As you know, Norval is helping Doug (carguy4sure) mod a Mustang T5 tranny to fit his vette. Norval has been sending me information to make the adapter as they make one for Doug. Today I fitted the adapter to the chevy bellhousing and it lined up perfectly. I then fit it to the T5 and it fit over the extension on the T5 snugly just as Norval said it would.
I plan to take the tranny and adapter to the shop Saturday and fit the adapter to the tranny after I get them level and mark the holes to install studs to mate it to the tranny.
Thanks to Norval's help this is going so much easier than it would have otherwise. I have an extra piece of aluminum plate just in case I mess this one up but will mark it before I install the original.
After I get everything to fit properly I will tear down the tranny and rebuild it. I have the parts list for the hyd. clutch components from Norval to order from Coleman racing and will need to find a set of pedals to complete the parts for the mod. Of course I will still need to adapt the tranny mount and have the driveshaft shortened and balanced.
Thanks to Norval, this mod. is going very easy with no surprises. The forum continues to be a place to exchange information, discuss problems and receive expert help when you need it most!
Bernie

 

Glad you are progressing with the project. I guess you are not going with the T56. You will see a lot of updates from Norval and I starting this Saturday when my conversion kicks into overdrive(pun intended). My vette goes into Norval's shop on Saturday. I will be doing the work under Norval's guidance and the benifit of his very well equiped shop. I am a very lucky man. We will take lots of pictures....can't wait.

 

Doug,
I can't wait to see your progress. We are lucky to have Norval leading us thru this project. I haven't given up on T56, the young man that told me about it goes to U.T. and I haven't seen him all week. If the guy does want to swap I probably still would, but I didn't want to stop with the T5 in case the T56 does fall thru. With my car and the way I drive it either tranny will do well. I do take pictures of all the work I do to the car but I haven't learned to post them yet, and there are so many good pics already of what I am doing. I can't wait to see yours as you go along. Good luck!
Bernie

 

that everyone has put into this so far. I too am standing by and learning as it goes.

The T5 looks like something I am interested in doing as well.

Keep up the great work and documentation guys!!

Thanks!!

Chris B

 

Chris,
How close are you to starting your tranny swap and are you going from auto to straight?
Bernie

 

Doug is comming into the shop later this morning. Hopefully by next weekend he is testing his.
I have done 3 conversions and it is really alot simplier then it sounds. A simple adapter plate, coleman sells the proper crank to tranny bearing and everything else bolts right in
Believe me the hardest part of the whole thing is changing pedals.
As for a rear trany mount just a small fabrication and a bit of welding and that too is a simple modification.
Doug and I will take lots of pictures.

 

It wont be happening soon.
Right now I have a 350 TH in there with almost 127,000 miles on it.
Fortunately my brother in-law has a machine shop so the adapter plate wont be a problem.
I have to start saving my nickels and dimes so I can keep it under HER radar.
Let me see, I will start with the lunch austerity program and around tax time it wont look like I spent so much money.

 

I know the feeling. I tend to buy the things I need one at a time until I everything needed, that way it doesn't seem as though I'm spending a lot. But when you bring a transmission home its pretty hard to hide and I have to beg for forgiveness! HA!
Bernie

 

If you are willing to do 2 TWO adapter plates the 94 and new T5's will work even better and they are cheaper and easier to come by then the older T5's. The 5.0 guys are buying them up.
Two plates are needed but it really almost simplifies things even more.
Guys for under $1000 you should be able to buy the bellhousing, clutch transmission and related parts and end up with equivalent to the tremec in gear ratios and with a transmission that is plenty strong.

 

Now you tell me! Seriously, do I need to finish this first adapter plate just as it is or do I need to change it? Do both plates need to be 1/2 inch thick? What bellhousing do I need to get? Will my chevy bellhousing with slave cylinder work? Give me the info before I get too far!
Bernie

 

All Ears Here

Ah yes (Laughing maniaclly and wringing my hands), the plot thickens...

Or was that the soup?

Chris B

PS: Norval you rock!! Do you ever get any sleep, or are you just continually inventing Vette mods?

