Behind the wheel of a heavy, old car, drivers usually settle for a sluggish factory automatic transmission that saps the fun out of cruising. To answer the loud demand from full-size fans, American Powertrain now offers proper five- and six-speed transmissions for General Motors’ 1977-1990 B-bodies.
The year 1977 was the first year for the General’s downsized big cars and they were a massive success. They combined great styling and cavernous interiors without the excess weight. That makes them popular to this day. Problem is, tracking down individual parts for a manual swap for these cars often causes massive headaches for home garage mechanics. By releasing complete transmission conversion kits, the company gives performance enthusiasts a direct bolt-in solution for these popular large platforms.
Built for famous cruisers like the Chevrolet Caprice, Pontiac Bonneville, and Buick LeSabre, the ProFit system ships in a single box. Without hunting down obscure junkyard components, owners receive everything required to mount a modern gearbox directly to the factory chassis.
The standard five-speed package utilizes a TREMEC TKX gearbox capable of handling 600 lb-ft of torque. For high-horsepower street builds, the dual-overdrive Magnum six-speed takes the abuse easily. Every setup includes a custom steel crossmember, a driveshaft slip-yoke, a pilot bearing, and a polyurethane mount.
Getting these transmission conversion kits ready for the public required serious real-world testing. Marketing and Sales Manager Matt Graves used his personal 1983 Cadillac Coupe DeVille as the primary test mule.
Graves notes, “This took time to develop, but we wanted to make sure that when we launched, we had the right configuration that could be tailored for fit and performance options.”
Because GM never offered manual gearboxes in these specific cars, the engineering team had to design a specific underdash hydraulic clutch pedal. Graves adds, “That was a game changer to have a bolt-in clutch pedal for this platform that never came with a clutch pedal.”
Adding a third pedal completely changes the character of a heavy classic cruiser. With lower engine RPM at highway speeds, owners save money at the gas pump while enjoying a totally different driving experience.
Dropping one of these transmission conversion kits into an old estate wagon or four-door sedan turns a floaty land yacht into a genuinely engaging street machine ready to grab gears on the weekend.
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