manta tranny options

[spdkilz02]

I currently have a manta with the auto in it, and im wondering what my other options are for the tranny...i know jared has done the conversion and he said it was a pain to get everything to work...so if anyone else has any ideas of what i can do just let me know...thanks in advance

[BQS4]

Adam;
The swap over is not as bad as you might think, you need, specifically, the welded piece for the firewall (where the clutch cable comes through) the pedal assembly, and the cable, then you move on to the driveshaft. It would be far easier if you had one car with all these pieces. I have a parts car with all these pieces on it, if yopu're interested. As for the automatic, there's really nothing that can be done, without experimenting with other types of automatics. There are no "shift kits" like B&M that I know of, unless you do some extreme searching.
Gene

[GTJIM]

The Aussies used the 'Tri-matic' 3 speed auto for many years in Holdens.
They have a few performance bits and pieces for them ... I think

http://www.raceglides.com.au/TriMatic.htm

OR this item on EBay.au :

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/TRIMATIC-SHIF...QQcmdZViewItem

A bit of Holden History - and its importing of Opels:

http://www.cartype.com/page.cfm?id=255&alph=ALL&dec=ALL

HTH

[azopelnut]

Originally Posted by GTJIM The Aussies used the 'Tri-matic' 3 speed auto for many years in Holdens. They have a few performance bits and pieces for them ... I think http://www.raceglides.com.au/TriMatic.htm OR this item on EBay.au : http://cgi.ebay.com.au/TRIMATIC-SHIF...QQcmdZViewItem A bit of Holden History - and its importing of Opels: http://www.cartype.com/page.cfm?id=255&alph=ALL&dec=ALL HTH

Hello GTjim
Are you saying that these kits would work on a TH-180 like in my Manta A? What would be the advantage?

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by azopelnut Hello GTjim Are you saying that these kits would work on a TH-180 like in my Manta A? What would be the advantage?

These would be like if B&M rebuilt them and installed a shift kit. The shift points would be higher and the shifts would be harder. It would work beter with a high stall torque converter, but, they are non-existant

[oldopelguy]

Originally Posted by azopelnut Are you saying that these kits would work on a TH-180 like in my Manta A?

Only in the US was that transmission ever called a TH180. The rest of the world called it a Tri-Matic. It was designed by Fiat and is quite possibly the most common automatic ever used on small vehicles. It was used by Opel, Chevrolet, Fiat (obviously), Holden, Range Rover, Isuzu, BMW, Geo, Zimmer, and a ton of others. You can even get adapter bell housings to bolt it to your favorite American V-8: http://users.pipeline.com.au/tpm/bell.htm Tri-matic and TH180 are therefore two different names for the exact same thing, so if it'll work in a Holden Trimatic it'll work in an Opel one as well, most likely.

Each "shift kit" manufacturer makes different things priorities when designing the "kits" and you'ld need to talk to the specific builder about just what that kit would do for you. Generally they provide for quicker, firmer shifts and quicker kick-down, but the level to which they go is always different. I had a "kit" in an old Kadett years ago and loved it. It was designed for the Rover version, but it went in and worked fine.

[GTJIM]

When I first asked about rebuild parts for my "Opel" automatic trans I was told the it was the "Strasbourg" trans - and parts were VERY expensive!
I had a Holden "Tri-matic" at home and heaps of new parts and they looked the same to me - so I, innocently, asked: "Aren't they exactly the same as the Holden Tri-matic?" The rebuilder's answer: "Oh so you know then ...... !"
I went to another shop and just asked for a Holden Tri-matic vacuum modulator.
BTW: The Aussies do have high stall converters - they DRAG RACE the hell out of Holdens! The Holden V8 Tri-matic is the most robust because it has four clutches in the first gear pack - and with a bit of machining five can be fitted in there........ These TH180s' are tough and common!
The only unconfirmed bit of info that I have heard muttered is that there may be and "inch" and a "Metric" version - one series made to inch specifications and the other to millimeters. Still researching that one ...