Manual Trans Swap into a Riv?

I think that you'd run into problems regarding the axle shafts. You may be able to piece together a working whole axle shaft, but the length I think would be an issue. You're also looking at tuning concerns. The PCM requires data from all the sensors in the transmission to operate the car correctly. The output speed sensor is that same, but the input speed sensor isn't. You'd have to find a way to falsify input speed and pressure switch information, otherwise the car will be forced in open loop with no spark advance. Also, you'd have to jump the neutral safety switch in order to start the car. You'd be better off fabricating a stand-alone fuel system to make it work. That's what I meant by not worth it....there are too many variables and what-ifs. Now, if it's a project that you want to make work, by all means, go for it.

I'm definitely not the expert on this matter but I'm pretty sure you could work around the AT delete in the pcm but you'd definitely want to be running a 1998 PCM for programming/compatibility reasons. That's the only PCM that we know we can alter the whole operating system for a major change like this.
Not to shoot down dreams but that getrag was used in various cars but never in any ~4000lb land yachts.. The riv is a car that I don't think a larger auto would have been overkill at all. The getrag is built well but it's not made for tanks.

turtleman wrote:

I'm definitely not the expert on this matter but I'm pretty sure you could work around the AT delete in the pcm but you'd definitely want to be running a 1998 PCM for programming/compatibility reasons. That's the only PCM that we know we can alter the whole operating system for a major change like this.
Not to shoot down dreams but that getrag was used in various cars but never in any ~4000lb land yachts.. The riv is a car that I don't think a larger auto would have been overkill at all. The getrag is built well but it's not made for tanks.

Right. It was also only in the 3.4L-3.2L configurations...certainly not in a potential torque-monster S/C 3800.

There's a guy on the reatta boards with a s1 3800sc mated to a gm f40 6spd tranny with great results. Worth lookin at

SouthernRiviera75 wrote:

I am sure I am not the first person to ask about a manual tranny swap. but I've done a lil research and have came here with a question that maybe you guys with a lot more knowledge than myself might can help me with. I use to have a 97' Cutlass Supreme SL, 3.4 dohc with a 5 speed. Well I looked and the the 3.4 bolted the same automatic trans that is in my 97' Riviera. So would the 5 speed Getrag transmission that was in the Cutlass not bolt up to the 3800 engine as well???? Hope that all made since. I'm probably just grasping at straws....

Is this a 2nd car, or your daily driver? If it's just an extra car that you want to play around with, well that's up to you. If it's your DD, it doesn't seem a practical idea. If you want a DD with a stick, you'd be better off buying a car built that way. jmho

Apparently somebody put the F40 in an 88 Lesabre with a series I 3800 and a turbo. The guy that did it says that they did put them in a fair number of GTPs. No word on performance past 300 hp, but his looks like it's about there. Unfortunately it was stolen in 2011, so if he hadn't pushed it into redline territory, there's no way to know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XaI52yUDAw

That's so sick!!

SICK.......

I know that guy. He really is a mechanical genius but he wasn't always the friendliest guy. He had a lot of very successful projects but unfortunately he was banned from LesabreT.com and not many of us over there have heard from him since probably 2011 when that car was stolen.

I wish I knew how far he got with the project too...he put a LOT of really awesome work into that car, including the Pontiac TGP hood louvers! He had an older '89 Lesabre T-type with a VERY built L67 with the same louvers. There's a cool picture of that car doing a burnout with tire smoke pouring out of the hood   .