G50 gearbox

[Kevin4053]

Hello all.I am now the proud owner of a 1981 sc.I would like to fit a G50 gearbox in it.Does the car require much modification to install it?Thanks..best wishes to all

[rattlsnak]

the short answer.. yes,... many mods, but can be done.

[Bill Verburg]

Nice car!

I agree w/ RS's sentiments, it can be done, it is intrusive, expensive and doesn't get you much if any improvement.

[johncarlos2003]

much if any improvement . . .

the g50 offers a very different feel at the least- considered by many to be an improvement- though, it should be noted, many 915ers love their box- you should drive yours for a while, then hop in a car with a g50 and see what you think-

it is a costly upgrade.

[jimi_c]

Why do you want to upgrade?

[911teo]

Hey Kevin, welcome to the board. Very nice SC.... widebody eh?

As stated above the conversion is possible but it will be lenghty and expensive. I think the costs overshadow the benefits, unless you are planning on shoving a turbo torque monster in the engine bay.

[Quicksilver]

G50 vs 915


Break out the flame throwers...
(hehehe)

[Craig 930 RS]

I've had both-

A flawlessly setup 915 - all WEVO goods
A G50 in the 1982 930

Don't waste your time and considerable $$,$$$ with a G50 for a 3.0
A properly setup 915 is soooperb

[Kevin4053]

Hi.Thank you all for your answers.Some very good advice.As a new Porsche owner,I have been told that the G50 is a better box.(easier to use).John Carlos is right.I should give it more time to get used to.Yes Matteo,its a wide body upgrade.Brand new leather interior.Absolutely spotless Porsche.I bought it off a fanatic.Recent motor rebuild.

[dennis in se pa]

I have had both also. A 78 915 and now 2 87 G50s. The transmissions are both GREAT. The G50 shifter feels tighter, but I got used to the 915 also. A short shift kit for the 915? YUP! A switch to a G50? Nope.

[rdrr]

I have also had both, an 80 915 and an 89 G50. The G50 is definitely tighter but also more rubbery. The 915 has a great feel to it, more mechanical and direct, but I always felt I had to be more careful with it. I miss the 915 clutch which was more communicative.

[DARISC]

A couple of weeks after buying my first Porsche a little over a year ago (82 SC RoW coupe), I had several lengthy phone conversations with a most gracious and patient fellow named Hayden, the owner of WEVO. I'm not recommending that you do the same because I still feel a tinge of guilt, having taken so much of his time.

I'll relay as best I can what I learned, however, and welcome any corrections if I've misunderstood anything Hayden explained to me (with apologies to Hayden in advance).

I'd sold a 6 spd Corvette, which could be speed shifted (if I chose to abuse the drive train), and bought my 911, which cannot...period.

So, I'd accepted the fact that the Porsche is not a drag car (I'm not a drag fan) before I bought it, but still wondered if the trans could be improved using WEVO's legendary parts to enable quicker shifting, in particular, from first to second.

I'd decided that converting to a G50 was not the answer for me and then it was confirmed for me by Hayden that a well set up 915 will shift every bit as quick as a G50, even if both trans have all the applicable WEVO upgrades installed.

My main reason for my calls to Hayden was to learn from the horses mouth, so to speak, more about the WEVO internal gate kit.

Bottom line from Hayden is that one is less likely to miss a shift with a gate kit installed in a 915 or in a G50 (which is a gated trans to begin with), and again, neither trans is quicker shifting than the other. WEVO's gate shift kit will not enable quicker shifts.

I'd taken much of Hayden's time and summed up the second long conversation with one last question so poor Hayden could finally be rid of me.

As best I remember, it was "Then am I understanding you correctly that If I enjoy shifting my 915 as it is and feel comfortable trusting my muscle memory to guide my hand and foot to throw the lever and operate the clutch correctly, that there's no real reason to put your gate shift kit in my 915?"

"That's correct." he answered. I'm still surprised by, and very impressed with, the man's patience, candor and honesty!

When trans rebuild time comes, I plan to use many of WEVO's parts, but the excellent gate shift kit won't be one of them in my case.

I realize that the G50 is more durable, has positive feeling gates and is perhaps easier to shift "casually" than the 915. But it's also heavier and, I'm told, more expensive to rebuild than a 915. Since I'm so unabashedly in luuv with my 911 daily driver, I much more enjoy driving it "seriously" (attentively), than "casually" (which I do in my grocery getter Saturn wagon automatic when I'm forced to drive it).

I'm not at all knocking the G50. I was originally shopping for a Carrera when I became familiarized with the cruder, simpler, lighter and more "visceral", as some describe it, SC and chose it for it's own characteristics. Mine's a keeper!

Your car is gorgeous! Enjoy and do with it what you will!

[dean]

I did convert my 915 to a G50. The only reason I did it was cause I installed a turbo motor. I wouldn't do it for feel. The parts cost me $4400 and was a fair amount of work. And I would do it again in the same situ.

[claptrap]

Two ways to approach it. Either modify the car to fit the transmission, or modify the transmission to fit the car.

In the first case, you'll need to graft the torsion tube (with the hump in it) from the rear of an 87-89 onto yours.

In the second case, you'll have the transmission shortened to fit the available space. Here's an example:

http://www.patrickmotorsports.com/cgi-bin/main?action=special&page=G%2D50%20Transmissions

Beautiful car.

Scott.

[A Quiet Boom]

I've got a short bellhousing G50 case and shortened mainshaft waiting for the guts of a regular G50 I also have to be installed. I've also got the shifter and linkage and pedal box. Got this stuff on a good trade with my brother. I love my '71 911 gearbox but I'm leary as to how long it will last behind my carbed 3.0. Since I had the choice between a 915 and the G50 I went the G50 route, I could have traded for a euro 915 with the oil cooler but I think I'll be happier with the G50.

My main reason for the G50 is that I'm used to big HP V8's so I know I'll eventually grow tired of my 3.0 and wind up building a custom twin turbo EFI setup for it so I'm planning ahead. WAY ahead mind you but still ahead.