 

Easy Bernie. You need to finish this adapter too but you do not need the transmission holes. If they are already drilled fine.
What you do is put one adapter on the stock bellhousing. Then you take a second adapter that is 5/8th thick and bolt it to the other adapter that is already on the bellhousing. You need a total of 1 1/8 thick. This is the newer T5 input shaft length longer then chevy.
The advantage of two adapters is the 1st on just bolts to the stock bellhousing using all 4 original bolts. The second one bolts to the first with 4 or 5 bolts of your choosing. No complicated fastening, just straight forward bolt one to the other.
Bernie if you have not drilled the transmission bolt holes yet hold off. I like the 1/2 inch plate on the bellhousing and the 5/8th plate behind that.
Same bellhousing , same everything just 2 plates, not one.

Today Doug brought his car over. We put is about 18 inches higher then sitting on the floor or about 2 feet from garage floor to car floor. We have it very secure, no chance of falling.
Doug removed the exhuast, NOT the headers, the exhaust, the crossmember and we dropped the old 350. He pulled the flywheel and cleaned everything up ready to go back on.
The car is ready to put the flywheel on, the bellhousing, no clutch for now and the adapters for aligning with a dial gage.
Really this job is not hard, the pedals again are the hard part. The rest is fun.
If pushed the 2 of us could do a swap in 2 days but that is not the point. We are having fun. Doug works on his, I guide and work on my own. My spreader bar is complete in my head and that was the hard part. I roughed out one mount today, I know what I have to do and tomorrow and monday will see it just about finished. Meanwhile doug will keep me company and work on his.
I do expect the flywheel on tomorrow, the bellhousing for the first time and the alignment checked and adjusted on the adapter tomorrow.
Bernie if you decide to go with a new T5 you still need that plate just another one 5/8th thick this time. If you already drilled the holes fine, use it for the back plate and bolt the 5/8th to the bellhousing first.
Good luck
Doug and I are having a great time.

 

Not only do I sleep but I get a 2 hour ride in first thing in the morning on Strider and spend another hour at night tucking him in after making him a great supper. Yes riding is a great time to run modifications through your mind.

 

There seems to be a lot of interest in these conversions. As posted by Norval we started the conversion today. Norval and I are preparing a new thread on Sunday nite that will document the complete conversion. Norval and I are having fun working on our cars and taking our time. I will also include a complete parts list and information about the 'hydraulic' pedal swap which has now been completed. This is basically another Norval project with a student(ME!)

 

Thanks for your hard work and the excellent information you have already provided.
Looking forward to your final impressions.

Chris B

 

This is a great mod that I am looking forward to completing. Right now I have a '91 T5 but may try to find a 94/95 model and do it the way Doug is.
Bernie

 

The T5 swap is a pretty cost-effective way of getting a 5-speed.

Been there, done that. Wrote about it and took plenty of pics if you need anything.

http://home.comcast.net/~ddecart/T5TransInstall.doc

 

If you guys are making these adaptors for yourself, why not make a technical drawing that any machine shop can use to produce one???

 

in fact, why not post both technical drawings: one for the early T5 and another for the 2 plate version used on the later T5's?????

 

Norval has given me most of the deminsions for the holes. I have them at work and will try to post them later. He may also do a complete post on this since he and Doug were finishing Doug's tranny this weekend. I have my 1/2" plate marked to do the 4 tranny holes that need to be threaded and the 4 studs to go in the holes. It is already drilled for the bellhousing and output shaft extension. I hadn't thought about helicoles but that wouldn't be hard to do. If I go with a newer T5 I will need a piece of 5/8's aluminum to get the correct space. Another thing that is happening with me is another ford guy is interested in the T5 that I have and has a T56 out of a firebird to swap for it. He gets back into town this Tuesday and I may swap trannies with him. If I do, I will have an adapter that is almost ready to bolt in. I would let someone have it for my cost and shipping. Either way I will have a great transmission upgrade that will be fun to drive and save a little gas as well. Right now I'm getting 16 MPG on the highway. I believe Norval and carguy4sure will be posting this project in the next day or so. Be on the lookout for it.
Bernie