tunnels are different auto to manual

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:37 am

on L series anyway

As Smokey has said earlier, there is a difference in the transmission tunnels of L Series.

Smokey measured 240mm and 310mm [centimetres are for sewing!!] between the two models gearbox crossmember bolt to body holes.

I sort of did not visualise his discovery until I went to fit up a floor brace from my make date NOV87 Touring Wagon manual gearbox bits thinking the brace would simply bolt in where the auto 3 speed 4WD box crossmember came out. It did not even go close!

There IS like 70mm difference in the bolt distances

As the manual 4WD gearbox crossmember adds strength between left and right where there is nothing fitted in this location when a three speed auto is fitted I feel no need to have to also fit the brace into my MAR87 compliance plate dated 4WD sedan GLTA.

So, there would be a little problem for those wanting to fit an auto up to a factory fitted manual 4WD gearbox body.

I have found the differences between auto sedan and manual wagon yet Smokey has two wagons

food for thought

Phizinza · Post by **Phizinza** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:57 am

Same applies to older MY series. Auto's have larger tunnels to manuals. And the 2wd manuals are smaller then the 4wd manuals.

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:16 pm

this is weird then beacause my all my mounts were the same from 86 L manual 4wd wagon to a 87 L auto awd sedan??

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 1:28 pm

I don't think the distinction is as simple as manual and auto.
I found the same difference between the tunnels in my wagon and my sedan...both cars are factory manual transmission tho.
The wagon is a 1989 Touring Wagon, the sedan is a 1986 RX Turbo. Both originally had 5spd dual range part time gearboxes.

Interestingly I had no trouble at all fitting a EJ 5spd manual AWD gearbox to both cars. Not sure about auto boxes tho....quite possible I'd run into a problem on the sedan which had the narrower tunnel.

Unless somehow my wagon started life as an auto and was converted at some point (including notifying the licensing department) before I got it but I don't see any evidence of that. Wagon was totally bog stock when I got it.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:59 am

some odd stuff coming up here.

The last LETTER of your VIN indicates the factory transmission

A is 4MT, B 5MT, C AT, D 4WD MT, E 4WD 5MTd/r, F 4WD AT and for Thomas G - AWD 4EAT

Did the AWD 4EAT in L series use the same crossmember mounting points as the manuals ? ie off the camber rod mount ?

Nice to know the 5MT D/R fits in the narrower sedan auto 4WD tunnel better than it does in the MY Brumby (didn't have to remove the threaded boss to clear the tunnel as I did in the Brumby)

shuffbag · Post by **shuffbag** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:21 pm

going from my bad memory, my L sedan 4eat only had a crossmember across the rear (were the flat tin plate sits on 5mt d/r) not off the camber mounts.