Originally Posted by panZZer (Post 2782178)

The astro van t5 very rare, me have a cople, parts guy at one of the oldest dealerships in the area stated repeatedly the did not exist, after I told him I just pulled two out of the mini vans, just as hard to find is that bellhousing-with the ford gearbox bolt pattern.

Originally Posted by dropnosky (Post 2782184)

hahha

What a familiar argument. Im sorry, but the next parts guy who knows as much as an enthusiast who isnt an enthusiast himself will surprise me.

I can't believe you found two, lucky dog! I had to coax mine out of a PITA guy in the midwest, and all said and done, its completely blown. Did you rebuild any of yours? have any rebuild kit part numbers or anything?

Originally Posted by dropnosky (Post 2782235)

so check this out-

here we have the chevy astro 5-speed next to a 115 iron 4-speed. Ive thrown the MB shifter in there with the shift rods to show just how the location of the shifter itself is the big issue with just firing any RWD 5-speed out of dozens of vehicles in one of these MBs

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...rison/0025.jpg

Super inaccurate measurements, but look how the MB shifter is around a foot behind the actual box, and the chevy transmission shifter is actual about 5 inches forward of it. (they are both at the same line in front on the table) In this configuration, if you put the basic chevy box in an MB car, the shifter would be in your ashtray, or climate control

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...arison/003.jpg
http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...arison/005.jpg

You can see from this side how the chevy 5-speed shifter handle is about 10 inches over to the driverside of the tranny through the astro-specific whoseawhatsit piece-

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...arison/006.jpg


HOWEVER, here is my favorite pic- If you rotate the shifter extension on the chevy box, it puts the handle in almost the right place. There is no doubt in my mind that the correct attachment is available for some application that moves the shifter to the rear over the tailcone, or is customizable, making this type of chevy 5-speed that is common for camaros or something like it a possibility in an MB body.

http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/...arison/007.jpg

The trick is finding just the right old domestic or asian car that moves the shifter back in some way right over the end of the tailcone. I know from some other threads if you are buying a rebuild T5, you can buy pretty much any kind of extension you want, in multiple lenghts, but thats big money.

Originally Posted by panZZer (Post 2782252)

When you get an early camaro to put your rebuilt unit into -dont chunk the hoaky offset shifter, sell it to me for $10 bucks:D
and the stock slave cyl on the firewall operating another slave bolted to that casting jutting out from the DS of the bell--axe all that and get a hydro TOB out of speedway, jegs, etc. saw off the piece sticking out off the bell to use it in something else-- no way its needed in anything except an astro-and a 1998-up? camaro also has a Hydro bearing--but the front camaro bearing retainer would have to be used.

Originally Posted by panZZer (Post 2782264)

There guys on the asto van forum that just used a s 10 t5 and bought an aftermarket shifter--stubb type and welded their own "swag" offset shifter to bolt to it since the officiat astro t5 is pretty much unobtalium

Originally Posted by dropnosky (Post 2782270)

Interesting, so theoretically, the exact same solution could be used to make an s-10 T5 fit in a mercedes properly? Using an aftermarket shifter, then setting it up as offset, but stepping it back 10 inches or something?

Any pics of how they did this?

Originally Posted by SirNik84 (Post 2782293)

This is just me thinking out loud. I've always thought the Toyota transmission might be the route to go if you were to try and put a non MB transmission in the car.

The reasons I've thought this would work is because I've seen adapter plates for mounting the 617 to the Toyota trans. But the bell housing is also removable, as is the bell housing on the iron box MB 4 speeds. I've seen Toyota transmission adapted to other bell housings. meaning there are a few options to make the adaptation to the MB engine.

Also the transmission is long, and the shifter is at the very end of the transmission.

Plus Toyota used these transmissions in everything, from trucks to Supras, so they made adapters to relocated the shifter based on the application.

I know I've seen threads about these transmissions getting mated to MB diesels going into Toyota trucks. Has anyone ever thought of putting the Toyota transmission into the MB car?

Originally Posted by vstech (Post 2782482)

... heh, my ZF 6 transmission is quite a bit longer than the astro trans in your pic...

me thinks a SIX speed 300 may be in my future...