5 Speed Conversion on a 96 Conti?

[v8ltd]

Ok I know it sounds crazy but I wanted to know if anyone ever thought of this or maybe even did it before? Would the SHO 5 speed fit without major modifing? I Love this car but the trans is a big weak point and I have a heavy foot and i perfer manul over auto. If I could put a 5 spd in there and get a air to spring conversion with sporty springs this car would kick ass, and of course unleash the real cobra from within.

you know the next best thing to a mercury marauder

 

[v8ltd]

so no opinions? no one ever wanted to or tried this? I either make it a 5 spd or buy a junk yard stock trans for it and sell the car. I found one for $450 with 73K on it. If you are a spirted driver these transmissions dont last. Thats way I wanted to convert to 5 spd.

 

[gearhead291]

so no opinions? no one ever wanted to or tried this? I either make it a 5 spd or buy a junk yard stock trans for it and sell the car. I found one for $450 with 73K on it. If you are a spirted driver these transmissions dont last. Thats way I wanted to convert to 5 spd.

you should try some SHO forums and ask them....

 

[kustomizingkid]

Lol.... no answers because no one has ever done it... I don't think your are starting with the right platform for what you want.

 

[Blenderhead]

The real question is going to be whether the bell housing bolt pattern is the same between the SHO and the FWD 4.6 blocks. If they are the same, the rest can be worked out. If they aren't, then you are pretty much stuck right there.

 

[kustomizingkid]

If you really want to you can make an adapter plate... and then you will have to adapt some kind of clutch, then you will have to adapt axle shafts, clutch pedal, shifter linkages.... seriously there is a very good reason why no one has done it.

 

[v8ltd]

I asked because I read on a thread that you can put a SHO trans in the Conti for better strength. Not sure now if they ment the whole trans itself or just a performance kit that is sold for the SHO? When I read this i assumed the SHO trans is a direct drop in. And thats why I figured the 5 spd from it would just drop in as well, and pedals etc. Just like when I converted my 83 LTD to a stick, everything dropped in like it was factory. I'm all about making things go that don't normally, like my LTD. Well that sucks, if I knew how then I would do it cause I hate automatics. You start having a little fun and poof they break, but even if you have a built auto still not as fun.

So how much fun does it take to get to the center of a Conti Trans? 15K miles. And I was only having real fun a 1/3 of the time, if that makes any sense. First time the trans blew it was still my brother in laws car and we were burning off his old tires. 2 weeks later the trans went. $2500 and 2 years and 15K later it went again. Weak junk. AOD's suck and I beat one I got from the junkyard for 3 years and it didnt blow.

 

[Blenderhead]

Well I would say start by looking into if the SHO trans really is a bolt-in. If it will bolt up to the engine, the rest can be made to work. SHO pedals probably won't be a direct drop-in, you might have to move some stuff around under the dash, but I'm sure they could be made to work. For the shifter, I would start with all the SHO stuff, and modify as needed to make sure it comes up in the right location inside the lincoln. I've never done this on a conti, but I did convert my MarkVIII to a 5-speed, and while it was a lot of work, and it fought me every step of the way, now the car is such a blast to drive, so it was well worth it in the end. Like I say, find out if the trans will physically bolt to the engine. If it will, then the rest can be sorted out, but if it won't, then you start getting into a lot more work with making adapter plates and spacing out the flywheel, and since the conti is wrong wheel drive that might get you into problems with axles not being the correct lengths, etc, and it probably wouldn't be worth trying.

 

[chicken]

id like to see it done, but im very doubtful that it would work. the 5 speed was only in the first gen sho, and it was specially made for it, so i really doubt that a fwd 96 dohc 4.6 is going to have the same pattern as a early 90' yamaha v6. good luck but be sure before you get too far

 

[v8ltd]

yeah i have now given it up because its not a direct drop in. If it was I would of done it. I bought a trans for the conti for $400 already. Just finished putting it in. Runs good. Ill sell it and save for a mark 8 or mercury marauder and convert that. thanks for all the input guys.

Whats the hardest part for the Mark 8, pedals, trans.....?

 

[chicken]

pcm where the clutch pedal goes, and shifter extension. but a few have done it so theres ways around it

 

[Blenderhead]

yeah i have now given it up because its not a direct drop in. If it was I would of done it. I bought a trans for the conti for $400 already. Just finished putting it in. Runs good. Ill sell it and save for a mark 8 or mercury marauder and convert that. thanks for all the input guys.

Whats the hardest part for the Mark 8, pedals, trans.....?

The hardest part for the Mark is mounting the pedals. The problem is that the clutch pedal goes right where the computer is, so the computer needs to be relocated, and then where it mounts on the firewall there are 2 harnesses coming through that need to be moved a bit, so you have to cut up the firewall a bit to get everything to clear. Then mounting the clutch master cylinder is a job in and of itself because it will barely hit the shock tower, so you have to dimple the shock tower, and even still trying to get everything in there at the same time is a PITA. If you can do all the work yourself though, it is well worth it because it makes the car so much fun to drive.