Finally got my auto trans in

I will never do that again unless I have my own lift, the cost was way beyond my expectations..
$500 for the trans core, convertor and parts from Victor
$600+ to have the trans and convertor totally rebuilt
$150 B&M extended handle floor shifter
$1500 labor to have it all installed, which included other parts like a custom driveshaft and trans cooler. Total labor was 22 hours.

The trans shop had a hell of a time. The auto trans had a solid yoke so we had to special order a driveshaft with a slip yoke in the middle and also had to make special spacers to drop the engine down about 1.5"..

All because my wife didn't want to drive a stick, lol.. It is her van so I didn't have much of a choice..

Jesus... hope she's happy ;D

I'm going to use a teleflex cable and modify the shift arm with a collar w/slides and stops to do the shifting on my aod. Hoping I don't need to rebuild it errr

Pretty $alty on the install there, nice custom driveshaft is like $225 max(probably $150 up there, I'm from Indiana and it sure is cheaper living there, on everything compared to western WA!). But I can imagine alot of labor with the cooler install and dropping the engine down. Pre '65 van? The fab of the spacer would be a cinch I'm sure but there's all the    

Like working on a boat, why does it cost soo much??? Everything is custom, a one off... Hell, feel lucky, if it was a boat it would have been $12K, at least  

Being in the north country like you I'm going to rely on the radiator, at least at first...

I daydream about having the dough to find a good one and put it on a rotisserie when my ship comes in... but until then I'm on my own. If I can't do it myself, it won't get done ftmp...

Must be nice

You ever float the Pine river up there in Manistee? We used to truck up IN 13 every summer and float that river. Great times. I'm from Wabash

I'm just finishing the resto on my 61 e-pup and was considering converting over to automatic. You may have just talked me out of it. The older I get, the less interested in shifting I get. I would probably do all the work myself, but if it took your trans shop 22 hours, it would take me 122 hours--ha,ha. By the way, I really like your like your van, especially those blacked out headlight grills. I've considered doing that to mine. They say 3-on-the-tree is the best security measure you can take------most people can't drive one. Good luck
Mike

Seth G wrote:Jesus... hope she's happy ;D

I'm going to use a teleflex cable and modify the shift arm with a collar w/slides and stops to do the shifting on my aod. Hoping I don't need to rebuild it errr

Pretty $alty on the install there, nice custom driveshaft is like $225 max(probably $150 up there, I'm from Indiana and it sure is cheaper living there, on everything compared to western WA!). But I can imagine alot of labor with the cooler install and dropping the engine down. Pre '65 van? The fab of the spacer would be a cinch I'm sure but there's all the    

Like working on a boat, why does it cost soo much??? Everything is custom, a one off... Hell, feel lucky, if it was a boat it would have been $12K, at least  

Being in the north country like you I'm going to rely on the radiator, at least at first...

I daydream about having the dough to find a good one and put it on a rotisserie when my ship comes in... but until then I'm on my own. If I can't do it myself, it won't get done ftmp...

Must be nice

You ever float the Pine river up there in Manistee? We used to truck up IN 13 every summer and float that river. Great times. I'm from Wabash

I used to live way up north by the Ausable River and floated that but I did salmon fish down by the pine river before too.. I also own property in the upper peninsula too. Now I live down in the city again, the winters and cold that far north took their toll on my bones, lol..

If I had my own lift, which I did at my last house, I could of done most of it myself besides the rebuild.. Mine is a 62, I hear the post 64 models are easier to make the swap.

RF Man wrote:I'm just finishing the resto on my 61 e-pup and was considering converting over to automatic. You may have just talked me out of it. The older I get, the less interested in shifting I get. I would probably do all the work myself, but if it took your trans shop 22 hours, it would take me 122 hours--ha,ha. By the way, I really like your like your van, especially those blacked out headlight grills. I've considered doing that to mine. They say 3-on-the-tree is the best security measure you can take------most people can't drive one.  Good luck
Mike

Since the 61 and 62's never came with an auto trans, there is some modifying to do.. I knew that heading into this project but I didn't expect it to be so wide spread. I figured maybe $1500 total but it doubled by the time we were done.. My new rear tires will be here today and they are a little wider than the ones in the picture and then im going to add some Zoomies over the winter.. We already ditched the roof rack and surfboards..

Post some pics of the new wheels on if you can. Van already looks bad ass.