auto trans to 4 speed manual swap

[garyinwestoz]

Howdy gentlemen,
Ive been missing driving my 77' e12 since the cops stuck a yellow sticker on it for the rust thus it became degreistered. The e28 87 528e 5 speed manual is okay, but not as good.

So after 2 years, I've just about to get on with my other project, which is a better bodied 81' 528i auto. The plan is remove the 4 speed manual and engine from the 77' and put it into the 81' .
The original plan was to also take 3.5 out of my 83 735i , but that car is currently too hard to get at.- so thats a future project.

Anyway My question, is what parts are swapped over?
my guess is;
engine + transmission + crossmember+ shifter
clutch slave + master cylinder
pedals assembly + master cylinder
reverse light connector- is that the same?
centre console - or just the shifter plate/ shifter gator
manual driveshaft

Does the ECU need changing over?
Is there any other electrical bits ( park/neutral start switch)?
Does the speedo cable need swaping

any advice appreciated.

[Mike W.]

ECU is the same. Both neutral safety and back up lights come off of the A/T selector switch, so you'll have to tap into that for back up lights and jumper a couple of wires under the dash to bypass the neutral safety. The rest of it looks like you have it pretty well under control. Only other thing is I'd test the back up light switch in the transmission before you put it in, they do fail and it would be so much easier to replace it with the trans on the ground.