69 conversion to manual

[quillc]

I'm taking the body of a 69 D100 with an automatic and transplanting it onto a 66 W200 chassis. The 69 body is going to get converted to a manual. I have the compete cab from the 66, so transplanting the pedal cluster looks pretty easy except the change from hydraulic to manual clutch linkage. I would like to use the manual linkage (to avoid the issues that are detailed in this thread viewtopic.php?f=19&t=38308), but don't know if the pedal cluster is similar enough to easily add the Z bar linkage.

Does anyone know how similar the two pedal clusters are? Do I have to go to the trouble of finding a 69 - 71 pedal cluster?

Also, does the 72-81 Z bar linkage cross over? I have found a local to me yard that has an intact z bar linkage on a 78 in the yard.

I already have the manual bellhousing and an NP465 to hook to it.

[Hobcobble]

I'm taking the body of a 69 D100 with an automatic and transplanting it onto a 66 W200 chassis. The 69 body is going to get converted to a manual. I have the compete cab from the 66, so transplanting the pedal cluster looks pretty easy except the change from hydraulic to manual clutch linkage. I would like to use the manual linkage (to avoid the issues that are detailed in this thread viewtopic.php?f=19&t=38308), but don't know if the pedal cluster is similar enough to easily add the Z bar linkage.

Does anyone know how similar the two pedal clusters are? Do I have to go to the trouble of finding a 69 - 71 pedal cluster?

Also, does the 72-81 Z bar linkage cross over? I have found a local to me yard that has an intact z bar linkage on a 78 in the yard.

I already have the manual bellhousing and an NP465 to hook to it.

The pedal bracket is the same for auto and manual [mechanical] on your '69 cab. You'd need the
clutch pedal and related hardware to mount it [bushings, etc.]. Additionally, you'll need the rod and
z-bar set up. After that, you'd need to torch the manual hydraulic clutch bell housing cross member
and locate the proper tranny cross member. You'd need the correct mechanical clutch flywheel, clutch
disc [23 spline], pressure plate and throw out bearing. You'll need to use a NP435 or NP445 with the
23 spline input shaft. Past all this, you'd need to find a way to add the ball pivots that the z-bar is mounted
on. The pivot on the correct style mechanical 318 bell housing won't be an issue. The pivot for the other
end of the z-bar presents more of a difficulty, as the location it would need to be mounted is "occupied"
by the leaf spring perch. As this information comes from memory, I'm hopeful that it is precise and, if
it is not, I'm sure others will chime in and add their revisions. The long and the short
of it is..... is that switching between a pre '69 and a '69-'71 cab presents several challenges... especially
around the spring perch. You might want to look at your W200 frame closely in this area to see
"IF" its doable at all. I don't believe I've heard of anyone going this route..... at least not that I recall.
I took a long look at this project many years ago and decided it wasn't something I wanted to tackle.
I cannot answer your question on the post '71 z-bar..... and I've not heard of an NP465....
John

[quillc]

Hmmm. Given me a lot to think about.

I got a bit of a look at a 69 with a manual today and took some pics of the linkage. I wasn't able to do any measuring, as it was on a car lot - but at least I got a look.

The NP465 is essentially an all iron version of the NP435 - with a granny low first. Popular with rock crawlers. Not sure what the input spline count is, but the stickout is the same so I expect to be able to use it either way, I'll just buy the appropriate clutch disk with the correct spline count.

I'm starting to suspect that I'll need to buy a Wilwood single circuit clutch master and do something like mount it under the dash (or something anyway).

Sigh. I figured that this would be an easy swap. If the tailshaft of the 727 wasn't so damn long, I'd just use that and keep the 69 cab as an auto. As it is, the tailshaft would stick back so far that it would likely go all the way to the transfer case.

[soopernaut]

Are you referring to the SM465? It wasn't made by New Process.

There is a short tailshaft version of the 727 auto that was used in 4wd trucks. I believe you can swap just the tailshaft section between the long and short versions.

[Hobcobble]

John

[digdoug]

To add to what soupernaut said, the short tail 727 could also be found in club and crew cab trucks, vans, motor homes(the small ones with van type cabs), special large trucks like street sweepers...

[dodgeboykim]

And to add to this post, I have a few short tail shaft 727 trans.
(1) S B A100/108 trans. 68 vintage.
Couple of 72/78 2 Whdr Club Cab short tails.

[quillc]

Plans for a manual conversion were discarded today after a long talk with my son (he's 15 and its his first vehicle).

It appears that the automatic that dodgeboykim has for the 72/78 club cab short tails is a direct drop in replacement, or at least as far as I can determine from my Hollander manual. a 72-78 club cab with a bolt on output flange has the same p/n as the 71 4X4.

We will be swapping the driveline over tomorrow and the cab/bed next weekend.

thanks everyone for the timely information. This appears to be a much simpler path.
thanks,
chris