t-5 confused which one?

[bugsiegel]

I've read the Ultimate t-5 swap article but each time I read it I'm just a little bit more confused. In the which to use section of this article it mentions the v6 Astrovan transmissions as having a desirable ratio but it does not mention the years of the van. I didn't even know the astrovan was offered with a manual transmission option. It seems every one I have ever seen has the automatic shifter on the column.