I have heard you can use a Ford T5 transmission and mate it to a GM bellhousing. Is this true? Is there a sight that I can go on to get me more info. I have heard that it is very much like a Tremec.

Can such a think be true?

 

It is a tremec. You have to use a 1" spacer to mate it to the Gm flywheel. Someone did it on here but I dont know who.

 

Use the "search" on the T5 tranny. There is a ton of info on this swap.
Bernie

 

I am using a Ford T5 to convert a 78 from Auto to Standard. Just gathering the parts now and will be doing it this fall. Norval may have been the first todo this swap and designed the spacer plate.

The 83-93 vintages of the Ford T5 have an input shaft that is about 1/2" longer than GM. This allows you to install a simple 1/2" spacer plate that will take care of the different bolt patterns and also the longer input shaft. Try to get a 90-95 version since they had strength and torque rating improvements. In all cases use one that came from a v8/5L. These trany's are moved around a lot in the Stang group so use the numbers on the tag to verify which version it is. Do not rely on which mustang it got pulled from last.
See this site t5

The 94-95 vintage have an even longer input shaft..about 1 1/8" than GM. This version is even stronger and cheaper to buy since the Stang guys cannot bolt them into other mustang years without making changes. This is the version that I am going with. Two spacer plates will be used to make up the total 1 1/8" difference. This has the added benefit of moving the shifter much closer to the stock location. I estimate that with a little mod to the shifter I will not have to make any interior changes.

Regardless of the year, the cross member will need a change to the mounting plate and also the GM spedo adapter. Neither of these are a bid deal.

Of course if you have the funds you could could avoid all this and buy a new tremec that is modified by Keisler for the shifter location. A tremec without modifications will still need some of the same work to install.

Two reasons why I am using the Ford T5.

1. The Ford version of the T5 is stronger and easier to find over the GM T5
2. They are cheap, I cannot afford a Tremec and do not need one with my current HP. But if I go with a Tremec in the future it will be an easy swap.

Although I have a T5 and almost ready to go, I will not be starting to turn wrenches for a month. My case is complicated since this is also an auto conversion...so I am currently getting the linkages, bellhousing ready. I do not know of a web site that has all this info or an adapter plate. You might want to ask Norval if he has any ideas on how you could get one. Perhaps he would be willing to send you a paper outline of the plate.

 

I'd be interested in the info on the adapter plate, too. How much power can the '94-'95 version handle?

 

Thanks "carguyforsure" I am considering the same conversion you are (auto to manual). Can you keep us informed of the conversion and pictures perhaps? If not is there a sight that shows this conversion complete with pictures?

 

I stayed with the GM WC T5. No problems...so far

 

I am happy to document the swap for you. Although I am not turning wrenches for 4-5 weeks when the weather gets bad it will be fast(perhaps a week) to complete the actual swap. Swapping the pedals is the hardest part. I will PM interested people when I post the first thread.

 

I run a T5 from an '83 Camaro on my '61. My '61 has an aluminum (block and heads) 215 Buick V-8 with the original GM (Buick) bellhousing.

It was a direct fit with the bellhousing altough I had to drill out the holes very slightly in the transmission (18mm up to 3/4"). I also needed to use a "long" style throw out bearing. The little Buick engine uses a 9.5" clutch so I had to make a custom clutch disk by cutting down the Camaro item (and have it balanced). No adaptor plate was needed since I used a GM bolt pattern T5.

Hurst made me (at no charge!) a custom shifter to allow for a straight up mounting of the transmission, since Camaros and Firebirds mount their transmission 22.5 (might be 17.5 degrees, I did this 22 years ago) degrees towards the driver to get the shifter closer to the driver. The custom part was to eliminate the bend in the handle stub prior to it being heat treated. The stub does not bend well once hard- I cracked two new GM stubs prior to going to the Hurst.

 

"Carguyforsure" I am definitely interested in seeing your conversion, I am in no hurry. The other guy mentioned a T5 from a camaro or firebird. Are the T5's all similar transmissions?

 

"Carguyforsure" I am definitely interested in seeing your conversion, I am in no hurry. The other guy mentioned a T5 from a camaro or firebird. Are the T5's all similar transmissions?

 

There are differences in based on both year built and specification.

There are now WC and NWC series. World Class and Non World Class. The WC have better shift quality. The early F-Body (Camaro and Firebird) were considered NWC but the one I got shifts fine even though I have a short throw Hurst shifter with a dramatically shortened shift lever. There are also differences in input torque capactiy. The early F-Body had lower torque capacities than the later ones.

 

I run a NWC T-5 in my '55 Chevy behind a mild 350, been in there two years now with no problems and a lot of burnouts along the way, don't speedshift though. I run a WC T-5 in my '72 Stingray also behind a similar smallblock. I actually like the NWC tranny better because the OD ratio is about .78. The OD in the Camaro WC T-5 is .63. There's a big gap between 4th and 5th, too big for my liking, good for gas mileage though. The installation is straighforward, just need to weld a dogleg on the shifter ( I use a Hurst stalk) so it comes out in the original Vette hole. Also put a NWC T-5 in a Vega with a built small block, beat the hell out of it, ran low 13's and it never broke, (smoking tires is kinda like a fusable link)

 

The T-5 is not a bad little tranny, but the strongest ones came in the early-mid 90's Mustangs and they are only rated for 300 lb/ft torque and all the other models are rated around 220 - 230.

If you are looking for a good strong transmission that bolts right into your car w/o having to modify anything, engineer parts or chase down bits and pieces - you can't beat a Keisler conversion.

Let me know if we can help.

Robert "The Driven Man"
Keisler Engineering - Sales
423-773-9789

 

You can buy a Ford T5 out of Summit for $1,000.00.
Bernie

 

This is a old adaptor plate. I made this one too thick. YOu need 1/2 inch for the older Mustang T5's

 

This is a 1/2 inch adaptor bolted to my blown bigblock with a 89 mustang T5 behind it.
This transmission lasted one summer behind a blown bigblock without a single problem. I sold it at the end of the summer for twice the going price because a mustang owner was desperate.
I then went with the ford Tremec TKO

 

What bellhousing, clutch etc. are you using. Are you using an aftermarket bellhousing or stock GM?

 

My bellhousing is factory from a 85 one ton truck. I had to go this route because I have a 14 inch flywheel and big 11 inch clutch. The camaro bellhousing would only accomodate a 10 1/2 inch clutch. The slave cylinder, the clutch master are both from the same 85 one ton truck.
For a pressure plate I got a deal on a heavy duty centerforce FORD. They are all the same. For a clutch disk you need the 10 spline for the ford transmission.
The 85 one ton clutch master bolted directly to my firewall without drill a single hole. The linkage did need shortening but that was a simple cut the rod and run a die over it to shorten it then use a stock clevis.
Any of the camaro bellhousing with the slave cylinder on the side should work.