I have an '83 Regal, in the process of adding a Buick 350. I was considering going on with a stick shift conversion. I have a couple of BOP bell housings, one of which has the dual bolt pattern for Muncie & Ford style transmissions. So, I was thinking a T-5 out of a fox body Mustang would take the abuse of a low compression 350 Buick right? I seen the clutch pedal kits ebay, I will allow as long as the bell housing is in the right spot the z-bar will work (the kits are for SBC stuff). I have a Nova z-bar in my '78 X-body 455 stick car it works, same with my '70 GTO. I am thinking of using a Mustang T-5 5-speed because, I am pretty sure I read that the T-5's from F-body(Camaro & Firebird) are canted/tilted 15 or 20 degrees towards the driver, so I am not sure how the shifter will line up. The there will be the issue of the T-5 slip yoke and a u-joint to connect it all, and well, I bet I'll have to change the length of the drive shaft. In the past, when I picked on 5.0 Mustang guys, street and drag racing, those guys said the V-6 trannies seemed to hold up better, I guess due to differrent gear splits. Anybody have any intel? Transmission hump, probably use a repro one for an A-body or donor Mustang. Clutch disc would be Mustang. Might have to get inventive on the through-out fork and bearing. I haven't looked so see about the speedo drive. Not using a console(well, I don't have one, that may make it easier). I am sure there is a pilot bearing that allows for the Ford input shaft. Add some 3.73 or 4.10's and heh heh heh. A cooler Regal, no really, this one needs lots of help, I have had it for a few years, and just wasn't motivated by the car....badly faded and dry gold with a 1/4 top and brown, pillowy/couch interior. It is manual seat and crank up window though. If it lives through the operation, I'll spring for a paint job. When I first got it, I blacked out all the trim, it helped. This also means, I need some dark brown bucket seats and matching rear seat. Thanks!
You would need atleast a "World Class" T-5, but 5.0's are not torque monster and little 5.0's will easly destroy one. Now there are companies who can rebuild T-5s to handle abuse, but....... Michael
I do not know Jim Blackwood but I noticed he has it on this set up http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=126109 maybe he would be willing to share his experience.
Maybe try to hit up Dave for his info He has one behind a rover/buick v8 http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com/ I have been round and round the T5 question for years, and some guys with stock 305s could blow the guts out of one every week and other guys with built 400s with no problems after many race seasons. You then get into oil, stock GM wanted you to use ATF as 80/90 is to thick. Some still used 80/90 though, some used a mix of 80/90 n ATF. I use straight 30w oil in my T5 [so does Dave.]. Thicker then ATF but still thin enough to flow in tight bearings. I could not nail down what type of fluid was best, but the ones who had T5s behind lots of power did change the fluid in their T5 with every or every other oil change. They also didn't powershift. Search around thirdgen.org several mile long threads about it, one had solid proof that the reason they didn't put a T5 behind a 350 was because it could not pass the EPA downshift smog test for Cal, not because it was weak. If they can't sell in all 50, GM don't make it. Why they only put the T5 with a 305, it could pass CA downshift smog test. And why ford used it, 302. some info http://www.inliners.org/Jack/t5_page.html http://www.inliners.org/Jack/T5tech.html
Cool, I'll do some home work. The reason I was leaning towards the T-5, from a Mustang, I have seen a few available, and the shifter/tower/transmission cas was not tilted. Oh yeah, Mustangs have cross-members to, hence a pad for the tranny mount, as opposed to a torque arm(from the F-bodies). If the bolt holes are off, that messes with the only 'easy' part of this deal...?!? Hmmmm. I had heard the propaganda about the t5's not having a torque rating for the TPI 350's. I have a TBI 305 5-speed car(project, probably not ever going to survive), never paid any attention to looking for a TPI 305 stick car. Thanks again for the intell.
Use a Camaro one. The gear splits are better, and the trans is not tilted, the bellhousing was. If you bolt it to a buick bell the trans will sit straight up. The trans mount is however now tilted. We just cut the mount pad off of the chevy style crossmember and weld it back on at the right angle. There are no mods needed for the floor on an early A-body, other than cutting a hole of course. We have put several behind good running sbc motors and one olds in A-bodys and they work great. Good luck with it. Thanks Brent
Yep the F-bodies use a cross member, the torque-arm is just there to transfer engine trans twist into helping plant your tire for better traction. Which also included this 90lb metal weight that bolts to the bottom and hangs off backwards making the trans longer n heavier at the tail. Which helps keep it from jerking up and down when shifting hard.
Cool, I never thought about the bell housing having th tilt in it. I am going to put one in a Regal, behind a 350 Buick, so it should live, plus, I gear the rear end to a 3.42 or 3.73, depending on what S-10 I find to snag them from at the salvage. I was going to adapt an earlier double hump cross member for it anyway, so the tilt in the mount is no big deal. Thanks everyone! Later,
3:42's are nice with the T5, came stock in my Bird. 1st gear would be to useless with 3:73 then as is 1st kinda does suck but doesn't if your trying to go fast. Just when your driving normal its to short until you wanna school someone, then it gets them RPMs up fast.
"school someone" I have been neglecting my car guy duties. I pulled my '78 Skylark out of moth balls because a kid at the parts store had a vanity plate...."V8KILLR"....bear in mind, it is a faded white paint, bench seat, quiet turbo muffs, dog dish hub caps, 3.42 8.5" Posi, and an M-20....he WAY lost. It was SOOOOOOOOOO satisfying. I hate sport tuner cars!
