Bmw transmission

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brewil

brewil

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OK so I live in South Africa and getting hold of an A-833 for a 360 is both time consuming and very expensive as my import duty is almost 50% and exchange rate is ten to the dollar.

I spoke to a guy here who makes CNC cut transmission adapters and he said why not put in a Diesel BMW transmission and he would take the block and make the bellhousing adapter.

Cost of this kind of tranny is maximum $800 (R8000) and he will make the adapter possibly for half that.

Here are the gear ratios: http://www.bokchoys.com/differential/GearRatios.htm

Help me out guys with what you think. I know it's not Mopar and I am very aware of that but it's my only option right now.

Thanks

B
 
Holy ****! That first gear ratio is gonna make first gear about as useless as dog pop. Even with 2.45 rear gear ratio yikes.
Another thing you have to consider is will it even fit the car. You might have to do major tunnel surgery in order for it to work/ fit. Another option (if the car was sold in South Africa) is the Toyota Supra.
Here is a link about the Supra which may or may not have been called something else if it was sold in South Africa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_supra
Also another member on here from Germany (if I'm not mistaken) as already installed a Supra transmission in his A Body and the car is running/driving.
 
Thanks Duster...Will definitely check it out. i think we have loads of those boxes lying around. Will they handle 500hp?
 
That is a HUGE 1-2 ratio drop! Wow.

If the Supra trans isn't available...what about a Toyota Hilux truck or Land Cruiser trans?

What's in the car right now?
 
Nada in the car. Had a 3 speed BW with the Hemi 265 but they're both sold.
Wanting to get my hands on a 360 and an A-833 but thinking just the 360 and mate it with a R154 Supra 5 speed
 
OK, lets brainstorm...what RWD transmissions DO you have easy access to down there?
 
I beleive GM sells Isuzu branded pickups down there. They may use the same MA5 transmission as the Chevy Colorado. That will work with the 3.9L Dodge Dakota bellhousing and 360. Check out 2 wheel drive Isuzu Troopers and pickups.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_D-Max

Also, Toyota Hilux's.

Greg
 
Definitley lots of Hilux's here. Will that tranny handle 450hp?
Is it small enough to go into an A-body?
 
If it's behind a diesel, it should handle a 360...but no idea on the ratios.
 
IMHO, Those ratios are very nice for a SBM, daily driver. My splits are very similar and I love it. I run the 3.09 low set from an early A with a Gear Vendors. Ratios are 3.09/1.92/1.40/1.00/.78od. If you do the math the % splits are about; 62/73/71/78 with mine. The BMWs are about: 60/66/74/82. I run a 3.55rear so final drives are; 10.97/6.82/4.90/3.55/2.77, Very nice. Now for the BMW and a 2.76rear even nicer for a 318cid;11.67/6.96/4.58/3.37/2.76. Those final drive ratios put you at about 2200rpm at 60mph with 26.5tires.Five spds are so nice.And while 11.67 might be a little deep for a 360street, the 6.96 is a bang on 2nd and the rest are sweet. I would totally enjoy that box with a hot318 or a 360 of 400ish Hp.
 
I agree with the others that the 1/2 split is pretty big on the BMW trans I bet youd end up starting in 2... The member with the supra trans is buschi340, he has a 6.1 hemi mated to his, so Im guessing it would be fine for the HP. Shoot him a PM or do a search here, I know that trans has been discussed in detail...
 
There is a whole school of Aisan Warner transmissions that share the same trans to bellhousing bolt pattern, meaning any of these will bolt up to the Dodge Dakota 3.9l / 5.2l AX15 bellhousing.

The R154 (freshly built will handle 500hp. The Turbo Toyo Supras are kind of a cult car, and they are commonly built out to 800hp and more. I understand that the MA5 from the Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon pickup trucks (also used in Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky) has latest and greatest tech and upgrades in the syncros, which is a huge aid in trans being able to live with power. There are differences in input shaft length and spline count that will need to be addressed, but there are many good starting points.

Been searching my computer, here are a few links that can be of use;

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/fo...s-and-other-rwd-bellhousing-oopti/1018/page1/

http://www.sigma-galant.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8183&p=72528#p72528:thumb:

http://www.moparchat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82618&highlight=t-5

Been looking for this one specifically - http://www.turbododge.com/forums/f11/f68/370573-ma5-chevrolet-transmission-confirmed-work-2-a.html

http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21521

http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=3168502&page=0&fpart=6&vc=1

Here is the motherload of info - http://www.jeeps-offroad.com/archive/index.php/t-4740.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_R_transmission

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisin_AR_transmission

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/toyota-5-speed-10418.html

You'll glean a bunch of relavent info out of these threads. Hope it is of use to you.

Mike in FL
 
It look slike even a SUpra would require radical tunnel mods though.

Maybe I'll just wait and bite the bullet with an A-833

How much does the tunnel need to be modded with the A-833 in an A-body?
any pics?
 
brewil said:
It look slike even a SUpra would require radical tunnel mods though.

Maybe I'll just wait and bite the bullet with an A-833

How much does the tunnel need to be modded with the A-833 in an A-body?
any pics?
Click to expand...

A-bodies came with A833. So theoretically, none unless you have an automatic car. Then you'll have to cut out and weld in a 4-speed hump. What car is it that it had a Hemi 265 and a 3 speed? A Valiant from Oz?
 
MuuMuu101 said:
A-bodies came with A833. So theoretically, none unless you have an automatic car. Then you'll have to cut out and weld in a 4-speed hump. What car is it that it had a Hemi 265 and a 3 speed? A Valiant from Oz?
Click to expand...

If the car is Right-Hand Drive, he's also going to need an expensive A-Body "Console" / Offset Shifter, otherwise he'd be reaching way over to the left side of the car to shift gears.

Or he could fabricate his own Offset Adapter, they're easy to make and cost almost nothing to build. I made one for my '74 to offset and angle an E-Body Pistol Grip Shifter.
 
A-body 1972 Valiant Charger
Came with a borg warner single rail 3 speed. Even the BW 4 speed is tiny.
The 4 speed was a left sided offset transmission so the 4 speeds had a hump.
Apparently the A-833 does require some floor mod although the crossmember remains the same.
 
David Belau in Oregon installed the AX15 from a 2wd Jeep Cherokee in his '67 'cuda. Same floor pan as your '72 Val Charger. Here is his build blog so you can take a look at what he has had to do to the floor. The R154 and AX15 are approx the same size. http://dartslantsix.wordpress.com/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog Scroll all the way to the bottom for the start of the build. He also has a large Photobucket account.

When reading it, bear in mind also that for budget's sake, he modified a lot of non A-bdy parts / non 'cuda parts to fit the build.

We had planned on meeting David while on vaca in Oregon, but ended up driving east out of the Portland area rather than south toward California on our way home to Florida. Next time.

Mike in FL
 
oooh ok that does sound good. THe R154 is the one to have apparently.

Thanks Mike in Florida!
 
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