Early A T5 Transmission Swap Pictures

-

RustyRatRod

I was born on a Monday. Not last Monday.
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2010
Messages
104,687
Reaction score
102,172
Location
Georgia
As the title suggest. I would like to see your T5 swap project and how you went about it. I have decided to modernize Vixen up some and utilize this W/C T5 transmission I have. I will continue to drive her until I get all the parts I need rounded up. I am going to use the T5 adapter from Gill Welding that uses the slant 6 OD bellhousing and also modify the Z bar bracket to retain the Z bar and manual clutch linkage. I know the hydraulic unit would be more "modern" but I'm retaining the Z bar. What I'm interested in most is how you modified the transmission tunnel cross member and what you did regarding the floor pan. I have a good idea about my approach but would love to see some of your ideas, too. Thank you drive through.
 
Oh and I did search but got the usual shotgun results.
 
I was hoping some our guys had done one

Well if you are a patient soul, I may do one. I have a T-5 and the adapter, depending on what all else happens with the truck it may wind up in there. Stay tuned...
 
Well if you are a patient soul, I may do one. I have a T-5 and the adapter, depending on what all else happens with the truck it may wind up in there. Stay tuned...
Oh I will. Which adapter did you get? Gill?
 
So no one has swapped in a T5 in an early A body on here? Yeah, ok.
 
Rusty you've peeked my interest. I have a T5 from the 86 turbo4 bird in my stash and now i may see if it will fit one of my projects. Great info.
 
Well yall hold onto somethin. I'm fixin to do it.
 
Go for it. I'll hold your beer.
Let me know if i can help.
I have the engine and t5 from a 88 turbo bird, if you need measurements of something. Good luck buddy.
 
Go for it. I'll hold your beer.
Let me know if i can help.
I have the engine and t5 from a 88 turbo bird, if you need measurements of something. Good luck buddy.
Thanks. I have the transmission.

and some FYI for you. Even though the transmission you have is most likely a world class unit, it still likely has the smaller 4cyl input shaft. Still will handle most anything a slant 6 will ever throw at it.
 
I've got an A833 OD also for a slant, how do you feel about the T5 4 cyl trans behind a nice warmed 273 - 318 in a 64 Dart convertible?
I've done some reading saying it could live.
 
I've got an A833 OD also for a slant, how do you feel about the T5 4 cyl trans behind a nice warmed 273 - 318 in a 64 Dart convertible?
I've done some reading saying it could live.
If it's a W/C unit, it'll live.
 
I've checked once and i believe it is but now I'll check again and look for the change ratios while I'm at it. Thank's my friend.
 
Here's what I know about T-5's after a lot of research and parts gathering to stick one behind a flathead in a Model A. This is off the top of my head so I could be wrong but...

The W/C T-5's were a Mustang only trans, and had a longer/thicker input shaft, requiring a unique bellhousing.

The non W/C T-5's (everything other than Mustang) were a lot more interchangeable as far as trans swaps go...(Jeeps, Camaros, S-10's, etc)

The late Camaro (90-92ish) T-5's had essentially W/C guts in a regular case...

There is a lot of interchangeability between the various T-5's to give you the shifter location you want plus the gears you want plus the bellhousing you need. But not every combo will work in every situation.

Oh yeah, speedo gears could be an issue...

Sorry, no pictures.
 
Last edited:
I would love to swap mine back to a manual, just cant do it right now. have a bellhousing, adapter & a t5 sitting waiting to get around to it.
will have to pick up a decent clutch set up for mine. at least we can get that now.
 
As the title suggest. I would like to see your T5 swap project and how you went about it. I have decided to modernize Vixen up some and utilize this W/C T5 transmission I have. I will continue to drive her until I get all the parts I need rounded up. I am going to use the T5 adapter from Gill Welding that uses the slant 6 OD bellhousing and also modify the Z bar bracket to retain the Z bar and manual clutch linkage. I know the hydraulic unit would be more "modern" but I'm retaining the Z bar. What I'm interested in most is how you modified the transmission tunnel cross member and what you did regarding the floor pan. I have a good idea about my approach but would love to see some of your ideas, too. Thank you drive through.
As the title suggest. I would like to see your T5 swap project and how you went about it. I have decided to modernize Vixen up some and utilize this W/C T5 transmission I have. I will continue to drive her until I get all the parts I need rounded up. I am going to use the T5 adapter from Gill Welding that uses the slant 6 OD bellhousing and also modify the Z bar bracket to retain the Z bar and manual clutch linkage. I know the hydraulic unit would be more "modern" but I'm retaining the Z bar. What I'm interested in most is how you modified the transmission tunnel cross member and what you did regarding the floor pan. I have a good idea about my approach but would love to see some of your ideas, too. Thank you drive through.
I'm in the middle of doing this to my '65 Dart with the late multi pattern bell, but with a different approach. There is a threaded hole in the lower left that will work with approximately .005-.010 filed from the hole in the trans. The upper left and lower right take some filling with a welder and the upper right requires an aluminum block contoured and welded to the bell to accommodate those mounting holes to be drilled and tapped. I too will be modding the attachment to the ball for the z bar. Using the stock flywheel and press plate with a Ford 2.3 disc. Still working on the rest.
 
Will Probably be doing nother one in the '62 Valiant and the '79 Volare within the next 3 years.

Greg
 
-
Back
Top