

 

ok i was looking around and found an ad that buddy said he has a 6 speed standard tranny. the vechicle he has that he was going to swap into it is a 84 trans am. would it be possible to fit the 6 speed to my motor. the motor in the trans am is also a small block 350. thanks

 

depends on year of the motor in trans am.

 

its the same year as my truck a 1984. another question can you use a tranny from a 4.3 v6 in it from a 1988 1/2 ton

 

4.3 shares the same bellhousing as the chev/gmc 350. so, it'll bolt up, but the difference is in the clutch packs inside. 700r4 behind 4.3's have a couple less clutch packs, as the 4.3 doesn't put out as much torque. now, these 700r4's will bolt up and run fine as long as you are not putting a ton of power to them, or beatin on them. also, the mid 80's trans am small blocks are the same as chev. up to the early 80's, buick, olds,pontiac were different than chevy, but nowadays, same. if you just need to get up and going, a 700r4 will work.