126 Manual Transmission

[Jim Rothrock]

Hello everyone---

I'm a new participant on the forum, and hope you can help me with a solution: I have a 1985 500SEC EURO that I'd like to convert to a standard transmission. I'm told that in Europe and the Middle East, one occasionally sees a V8 126 car with a standard transmission (FOR SURE the 6-cylinder cars were built with standard transmission). I'm hoping somebody can help me with advice and parts for the conversion.

For practical reasons (not wanting to go upside down on a car that is nice, but only has modest value), I don't want to spend a fortune. After I sort out all the parts for the factory setup (5-speed, I assume?), I'd prefer to go to a 6-speed, possibly a ZF, Getrag or Tremec, depending on what would work with the bellhousing, clutch, etc. from the standard factory setup.

I've heard the Aussies have done these conversions, but the cost is over $10K. I'm looking for the original setup which, while rare, shouldn't cost a fortune from a salvage yard.

Can anybody help with my project? If you have a parts car and you're in the US, that would be ideal. Otherwise, any help with parts interchangeability information would be great. For instance, will the manual transmission setup from an old W107 350 or 450 SLC work, or are bellhousings, clutches, etc. different?

Thanks in advance,

Jim Rothrock, Windermere, Florida