Manual conversion checklist

[CruiseLiner]

interesting info, and 6k for a manual conversion is alot of cash, but selling the stagea with it manual will sell in 5 sec's flat cause they are rare, dont know about getting the 6k back in resale but who builds cars for profit?

a r33 gts-t handbrake fits and needs to be custom mounted to the body as there is no holes already there or nuthing, and even a thick plate should be welded onto the bolting up area as its only thin metal in that area and after a while it will deform the floor from the pressure on it from the handbrake cable being pulled tight all the time.

im after a console but 1000 bucks is alot imo for some plastic bits.

i used an Autech pedal (can be ordered through nissan i think), and pedal box is just a gtr one i think (99% sure).

mounting the clutch vacuum booster is the biggest job if u want it to have a light feeling clutch pedal, and with the engine in i wouldnt attempt it personally.

the joys of changing things

good luck what ever u decide alex

cheers

Brad

[GoldZilla]

My car, like Cyrus', has an R32 GT-R box too (but no PowerFC, dammit!), so I doubt you'll have issues there if you still decide to go ahead with it Alex. Also, I don't understand where the different ratios (4.11 in the R32 GT-R vs 4.3 in the Stagea) would cause a problem, aren't these just diff ratios anyway? I'm sure the only thing you'd need to worry about is the transfer case, which is probably the same anyway (although I'm only assuming)...

I've gotta say, I love my car especially because it's a manual. If I hadn't found this car I would have scrounged a bit longer and harder and waited for a Series 2 RSFour S. Tiptronic just doesn't come close enough for me...

[GoldZilla]

a r33 gts-t handbrake fits and needs to be custom mounted to the body as there is no holes already there or nuthing, and even a thick plate should be welded onto the bolting up area as its only thin metal in that area and after a while it will deform the floor from the pressure on it from the handbrake cable being pulled tight all the time.

cheers

Brad

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was told this too when I bought the car, the previous owner was the one who did the conversion and he stated that reinforcements need to be made up around where the handbrake is mounted so the body panels in that area don't bend over time...

[CruiseLiner]

the auto tranfer case is totally different to the manual gtr one, as the gearstick actually comes out of the top of it and in the auto it doesnt have the hole. plus the gtr one is alot tougher and internals are alot stronger and heavy duty while the stagea auto one is only a cheap version with weaker parts.

[GoldZilla]

There you go! I've never had the opportunity to get the two gearboxes and transfer cases together to check, but now I know.

Brad, question for you: I'm not too worried about blowing my gearbox, seeing as GT-R boxes are a pretty well-known quantity as far as strength goes, but how much abuse will my driveshafts take? My car was fitted with a six-puck clutch when the conversion was done, so I seriously doubt that will be an issue until wear starts to set in, but I've never done a hard "drop the clutch at 4500rpm" launch, because I'm scared of snapping driveshafts and/or CV joints.

There's so much grip, too, that even if I try and slip the clutch with maybe 3,500 to 4,000rpm, it bogs down anyway and comes off boost. I wanna be able to stay on boost, but not risk snapping the shafts or joints.

[CruiseLiner]

There you go!  I've never had the opportunity to get the two gearboxes and transfer cases together to check, but now I know.

Brad, question for you:  I'm not too worried about blowing my gearbox, seeing as GT-R boxes are a pretty well-known quantity as far as strength goes, but how much abuse will my driveshafts take?  My car was fitted with a six-puck clutch when the conversion was done, so I seriously doubt that will be an issue until wear starts to set in, but I've never done a hard "drop the clutch at 4500rpm" launch, because I'm scared of snapping driveshafts and/or CV joints.

There's so much grip, too, that even if I try and slip the clutch with maybe 3,500 to 4,000rpm, it bogs down anyway and comes off boost.  I wanna be able to stay on boost, but not risk snapping the shafts or joints.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hey mate, well its hard to say, as mine might have snapped because of a manufacturing fault, or maybe it had been shocked hard previously in an accident or something, and the fact i took off from a set of lights from idle, and then just floored first gear once i was rolling along and as it hit boost it just went bang and i tried to go into 2nd gear and the car wasnt moving, which i thought was the gearbox or the tailshaft at first, until later inspection. i think the rb26 nature is alot laggier and then bang it hits boost, where as the rb25 is less laggy and more linear meaning less shock on the driveline. i had roughly 350-360rwhp at the time it broke, but just a quick and very important note is the car was in 2wd only and with the non-lsd diff it was trying to push the cars weight through only one wheel and that may have been the main cause. i also had 4 people in the car which would have been 1800kg for the car plus 4 peoples weight so around 2100kg of weight is alot to move with one tiny axle

the gtr shafts are huge in comparision and even r33 gts-t's use the gtr size shafts and uni joints.

if u want to know in more detail i posted a thread in the stagea section on the gtr diff conversion, and i dont want to go off topic in here or it might upset the moderators.

cheers

Brad

[GoldZilla]

Thanks for that Brad.

