T5 Mustang Trans in C-10?????

[MrBlue]

First, I know I used a bad word here and I am sorry. Please forgive me.
Now to the meat of the question. We have been on the hunt for a T5 trans from a Camaro to put into our truck. However, the search has been less than fruitful. (Already know that we will change the tail housing for the S-10 model to get the shifter in the right place.) Basically the people who have them want more than we are willing to pay. There also seems to be a lot of the F*** brand versions of the trans for a more reasonable cost. I now that the input-output shafts are different, but think this is still do-able.
Has anyone ever tried this?
Thanks,
MrBlue

[Brad]

I think it would work just fine as long as you made an adaptor plate to fit between the trans and the bellhousing. Perhaps you could come up with some other way to mount it properly with some creativity. That's the only obstacle you'll have to overcome.

Oh, btw V8 Camaro trans around here are going for about $350 which seems kinda spendy to me. I've stumbled upon a few at around $150-200 but that's a rarity.

[Test Pilot]

You can get a conversion bell housing, but those can be as much as or more than the trans. Keisler sells a reproduction bell housing that may work, but you'd have to call them to be sure. One thing about an SBC is that you can adapt just about any common trans to fit behind it with a conversion bell.

Quicktime and Lakewood both make bellhousings to do what you are looking to do.

[68 longbed]

look for chevy astro van with 4.3 5-speed it uses the ford bolt pattern on the trans and of course the chevy pattern on the motor side of bell housing. kind of rare but cheap if you can find. I got trans and bell housing for 100 dollars at local pull your own parts.

[grayw0lf]

The T-5's a scrawny little thing for a heavy old truck, even the T5 World Class.

Be sure to at least replace the T5's front bearing & your pilot bushing/bearing before installing.

[BarryB]

Originally Posted by grayw0lf

The T-5's a scrawny little thing for a heavy old truck, even the T5 World Class.

Be sure to at least replace the T5's front bearing & your pilot bushing/bearing before installing.

Ditto, If it was me, i would be looking for a NV3500. I know of a couple of those here in a local Junkyard I know of. I've had the T5's behind mildly built 350, You have to be really careful with them. Thats my .O2 cents worth

[jlaird]

While I don't have any first hand experience, I've done a crap load of research on different trans for our trucks and the general concensus is the T5 is not a strong enough tranny for these trucks.

[Mayo]

I have had a T5 out of an 83 Camaro in my truck since February 09 and it seems pretty good. I had to get it rebuilt in Decemeber because two teeth broke on the counter gear or something, but there may have been some damage done to it before I got it because it was used in a race car.

[Jacfourteen]

I wanted a t-5 but then when searching I found out that if your engine is putting out 300 pounds of torque or more then the t-5 won't last long. I'm now looking for a t-56 but those are pretty spendy ($1000-1500 for the whole setup).

[mongo7778]

the best thing to do is put your feelers out for a c20 ROCKCrusher, Mucie 4 sp, youll have all the bases covered with one of those, got one in mine and it Rocks

[68_chop_top]

I tore up 3 T-5 trannys behind my 327 375 horse before I went with a Tremec TKO 600. Sure they cost $2200 bucks but I have a lifetime warranty on labor. It would be ashame if you go thru all that work to convert a F*** tranny and later blow it up. How valuable is your time? My Tremec rocks and you get the overdrive!

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by mongo7778

the best thing to do is put your feelers out for a c20 ROCKCrusher, Mucie 4 sp, youll have all the bases covered with one of those, got one in mine and it Rocks

When talking transmissions, this always comes up....but in my (and most other's) opinions, it is not a good choice. It may indeed be very heavy duty, but as far as gear ratio, it just doesn't work. It is geared way to high unless you have a low rear end gear to compensate.....and then it is all too low for highway driving.
2.20-1 first gear with a 1-1 high gear is just not enough spread. Those things were designed for muscle cars with low gears....high winding small blocks for road racing or "short bursts" like drag racing.