Sounds like the way to go to me. . . I am in no hurry and am willing to wait until I find a suitable Chevy tranny.
What vehicle would the GM tipped V8 bellhousing and clutch fork come from? Is it for hydraulic or cable operated clutch?

 

I would say try to find an early Camaro that's being parted out. Nab up the transmission and yoke.

 

forgive the ignorance. . .
Is the camaro hydraulic or mechanical clutch?

I would rather have the mechanical for simplicities sake.
And I haven't had too much luck with hydraulic clutches in the past.

 

It may depend on what year Camaro you choose. I don't know if any had hydraulic clutch or not...but it's possible.

 

Hey, Durango. Are you still going with the Ford trans for your next car or will you be going the Chev route??
Let me know for the plate, O.K.?

 

Oh I want a Ford T5. That's the way I'll be going.

 

'Nuff said!!! I think I got you covered.

 

Sweet, thanks bud.

 

It was a 900hp blown big block I am running a T5 behind my 420hp 383 roller. I love it. It fits so nice, shifts are smooth and crisp.

 

According to the research that I did a couple of years ago before my swap. The Ford version of the T5 is stronger. For some reason Ford had them built that way for the stangs. Also...not all Ford T5s are equal. In case people here have not found it yet on the web... attached is a good comparison chart. The torque ratings are mathematical estimates based on massive abuse. I used ID number 246...explained why below.

Comparison chart.. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/T5ID.htm

My Parts List from my previous swap.
-Transmission. I selected a T5 1994/95 model. This version has an extra long input shaft that provides additional benefits. (1) It places the shifter 5/8" further back than a typical T5 for a better original shifter position. (2)it is typically less expensive since the stang crowd cannot simply bolt this long version into earlier mustangs. (3)factory steel bearing retainer (4) extra input length means that two adapter plates are needed rather than one which is actually easier to work with. More on that later. The attached web site documents the different T5 versions. Mine happens to be #246 on the list. T5site

-Shifter....I went for a stock mustang shifter base since it was cheap and easily allowed me to install a spacer between the bolt-on handle and stub. The shifter handle needs to be moved about 1.5" closer to the driver for the stock location. I bolted a hurst shifter handle onto the T5 shifter stub with a spacer to move it towards the driver about 1.5". Perfect stock location!!!

-Clutch. I am using a hydraulic setup from a 85 chev truck, You can purchase the 1985 master, slave and flex hose from any local parts store. Norval uses brake lines with adapter fittings but I could not find any adapters that fit.

-Bellhousing. I am using a standard stock 11" unit with a lakewood aftermarket fork(a stock fork will also work if it is the push linkage style rather than the bolt-on linkage style. If you are using the lakewood...check that your throwout bearing pivots ok. Mine did not and I had to pull the trans to grind the inside radias with a dremel. My bellhousing is not the angled camaro version with a bolt on slave therefore I made a simple bracket to bolt my slave to the bellhousing,

-Flywheel...I am using a stock resurfaced 11" unit.

-Clutch pedal assembly. I bought the assembly used from a forum member. I just put a 'wanted to buy' notice on the forum parts section and three people responded. Also watch ebay.

-Ford T5 rear yoke. The T5 stock #1310 yoke mates perfectly with my 1978 U joint...no mods needed at all except to have the shaft shortened(in my case about 2.5").

-Centerforce II pressure plate for an 11" chev clutch. I am using a standard 10 spline ford clutch plate..

-Centerforce thrust bearing for ford T5

-Spedo Ford-GM adapter from http://www.fortesparts.com/catalogDisplay.cfm?cat=129

-Pilot bearing(conversion style for a Chev with a Ford Trans from Coleman)

-Coleman plastic hydraulic reservoir

 

Not true. The stock T5 World Class in any Mustang is a 3.35 ratio. The Motorsport box with the 2.95 ratio ( never installed in a Mustang). Used the same part # 1st, 2nd , 3rd, and countergear. The difference is in the mainshaft and input shaft. Basically a GM V8 Wc box is pretty much the same as a Ford Motorsport box.

1) The longer input has nothing to do with the case and extension housing lengths. I'm just clearifying that when you have an 1985-1993 short unit or a later longer unit, the case and extension are identical. You need to use a thicker plate.

2) You can swap the input out to a short input. These new are only $65 - $75 on average for OEM.

3) None of the FORD retainers are all steel. Only the tube, press fit into an aluminum body, that seems to fall out on occasion. A new GM retainer can be found for around $35.00, brings you back down to a GM register bore and stock throw out bearing and is all iron. They never wear.

Nice other detail information...

Paul

 

Too many members including myself have beat up ford T5s without breaking them. There is a big difference in driving them hard and abusing them. Again, I have seen just as many T10s in the junk pile as T5s and they were there because of abuse.
Bernie

 

This is a very handy piece of information. I had a line on a really cheap '94 that I passed on because I didn't understand how the two adapter plates would work together.

 

Actually, two adapter plates make it easier than using one.
Bernie

 

I know that now but at the time it seemed like it was the bigger pain job, and buying a T5 with the short shaft was the way to go.

 

The longer shaft with two adapater plates moves the shifter towards the stock shifter location. As Bernie said...it wasl also easier to work with.

 

Is the one adapter the same as what would be used with a pre-'93 T5, plus a second think adapter or is it a completely different setup?

 

The first adapter is the same except you can mount it using the stock 4 bolts instead of the 3. You bolt the 1st adapter to the bellhousing.
The second adapter is 5/8th thick and you bolt it to the 1 st adapter with counter sunk flat head cap screws and dowel it to the 1st plate after indexing it with the crank. You also dowel it to the 1 st plate.
While this all seems like alot of work it is simple and you end up with a cheap 5 speed overdrive transmission that will take all the burnouts you want, just not power shift into 3rd, fast shifts yes but careful at the same time.
The T5 is NOT weak, you have a tough time hurting 1st even with slicks.
A mustang T5 goes for $400-$500 and there are ones in the paper every week. No problem coming by them and they have a good 3.35 first gear and .68 overdrive.
A chevy T5 is $750 and up and really hard to find and you have to be sure if belongs to the V8 and not a 6 cylinder unit.
They are often rebuilt from a number of blown trannies and passed off as good trannies. They are only a bunch of used parts that aren't broken in to each other.
If you guys think the T5 mustang tranny isn't worth the effort it probably isn't but I challenge you to find anyone that has done the swap and is not EXTREMELY happy with the outcome.
It is right up there with hydroboost.

 

Thanks to Norval, I did the swap and it was the very best mod I cou
Bernield have done to my 79! And it was so easy a caveman like myself could do it. If I could figure out how to put one behind my LT1 I would do it in a hearbeat!

 

Isn't the difference between the Camaro v6 and v8 versions the number if teeth on the input shaft? Or not?