With the help of Norval I am in the process of fabricating an adapter to install a Ford T5 tranny in my auto '79. Our machine shop will start drilling the adapter plate today. This past Saturday I was told a guy has a T56 out of a Camero that he would trade for my T5. He is a Mustang nut. The T5 will do everything I want it to do for my application but I want to know how easy is it to install a T56 into my Vette and is it a good tranny? No matter what, I will complete the adapter to help others and gain some valuable knowledge; and the T56 culd just be misinformation. Either way I feel I will improve the performance, gas mileage and fun factor of my '79. Your input will help me with my decision. Thanks for your help!
Bernie

 

http://www.warrensweb.com/volvo/transmission.htm

This site is dedicated to detailing the installation of an all aluminum LS1, V8 engine, and 6speed T56 transmission removed from a 2000 Camaro Z28 and installed in a 1982 Volvo 245 Turbo Wagon.

Now I have heard them all.

Here is an intersting article about installing a T56
http://www.drivetrain.com/gmt56inst.html

 

A T56 will be a stronger tranny over all... and you have 2 overdrives vs. one overdrive.

I have never done either swap but my guess is the T56 will be more difficlut... it is a larger tranny and it is a 2 piece bellhousing.

***ALSO make sure the T56 is a LT1 style (93-97) not a LS1 style(98-02)... the change over would be a little easier... I am not sure what the difference is but there is a difference.

 

I appreciate the information you guys have provided. Now I need to see how bad this guy wants my T5. tHANKS AGAIN FOR THE WEB SITE AND INFO.
bERNIE

 

Get the T-56 (LT-1 type as posted above). You will love it, sweetest shifting tranny I ever had. Much stronger than the T-5

 

getting it is the easy part. Who has installed one of these?

 

A friend and I recently completed a full T56 6 speed swap into an '81 4 speed 'Vette with sidepipes. We used every related item out of the LT1 '97 Trans Am donor car. The engine is a normal SBC, but with the newer one piece rear main seal. We found that the LT1 F-body two piece bell housing assembly fits in the tunnel just fine (Keisler's bell housing requires you to cut a hole somewhere behind the heater/AC controls). The two main areas requiring fabrication were the firewall mounting of the hydraulic clutch master cylinder and heavily modifying the crossmember. Also, the shifter is moved a few inches back and over to the right, but still in a good spot for arm movement and shifting. With sidepipes on the car, the crossmember was relatively easy to modify, since we could cut a chunk out of the middle and then reinforce it on both sides and not have to work around any exhaust pipes. To use the 4th Gen F-body hydraulic clutch assembly, we had to make a bracket at an angle to get the actuator rod the line up with the 4 speed clutch pedal's pivot post. It attaches to the firewall, pointing the master cylinder down, in turn, pointing the actuator rod up at the same angle the mechanical linkage operated at. This was the trickiest and most time consuming since the angle had to be close to exact so the rod would not bind inside the plastic GM master cylinder housing. I believe McLeod has come out with steel or aluminum versions of the GM hydraulic clutch components, as well as a horizontal master cylinder for swaps. SPEC makes a flywheel for a 2 piece rear main seal SBC that accepts the newer pull style LT1 clutch and pressure plate. We are a couple days away from driving the car, but have not finished the console modifications or decided on a boot/cover for the shifter. We had to shorten the driveshaft 4 or 5 inches and tilt the engine back about 3/4".

 

I hope you post pics of your tranny swap. No matter which way I finally go with this, your information will be valuable to others who might be fortunate enough to do this swap!
Bernie

 

I forget the year they changed but you should only use the T5-World Class trans, much stronger than first generation T5...

 

I do have a world class T5. I am looking forward to getting it installed and start saving a little gas as well as having some fun shifting again. I drove a friend's miata this weekend and had a blast driving thru some twisties and shifting.
Bernie