[Makie43]

Is it possible to convert a standard '89 1.3 sierra to an automatic? I realise anything is possible! But I'm talking something involving reasonable costs. we don't use it for off road just for around town fun, my wife loves driving it but suffers from Arthritis in her hands and sometimes has trouble with changing gears so I thought maybe I could look at converting it to auto, or should I just put that idea in the too hard basket???

[twitchy]

Is the jimny a 1.3????????????? Possible to use one of them I guess, others here that will be able to lead you astray more...

[Damo]

Vitaras came with 2 different types of automatics, and both will adapt to the g13 with some persuasion. The 4 speed is electronic and there is more involved in swapping it.

You could fit the 3 speed auto and transfer case after removing the standard transfer case. This would require a custom mount for the transmission and i'm not sure if the final drive ration would be so great with standard Sierra ratios.

Another way to do it would be to get an extension housing for the 3 speed Vit auto (to replace the transfer case), which would probably need to be a custom part. You should then be able to replace the standard transmission with the auto.

I would hazard a guess that an entire Jimny engine and auto transmission swap would be more straight forward.

Hey I just had a brain wave! Look into importing a Jimny front cut from Japan. AFAIK you can get those with automatics, and a bonus is power steering as well (Missus would like that i'm sure!). I'm pretty sure the engine in those is a 660cc turbo'd 3 cyl, not the 1.3 4 cyl that we got locally.

[tanshi]

the only issue you would have with a jimny auto is getting the eltrics to work with a non efi motor i would say. The bell housing and even the mounts are the same as a 1.3 sierra 5 speed.

[Damo]

tanshi wrote:

the only issue you would have with a jimny auto is getting the eltrics to work with a non efi motor i would say. The bell housing and even the mounts are the same as a 1.3 sierra 5 speed.

That's the auto off the g13bb engine? The auto from the later model M13 wouldn't fit i'm guessing.

[tanshi]

yeah the m13 is different. Mine is off of a g13bb