Installed a T5 in my 62 C10

[62 Barnfind]

.I recently did a T5 swap to my 62 235 and with some trial and error I made it work. I couldn’t find anything on line except for the 48-58 trucks that had a T5 swap with a 235. For our years I only found 64-66 not 60-62. So I decided to tear it apart and get it installed without removing the engine. The three speed was easy to remove with the engine in because there is enough space to slide the trans back to angle it to clear everything. The T5 not so much. This trans is bigger and longer than the original three speed. Here are my steps I hope you can understand it.
First I had to remove the floor tunnel cover, next I removed the torsion bar x member. IF you are running another year front xmember with springs you are good. The x member wouldn't allow the T5 to slide far enough back to clear the bell housing. After reading on line that the t5 will fit in the 64-66 with a small hump I just knew that it would in the 60-62. Not so much. If you are using a small hump you will have to cut between the top two holes to give enough room to let the trans clear for the input shaft to slide in. I am still running a low hump but its a tight fit and it has some rattling in second gear. I will be changing it out for a high hump a little later. For now i'm trying to get it back on the road. Nothing else is altered on the frame.
There are many shifter bases out for the T5 but limited to the S10. Everything is for the Mustang and Camaro. I decided to cut, splice and tap the base shifter to fit the 16 in Lokar I purchased. It fits and shift great. I just need to heat the base up and set the correct angle for the shifter. You also will have to shorten your drive shaft. Call your local place to get the instructions how to measure for the correct length.
My install isn't completed all the way yet. I still have to cut out the low hump and install the high. Then install the shifter boot.
The trans really makes a difference while driving. Its nice to not have the engine running a 4000 rpms. My engine in town likes 3rd and 4th and on the high way 5th is great!
Link to parts:
Fiberglass high hump: http://www.sloshtubz.net

Shifter ball white: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Lokar-...nobs,7431.html

Shifter boot: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Lokar-...ing,45472.html

Lokar 16 in Shifter: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Lokar-...end,96866.html









I had to remove the torsion bar x member to get the trans in.

Not a good 360 pic but you can see that there is plenty of room now. Except I have to cut in between the top front tunnel cover bolts. This will allow the top of the trans to clear. If you have a high hump this cutting isn't required.

Trans installed! As you can see the lower part of the T5 is what was hitting the torsion bar x member. It wouldn't allow it to slide all the way back into the x frame.

Transcend shifter installed!

[62stepside longbox]

Nice write up here John. When I did the install on my 62 it went much smoother, since I have a high hump I didn't have to do any cutting to clear it, and I also found that I didn't need to remove the torsion bar crossmember to install the trans. Did you end up going with an adapter plate or a jeep input shaft?

[LVPhotos]

I raised my low hump a couple inches and it still works with low hump carpet. You sound not have to drop x member. Dis you swap to s10 tailshaft? I used a s10 Hurst shifter, little tight against seat. I run the high hump with Porterbuilt front and new tko 600.

[MusicMan70]

Curious to hear how much your mileage goes up. What is the overdrive ratio and do you need to add a support for the tailshaft?

[62 Barnfind]

Nik I went with the Jeep 10 spline so I didn't have to use an adapter.

LVPhotos I had to drop it to get it to clear the lower part of the transmission. The top keep hitting on the floor bottom and the lower part of the trans wouldn't clear enough to get past the bell housing. Anyway its in and I still have some work to do to get it finished.

Musician 70. Have a .76 OD gear installed for the OD with 390 rear end.

[The Rocknrod]

62 Barnfind nice truck.

[62 Barnfind]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

62 Barnfind nice truck.

Thanks Rocknrod!

[jocko]

Originally Posted by MusicMan70

do you need to add a support for the tailshaft?

Should support bell housing as shown OR tailshaft, but not both. If using the stock bell housing, usually just easier to support it like the factory did for these era trucks.

Nice looking swap 62 barnfind! Enjoy it - 3.90 is a great rear ratio to work with the T5.

[mehoff400]

dig it! I went with the black shift ball thinking i should of done white

[Lugnutz65]

Subscribed. Thanks for the details.

[slepysal]

Nice job, I am planing to do mine soon .So how hard was it to drop the torsion bar cross member?

[62 Barnfind]

Originally Posted by slepysal

Nice job, I am planing to do mine soon .So how hard was it to drop the torsion bar cross member?

Not hard. Just raise the truck and support the front end. I would measure the distance form the x member to the adjustment bolt head t get the ride height that you had. Then remove the adjusting bolts, x member bolts and slide out. I only removed it because the trans didn't have enough room to clear it. Two narrow. With the member in place it I was short about 1 in to clear the bell housing x member.
Once trans is installed replace the torsion bar x member and set ride height.

[hemifalcon]

Curious to see how you're gonna support that trans..

[slepysal]

If you use the bell house mounts ( like op has ) the transmission you can hang like the original did.
If you have a newer bell housing that doesn't have the frame mounts then you have to make a cross member to support the tranny. You do not want to use both.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by slepysal

If you use the bell house mounts ( like op has ) the transmission you can hang like the original did.
If you have a newer bell housing that doesn't have the frame mounts then you have to make a cross member to support the tranny. You do not want to use both.

I agree with ^^^^. As well stated above, the T5 MUST rest on a cross member if the bell is NOT resting on a cross member. To my knowledge, all the 1960-66 manual tranny trucks have a cross member under the bell like in the photo below. That bell cross member is what causes all the fuss.

Letting the T5 just hang off the bell has been discussed with great enthusiasm in other threads with both sides standing their ground. Some say a tail housing cross member is needed in addition to the support under the bell. Others say no.

Interestingly, I have never heard of a T5 case or tail housing breaking because it didn't have a cross member, or because it did have one.

If you PERSONALLY know of a failure, please speak and share the story and pictures.