Original or Modified drivetrain

[jaft]

Might have to steal that one off you. I have trouble getting that message across to people. They don't understand why I bought 40 acres just for cars. (it's normal to fill an old house with Holden parts and put a roller door in one wall so you can get your coupe out of the weather isn't it?)

Nice

Depends what you want Goat...

I would go 308 EFI as others have said but if you don't wanna just use what you have already...
trans trimatic..
Diff.. Do u have intentions to cruise the highways on long journey.

[HK1837]

Thanks for the good replys so far folks.

Find it interesting that no-one has jumped on the 'take it back to original' bandwagon

HK1837, thanks for the very detailed reply. Out of interest, if the main focus is economy, why wouldn't you go for the trimatic over the t400 given as I understand the t400 is going to take more just to turn it over? My main hesitation with EFI is I play with electonic control systems all day everyday, it's nice to go home to the shed and play with things that run without the need for computers.

Regarding original, personally there is no point especially when the original engine is gone. It just costs too much to buy all NOS or really good secondhand bits, it'll cost you a bomb and it'll be worth less than half what it costs! It isn't that hard to make it look original outside and trim, but it really adds up underneath.

You could use the trimatic, just a little bit more mucking around with speed sensor setup. If I had the choice I'd still choose the TH400 as behind a 308 one of these will last forever if serviced. There is nothing wrong with a Trimatic especially if upgraded to 1980's 5.0L spec, i'd have one of these over a TH350 anyday. However the easiest way to get an injected setup is to but a whole car, and in that case it'd be a shame not to use the 4L60/4L60E! If you look hard enough you can buy whole running, registered VQ Statesmans for $2000ish, so an unregoed one will be cheaper. My mate got offered a VS 5.0L auto the other day for $1000, good driving car just ratty looking. He actually bought a VT 5.0L manual for $1500, kept the V45 Simmons off it and onsold it for $2000, but a VT is useless to you for a conversion unless you are just going to use the engine.

[mauser]

Most of the vans I have seen here are origionally manual. What options are there for people who wish to upgrade the drivetrain and retain the M20/M21 or at least a 5-speed with the same shifter look and postion.

Mauser

[HK1837]

Easy, just use a 4spd 308 block and leave the aussie 4spd where it is. You have the same issues with speed sensor as the trimatic, need a short speedo cable with a fitting on the end that replicates the threaded fitting on the TH boxes. Then put an inline speed sensor on it, and then a HQ Muncie speedo cable from there on. Not sure why you'd want to use an aussie 4spd though when you could have a 4L60E, which requires no body mods other than to drill the TH400 speedo cable hole in the firewall?? You could use a T5 but it gets very expensive finding the right box, bellhousing, tailshaft mods etc. You'll be up around $3500 or more by the time you get it all. Of course you could use a Muncie or cr@ppy old toploader but both normally need minor surgery on the tunnel.

[adam perth]

keep the T400 and the 2.78 and sell the rest to fund a 350 chev...if you take it back to original, all you have is a 253 4 sp....not alot of fun...won't even chirp when you snatch it to second gear.

[thatotherguy]

sell the 253 with virgin bore to me (you know how much i like 253s),put any motor you have that is going in it and then get it on the road and hire it out to other members that dont have a sandman on the road .If you go for the 350 crate motor be very carefull where you buy it from

[Vombil]

308, Aussie four speed and 3.08 diff. Supreme!!

reading my mind! this would be my preference.

ive got a 308 supra 5speed and 3.55 in my van which is quite good.

my HZ is a 253 trimatic with tiny single barrel carby. unreal on fuel and performance is surprising for such a bambino carb.

sounds like you can just play around and see what works with all those bits n bobs. correct on the windows call. windowless are a pg13ing nightmare if your not going in a straight line down the highway in single carriage. deffo better to just look at with a beer in your hand than drive to work and try and snatch a park!