Turbo I, Mike's build thread
- Thread starter mja
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mja
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This will be a big project. These shafts have shipped from the UK, still waiting on them to arrive.
The shafts should get here in a month or so after going through customs. Will be on the hunt for a low mileage good condition M32, my budget is 400$ for the used one. I'll disassemble, strip the shafts, rebuild on the new shafts, and put the rebuilt trans in with new clutch. Will be adding new bearings and checking the gears and everything.
Since it's a street car I may not send the parts out to cryo them, may do a little in-house cryo treatment at my lab.
The tranny shafts + pinion gears have to match, so it's not as simple as a RWD ring & pinion swap.
...my biggest worry is the Vauxhall Ecoflex (european cars) that came with the high gear M32 have different size shafts than ours. That would be a royal PITA to ship gears/bearings, everything from overseas, and would have to evaluate cost benefit at that point.
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mja
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The final drive gear needs to match the pinion gears. If the ring gear is a simple swap off the differential, that would be amazing. Id swap in the gear and call it a day.
I doubt this will be the case, which is why I bought the pinion gear shafts too. I'm hoping at least the splines and shaft diameters are the same so I can use the US gearset. And then living on a prayer that it's a good fit into the carrier. It's hard to tell with so many versions of the M32 out there. It could be an expensive attempt that goes nowhere.
I doubt this will be the case, which is why I bought the pinion gear shafts too. I'm hoping at least the splines and shaft diameters are the same so I can use the US gearset. And then living on a prayer that it's a good fit into the carrier. It's hard to tell with so many versions of the M32 out there. It could be an expensive attempt that goes nowhere.
mja
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The 3.35 ratios came in the Ecoflex, CDTi Vauxhalls and Opel's.
Search here for the German "3,348" - final gear
opel-infos.de
RPO code "FX4" from the Astra H, Astra K, Corsa D, Signum, and Vectra C* are all an MZ4 gear set. These used trans will set you back around 900-1200$* USD. Shipping to the states would be 500-700$. For that price, I could dog the gears and get full cryo treatment for our M32.
I'm hoping their MZ4 gearset is the same as our MZ4. I don't see why GM/Opel would spend their dime developing two different spline/diameter drive gearsets with the same ratios, for two different sets of pinion shafts. Easier to manufacture two different shaft/ring gear sets, and use the same drive gears. I'm betting on GM's world-car manufacturing efficiency, we shall see.
There is also the more rare Corsa D ecoflex FX4 with the MZ0 gears, for all you track guys, these used trans run less than the FX4 MZ4.
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mja
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Not a Sonic, but I picked up a '92 Isuzu pickup last week:
Super cheap, 300,000 miles, the thing runs like a top I can't believe it. A/C blows cold and heater core works. This will be my parts hauler and work truck.
4ZD1 gas Isuzu 2.3L motor, 2 barrel carb, MSG-5 speed mechanical clutch, 4.10 7.5" GM corporate rear.
I've been searching for an ultra-rare Borg Warner NWC T5 that came bolted up to an Isuzu 1.9L gas motor in '82-'84 S10/S15 trucks. I plan to swap it in the Isuzu truck (or use the Isuzu bellhousing/input shaft) to get rid of the Isuzu MSG trans for good, but parts are hard to come by.
Super cheap, 300,000 miles, the thing runs like a top I can't believe it. A/C blows cold and heater core works. This will be my parts hauler and work truck.
4ZD1 gas Isuzu 2.3L motor, 2 barrel carb, MSG-5 speed mechanical clutch, 4.10 7.5" GM corporate rear.
I've been searching for an ultra-rare Borg Warner NWC T5 that came bolted up to an Isuzu 1.9L gas motor in '82-'84 S10/S15 trucks. I plan to swap it in the Isuzu truck (or use the Isuzu bellhousing/input shaft) to get rid of the Isuzu MSG trans for good, but parts are hard to come by.
Another one you probably can't find, but may be the same transmission, is the 5-speed that came in 1982-1985 (maybe only 1984) Camaros and Firebirds that were equipped with the Iron Duke 4-cylinder. I would bet that was the same setup in the S10.
Upon further checking, it looks like it only had a 4-speed. I would have sworn our 1984 Firebird had the 5-speed.
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Mzooski44
New member
Not a Sonic, but I picked up a '92 Isuzu pickup last week:
Super cheap, 300,000 miles, the thing runs like a top I can't believe it. A/C blows cold and heater core works. This will be my parts hauler and work truck.
4ZD1 gas Isuzu 2.3L motor, 2 barrel carb, MSG-5 speed mechanical clutch, 4.10 7.5" GM corporate rear.
I've been searching for an ultra-rare Borg Warner NWC T5 that came bolted up to an Isuzu 1.9L gas motor in '82-'84 S10/S15 trucks. I plan to swap it in the Isuzu truck (or use the Isuzu bellhousing/input shaft) to get rid of the Isuzu MSG trans for good, but parts are hard to come by.
My buddy used to drive a Red Dragon just like this. Yours is much nicer though!
mja
Site Supporter
I wonder what transmissions they used? I've put the Isuzu transmission on the back burner, changed the oil and adjusted the clutch and it runs better, just need to put a new clutch in the old girl.
I had an iron duke camaro for a few weeks, a paint and sell deal a long time ago, that had a 4 speed auto (2004r?). I think those were rare too in the mid 80's with the 4 cyl.
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mja
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mja
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GM Korea OEM mirrors:
PN's 95369909, 95369908
GM power mirror control switch, with folding option:
PN 95028588
Generic chrome caps for Korean Aveo mirror:
UPC 8806391567342
Just replace the stock mirrors with these ones, and put the new switch in place of the old one - wiring is a little tight with the new switch under the door panel, but it works. This gives the power folding option, all the wiring is there stock, no need to update anything.
To wire up the LED turn signals, you'll have to splice or add a wire from the turn signal circuit to the unused wire on the stock power mirror connector... haven't got to that yet.
Edit, link to Andrew's writeup for this mod:
http://www.sonicownersforum.com/for...n-signal-outside-rearview-mirror-install.html
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