The kind folks at ISSIMI Meccanica have shown exactly what it takes to remove the F1-style shifter (an automated manual transmission) from a Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale and replace it with a six-speed manual gearbox. While it might sound like a complex upgrade, Metha Daoheung, the Lead Tech and Co-Owner of ISSIMI Meccanica, makes it sound quite simple.
The critical thing to remember is that the F1-style gearbox is not an automatic transmission. Basically, it’s a robotic manual operated by pneumatic fluid.
The main component that needs to be swapped out is the actuator. While removing the F1 ‘box, ISSIMI Meccanica also removes the harness, primary power system, F1 accumulator, reservoir, pump solenoids, and, naturally, the metal shift paddles behind the wheels.