I currently have a 1997 auto with all the current bolt on performance mods out there, including a 65 shot of NOS. I am now faced with the decision of either converting to a 5 speed or going with another forced induction like S/C or T/C. If I was to convert to the 5 speed, I would put in all the extras I can like the aluminum flywheel, ACT clutch, limited slip, ect. Each option should be about the same as far as cost. What does everyone think? Leave it as is and go boost or look into the conversion?

 

If you are into really driving your car more than just going fast, then do the conversion. Manual transmissions are so much more fun than autos, and from what I hear on the org, a blown auto isn't much faster(if it is at all) than a NA 5-speed.

Me? I'm doing both.

 

trade in for a 5spd get even on the trade and then go boost

 

I also would like to do both and that thought has crossed my mind. I would be afraid my car would turn into more of a money pit than it currently is. What are you planning on for your set up?

 

I am so attached to my car as it is with all the good stuff on it already. I don't think I would even get close to my money back from it.

 

Driving is so much more than going fast in a straight line. I would trade my auto max for a slightly slower car with manual transmission in a heartbeat.

 

if your car is a 97 SE Auto with XX Miles.. its going to be worth more than a 97 SE 5spd with XX Miles.. you should be able to trade straight up.. though dealers always liek the upper hand..

 

I just finished rebuilding a non-vlsd transmission I found at the junkyard. I tried to find one with lsd, but there aren't any in Texas that I could find. Maybe I'll get a Quaife diff later, along with an aluminum flywheel. For now I'm using a stock flywheel with an ACT clutch, new axles from raxles.com, and a Pacesetter sts. I'm still collecting all the other stuff, but I should have everything ready to do the conversion sometime in October. What's making it difficult is that there are no 4th gen 5 speed Maximas in any of the junkyards around Austin, so a lot of stuff I'm having to buy new.

I'm the guy who bought the supercharger from JJW95SC. I guess that will go in maybe over Thanksgiving break.

Money pit? Better believe it.

 

That sounds like the exact set up I want to do. Have you looked into parts from www.car-part.com they usually have some good stuff available for cheap.

 

buy the car from the guy with 190k miles on his car.

 

I almost did that. I found a beat up 5 speed 4th gen for fairly cheap that I was going to buy, then swap transmissions, axles, etc. with my 95, then sell the beater with the auto trans. But I tried to talk the guy down too much and he found another buyer. Not a bad way to do it, actually, and if I had known then how difficult it was going to be to find used parts, I would have done it that way. But at least now I have a lower mileage, rebuilt transmission and new clutch and drive axles.

 

I would do the 5-speed conversion and then somewhere later down the line add the S/C or T/C...

 

Get the 5spd, whether it's from a conversion or go buy a 5spd Maxima. Then go with the SC or turbo.


A SC auto Maxima isn't that impressive IMO. I should know, I have one.

 

do the conversion! i am doing one soon, and i cant wait, a supercharger auto with all bolt ons will run like mid to low 14's where as with out boost and bolt ons a well driven 5speed can hit those #'s

 

think like this....

if you supercharge your automatic and run nitrous on it as well, it is bound to die sooner or later.. that's another 1,200-2,000 for a rebuild... then it might go again, although not anywhere as soon as the 1st time....
might as wait and convert.. or sell the car and buy a 5 spd.

 

you're making it as if 5-speed is bullet-proof. say gets boost and a 5-speed. that tranny is not rated to handle all that new torque, so you either be going through the clutch disks (not that bad), or sooner or later the 5-speed will give up. there HAS to be a weak link in the drivetrain (usually the cheapest part to replace) to act as a "fuse" for the rest of the parts.

 

Clutch replacement is hella easier than auto rebuild. For that matter, a 5 speed rebuild is a lot cheaper than an auto rebuild for the simple reason that a 5 speed rebuild is something that most of us can do ourselves. An auto rebuild is best left for the professionals. That being said, however, once I do the swap I'm going to tear into the auto and find out how difficult it actually is. Maybe the tranny shops are pulling the wool over us ...

Steve

 

you're right
5 speed isn't bulletproof

but it can probably handle the power better than the auto. Plus it is considerably faster than an automatic with the same mods

 

stock vs. stock - who knows which one will give up first. built vs. built i'd go with auto. all you need there is good internals, VB and a right torque converter. but then again, if you're more into autoX type of thing than straight line, i'd probably choose a 5-speed.
Just like the old school Black Sheep song used to go "the choice is yours: u can get with this, or u can get with that."

 

do both

if not, then 5spd then blown later.

 

To get an auto tranny to hold together with boost requires at least the VB mod which costs $$$. If you're thinking of converting anyways, just convert to 5spd first and save yourself the trouble of building up the auto, unless of course you enjoy blowing up things and would prefer to do it that way

 

I already have the VB mod and the cooler to keep it safe with nitrous. I think I will just end up going the Harold has with his conversion and then going with boost, it seems to be the best alternative to what I want.