New 73

Hey guys, I just bought a 1973 nova. 2 door post . I checked the vin and it was originnaly a 250 1 bbl L6 . All i know about the current motor is it's a small block and in terrible shape. It also has alot of EGR equipment on it . It's an auto on the column . It's in really rough shape to say the least , the floor pans were fixed by cutting up an aluminum stove pipe and tek screwing it in place. So you can imagaine what the rest is like .

My first goal is to make this a 4 speed car. I'v done some searching and it appers possible. I was planning on using a saginaw , it found some links for suppliers of kits for an auto to manual swap . has anyone done such a swap on theirs yet ? The whole car is getting gutted anyway so I want to do It well the first time . Anyone have some input? Thanks.

Welcome to the site and congrats on your purchase.

I started with a REALLY rough '72...so I know the road ahead is long :D

Swapping in a 4 speed isn't too much trouble--very possible.
I'd re-thing the saginaw if you're planning to put a lot of torque through it...they aren't the strongest tranny out there. IF you're nice, they'll last though!

We need pics!

Welcome to the site, SHOW US PICs

I'd gladly post some pictures if the car wasn't buried under three and a half feet of snow

i swaped my 73 from an auto to a sagy 4 sp, got all the parts off a 76 buick skylark, way easier than one might think. im rollin a t-5 now that was also a fairly simple converson. best of luck

Sometime in my poor car's life the motor and trans were yanked. A 72 350 of questionable parentage and a Saganaw were tossed in to finish out the Mad Max motiff.
Yes, a Saganaw is possible. Word to the wise- dont install a Hurst Vertigate shifter.....the thing will sit so far back you'll need bucket seats and have to butcher the tunnel hump to install it.

I am going with buckets anyway but i will head your advice. Thanks .


I will only have the saginaw behind my 305 for a few months untill I finnish my build, then I will be going with a BW T56 . What shifters look/function well for our cars?