Manual Transmission Conversion - Five Gears Of Freedom

In the car's interior, after dropping the steering column, the automatic-transmission brake pedal and support bracket were removed. This photo shows how a manual-transmission clutch pedal looks after receiving the RMP clutch-casing bracket near the top of the arm. We found a manual-transmission-style brake-pedal arm with the narrow pedal pad at Mustangs Plus for about $79, while a clutch arm at RMP, PN 7114, was $169.95.

The manual-style brake pedal and the modified clutch pedal were reattached to the pedal bracket using fresh nylon bushings. The bracket was then installed back into the car.

With our heads up under the dash, we can see as the factory plug is punched out. During the car's travel down the assembly line, this plug remained in place on automatic-transmission cars while it was removed to create a clutch rod port for manual-transmission-optioned models.

This view of the stock clutch rod port shows the smooth-edged insert that was installed into the opening to protect the clutch-cable casing from the sharp metal edges of the bare opening.

The clutch cable is installed through the firewall and connected to the pedal. The mechanism works with the cable casing doing the moving, while the cable itself remains anchored-opposite of how the stock late-model setup functions.

Under the hood, we can see the cable exit the interior in the factory location. The cable has a rubber boot to both protect the cable and seal the car. Route the cable carefully, being certain to avoid hot and moving parts.

Underneath the Mustang, it's easy to trace the route of the cable as it travels from the engine bay to the clutch fork on the side of the bellhousing. The cable is routed against the side of the framerail to protect it from damage.

Here's the end of the line for the cable. The threaded rod with jamb nuts allows for the complete range of clutch adjustment both initially and as the clutch wears. The metal clutch-fork cover has yet to be installed in this photo, but it simply hooks into the bellhousing and is secured by one bolt at the bottom. Double-check the measurement for your final driveshaft length. It's a good bet to have a new driveshaft made to the correct length and equipped with new U-joints.