21 October 2018

Build the Back to the Future Time Machine - Manual Transmission

Yeah, it has been a while.  This is the first update since July, that is four months.  Still nothing, no new shipment.  But, we have an updated and correct transmission.

Issues 016 and 023
Eaglemoss has supplied subscribers a manual transmission.  These are updated Issues 016 and 023.

Contents of Issue 016
The manual transmission, like the automatic transmission, is a simple build.

Contents of Issue 023
If you are further along like I am, you will only need the transmission mounts in this issue.  The tedious part is to remove the already mounted auto transmission.  Here is how I did it in a hundred easy steps (apologies for the blurry photos):

Remove plate
Remove the triangular plate buy removing the three screws.  Set the plate aside

Pro tip:  Screw the screws back in the screw bosses so you do not lose the tiny screws.

Remove engine mounts
Remove the three main screws holding the engine and transmission assembly.  Note that these first few steps can do not need to be in this order.

Remove hoses
The hoses need to be removed.  If you remember, these are just just held in by a mortise and tenon like joints.

Hidden screws under gasket
The two drive shafts (probably not what they are called) need to be removed.  Slide the gasket over and remove the screws.  They should pop right out.  At this point, you should almost be able to remove the engine assembly.

Remove one lower flux box mount
The lower flux box mounts make the engine assembly too wide to fit through the frame.  So, one lower flux box mount needs to be removed.  Now you are ready to ease the assembly out of the frame.

Now that you have freed the engine and transmission assembly from the frame, you will need to remove the transmission.

Remove distributor assembly
First remove the four screws holding the distributor assembly.  Carefully undo the wires from the block and set the six-legged spider aside.

Unhook the the belts
No need to remove the belts, just unhook them.

Remove top of engine
There are two screws way deep in the valley of death that need to be removed.

Remove these screws
Once the top of the engine is removed, remove the two screws holding the transmission assembly.

Remove pipe
The pipe that goes across the transmission needs to be removed before the assembly can be removed.  There are two screws holding down this pipe.

More screws to unscrew
Remove the three screws holding the plate to the transmission.  Also, it is necessary to remove that black plastic piece.

Last two screws
Take out these last screws and you will have successfully removed the transmission.  That was not that hard, was it?

Here is what the manual transmission looks like versus the automatic transmission

Manual on left, auto on right
Now, the fun part...putting it all back together with the correct transmission.

Finished transmission swap
Once your engine and new transmission is reassembled, it should look like image above.  Yay!

No screw count on this update, since this is a technically a replacement part. 

Now, I just wait until I get new issues from Eaglemoss.  We are approaching November, which would make it five months since my last shipment of parts.  Five months at four issues each...that makes them twenty issues behind.  

If you are wondering...Did I just happen to post this on Back to the Future Day?  Yes.  Yes, I did. NERD!

...to be continued.

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