Has anyone out there ever converted an auto to a manual box on any car.?

Yes...an '84 Z28 Camaro with a 305 HO engine/TH700R4 to a 454 engine/T-56...not sure if that helps you out.

Will this be a simple swap . e.g auto vios 1.5 to mt vios 1.5?, or some kind of Frankenstein swap? I've not done it but sure it's doable. Just check that peripherals, especially the ecu are correct for the application.

Sorry lads I should have been more specific. I was thiking about the fitting of the clutch system to the firewall and would it require a lot of body panel change with respect to to to the firewall or bulkhead in english terms. In theory it looks simple but practically I know it would be not so easy. Mercedes 123 by the way

a W123 ?

more a Museums mission then

hope its a E300 to have at least "some" fun after the change

anyway, to answer the question,at this car most parts are already prepared for the change (they not change that much on different gearbox sets)

so you will find the mounts and the holes prepared already, all you need to do is drilling them.

and maybe get a half cut of a W123 instead of just the gearbox .. this will safe you a fortune on the micro parts missing in a Automatic.

but it will be worth the work anyway.

i personally prefer manual gearing as well. (the only thing better is electrohydraulic clutch ... but the W123 is about 10 years before this was even invented)