Richmond 6 speed or Fix 4+3

johnny80 · 10-17-04, 10:51 PM

Hey guys..been a while since I have posted. I have run into my biggest fear with my 1988. While on the interstate, the OD kicked off several times. Got her home, looked under her and saw the 4+3 was leaking ...tightned up the bolts... added fluid..still leaks....Had AAMCO put it on the rack to check it for me and they found metal bits in the fluid as well as it being a bit low. They tried to assure me that they could fix it but I told them no. They didn't even know what a 4+3 was and I had to explain the shifting procedures to them when they test drove it. Plus the SES light stays on...they (AAMCO) says its a code twenty something ( I forgot ). Bottom line is they wanted around 700.00 to take it apart and see what was really wrong plus another chunk of change for differential repair. That was not including the price of either rebuilding/parts/labor...that was just to take it apart and look. I then called Corvettes of Auburn...they say pretty much the same thing...a lot of money to take it apart...look at it...assess the damage. 1300.00 for a 4+3 not including labor plus alot for the rear diff rebuild....total....about 3000.00 if I am lucky. I saw in my new Ecklers catalog about the Richmond 6 speed and looked at the installation procedure that is on the website...there is a bit of cutting and refitting....plus the richmond 6 alone is 3400.00 and I could imaging the price of getting one installed. Guys...I love my car...I had her painted over the summer...detailed often...even found the 17 in rims that came with her originally..had them detailed and polished. Bottom line is that I can't get rid of her. Any guidance would be great.

Ken · 10-17-04, 11:09 PM

From what I understand, parts are getting hard to come by for the overdrive unit too. That's going to drive the repair cost up even more.

Most shops are incapable of working on the 4+3 anyway.

I switched to the ROD 6-speed. I'm happy.

johnny80 · 10-18-04, 12:06 AM

Thanks Ken......I was afraid thats what I'll need to do. She's in the garage for the winter anyway. When I get back from Iraq for the second time I'll send her in for the Richmond 6. Any suggestions on how I should go about this? Should I order the Richmond from a catalog, and then find a good place local? What do you suggest?

Ken · 10-18-04, 12:31 AM

I purchased mine through the local distributor out here, Chrisman's Driveline Components, aka California Gear. I installed it when I first did my engine buildup/swap a few years ago, so everything was getting changed anyway. Hopefully, you'll find a shop that is both proficient as well as being reasonable when it comes to their rates. That is, if you can't do the job yourself; it's basically nothing more than a normal transmission swap. You'll have to get a new yoke for the driveshaft, but you won't have to alter the length, and the shifter will locate in the same hole as the original.

johnny80 · 10-19-04, 06:43 PM

thanks again!!!

c4cruiser · 10-19-04, 08:38 PM

The Richmond Gear tranny should be almost a bolt in. They are supposed to even have an attaching point for the driveline beam.

The only thing I have not seen is how the shifter attaches. The Vette shifter attaches to the car but does the Richmond shifter work the same way? If it doesn't, you may have to do some cutting to the tranny tunnel and maybe the console.

Ken · 10-19-04, 08:47 PM

The Long shifter bolts to the transmission same as a Hurst, but better - it's got spherical heim joints for the linkage.

The Long Shifter for the Richmond gear 6-Speed has a patented rail slide design, used widely on road race and street applications.
The Long H-Pattern 6-Speed is the only one of its kind to use a reverse lock-out. To engage reverse from neutral position; pull handle to extreme right, push down and pull back handle.
Long Shifters use 7/16" diameter heavy duty rods for more rigidity and less deflection, for a more positive shift. The HR series rods use aircraft type hymen rod ends.
The Shifter Handle is spring loaded for a better feel of the gear position.
Also available for corvette and camaro applications.

Ken · 10-19-04, 08:50 PM

Oh, by the way, you do have to cut the original shifter mounting location out of the tunnel.

larry bud · 04-09-05, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnny80

Hey guys..been a while since I have posted. I have run into my biggest fear with my 1988.

I put the richmond in mine... of course, I'm having trouble with it now.

here's my installation:

http://www.areddy.net/vettetrans