I do remember that thread, now that you mention it... I might have to scan back over the old threads and compare shafts according to your findings...

Cheers,

Nick

[beastien]

If anyone is looking at purchasing the manual console parts i've listed, i'd urge you to hold off until i confirm something.

I've since found out that Part number 96920-0V800 Lid-Console Box, could also include parts, 68643-6P000 Bumper Console and 969A1-0V800 Tray Assy, in which case you would only need the one part number for all three items.

I'm waiting on 100% confirmation on this and should have it within a couple of days, if it is the case the price would be even cheaper than i quoted previously.

[Terminal]

i just picked up an R33 GTR gearbox on the yahoo auctions for 20000Y, which ads to about $1000 landed. getting my parts together very slowly

[Silverback]

Hi Terminal,

I should be picking up our new Stagea this week, after going through compliance. Mark suggested we should get together when he gets back from a short break. I was really impressed with the Tow bar you got done...very schmick.

I am driving it back from the Gold Coast, so should give me an opportunity to get acquainted.

Good luck with the manual conversion.

[Terminal]

i won't have it converted for about another 3 months, i'm going to take my time and try to get all the right bits first.

I drove mine back from the gold coast when i bought it over a year ago now, but i managed to get 2 small stone chips which took 8 months and $850 to repair. be careful is all i can say.

[Silverback]

I intend to go back via the coast road, about the only worry there is around where the road works are on the Coffs coast. I will be taking it pretty easy, as I am sure that it could do with a nice long run. I intend to use only Premium, and will slip in some injector cleaner too.

Not sure what size tank I have, but from other threads, looks around 400k's per tank.

[beastien]

I've decided it might be a good idea to hold off on posting the part numbers until i receive my order and confirm that everything needed is there, i've talked to nissan about a couple of the parts that are supposed to come as a package under the one part number, and they're 99.9% sure that they do come as a package.

So before i quote anything again i just want to make sure

Should receive the goods in bout 2 or 3 weeks and i'll post the results.

[timmmay]

i've been talking to a guy who imports stagea's and he mentioned to me yesterday that he knows someone who will do a manual conversion for $3k

just though i'd let ya's all know...i can get details if anyone's interested

[AMS]

i've been talking to a guy who imports stagea's and he mentioned to me yesterday that he knows someone who will do a manual conversion for $3k

just though i'd let ya's all know...i can get details if anyone's interested

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Im interested! Well actually, Japlink said they could do it for $3000

[beastien]

Is that just for labour? i'm assuming it is. With all the parts needed you would be looking up around the 5-6 grand mark roughly.

[AMS]

Is that just for labour? i'm assuming it is. With all the parts needed you would be looking up around the 5-6 grand mark roughly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well thats the quote they gave me drive in drive out...

But you would probably find that they are way off

[AlexCim]

Ill tell you now, ive been planning this for 6 months now and canceled, you CANT do 3k drive in drive out

THats just a gearbox/clutch and clutch assembly, plus labour, interior etc etc

[Terminal]

well thats the quote they gave me drive in drive out...

But you would probably find that they are way off

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Would that include the interior parts too? i don't think you'll find too many places willing to source those, sounds like Beastian went through a bit to get hte ones for himself

[beastien]

I received my manual console parts today, Hooray

So i've re-posted the part numbers in my previous post, all parts are confirmed.

I'm still going to use my rear ashtray because it's identical to the one used in the RS4S, the front ashtray however is a different coloured silver, the old one fits but it looks a bit out of place, i've posted the part number for the RS4S one in my previous post aswell.

The grand total came to just over $1000 (i was hit by customs, and got quite a shock ) but this is still alot cheaper than you'd pay through Nissan Australia.

Everything was quite easy and smooth (except for dam customs) so no one should have any problems.