Originally Posted by
bobmackadoo
what the hell is an auto to manual trans converter exactly?! and how much work /which would be the best engine, whatever motor i get i'll probably rebuild it, get stronger rods, pistons, better cam and a few other goodies i'm considering going w/a turbo and possibly a few other pieces including a manual trans but i don't want a motor that will require major work to install by this i mean i don't want to have to spend more money getting the motor in the car than i'll spend on the engine, i definitely have performance aspirations but i don't want a trailer queen, something that would make it 3+ seconds faster would be nice, which one has the best aftermarket following?
1) There is no such converter. You
remove the automatic transmission and all of its related parts and replace them with the necessary parts to use a manual transmisssion.
2) For your chassis the easiest motors to swap would be the B-series motors.
If your car was a manual transmission car already, the most cost-effective option would be to swap a B16A2 and then turbocharge that motor. But since you're dealing with an automatic, that transmission has to go before any swap can begin. Dealing with that auto trans will add to the expense of any swap.
3) All of the motors I listed have extensive aftermarket support. The B16A2 is the most reasonably priced, whereas the K-series motors still fetch top dollar.