Searching for My Dad's 1979 Chevy Suburban

[Strick]

Well with this thing at the literal bottom of Texas a drive from there to NJ does not sound like fun without AC. Still trying to figure out if it is even available and whether the MT is worth the trade off of needing more eventual body work.

The clutch pedal is what makes a truck a truck. It's nice to have a cruiser with the auto but when it comes down to working and using a truck; that 1/2 ton manual will usually work as good or better than an automatic 3/4 ton truck. I know that they work better off road. I am really biased though as both my '79 Crews, my '78 K20 and my '55 6100 are all SM465 trannies.

HS

 

[Keith Seymore]

May be, but an auto trans is sure nice for hooking up and pulling a trailer.

K

 

[Truck82]

The clutch pedal is what makes a truck a truck. It's nice to have a cruiser with the auto but when it comes down to working and using a truck; that 1/2 ton manual will usually work as good or better than an automatic 3/4 ton truck. I know that they work better off road. I am really biased though as both my '79 Crews, my '78 K20 and my '55 6100 are all SM465 trannies.

HS

Yup, I really want a manual transmission truck. Trying to find another with a manual and 4x4. I leaned to drive on a manual transmission so it’s second nature to me. They’re so much fun

 

[TheHoundsman]

I feel the same way I really would like a MT but do get the appeal of putting it in Drive and heading down the road. However my Dad’s was MT so i am definitely leaning that way.

 

[TheHoundsman]

Could always do a clean manual swap. I've done a few manual conversions and there not bad. Parts are available and you can probably sell the auto to help offset costs.

I have seen a few that have said “replace auto with MT” however full disclosure my mechanical abilities are next to nothing. I would assume I could just talk to a local transmission shop and they would be able to quote a job like that.

 

[Ricko1966]

I have seen a few that have said “replace auto with MT” however full disclosure my mechanical abilities are next to nothing. I would assume I could just talk to a local transmission shop and they would be able to quote a job like that.

Not much advantage in going to a transmission shop,99% of their business is fluid and filters,r&r and rebuild automatic transmissions. 99.9% have never done a pedal swap. Best bet find the truck you want and like,if it's auto,drive it as an auto while the long search,for the right shop that has a guy who's hobby is this kind of stuff.

 

[bucket]

Not much advantage in going to a transmission shop,99% of their business is fluid and filters,r&r and rebuild automatic transmissions. 99.9% have never done a pedal swap. Best bet find the truck you want and like,if it's auto,drive it as an auto while the long search,for the right shop that has a guy who's hobby is this kind of stuff.

Some independently owned, family type shops may be willing to do the swap. I did one from time to time where I worked.