T-5 trans interchange

[Trekemeyer]

I was trying to find out what transmission could I use a mustang or s10 in my 1938 ford pickup running a open drive shaft 239 v/8 thanks Tom

[Mike51Merc]

There's a lot of reading available on this subject. Bottom line is you can use either one, but you'll need to learn about adapter plates, input shaft differences, and clutch throwout mechanisms.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

The S10 is the easiest in that the shifter is in the right location, just in front of your seat. With the Mustangs some if not all have the shifter way back on the tail shaft requiring you to find an S10 tail shaft and swap it in. S10s have the “H” bolt pattern when or the Mustangs (and later Camaro) have a barrow bolt pattern. Krylon has the Ford style adapters for sale here and on the HAMB where Speedwsy sells the “H” style pattern adapter. There are many threads on this and one member, flaternie, has all kinds of online literature about the swap. Hopefully he will chime in here.

Although I have used both trannies, for you the S10 would be the easiest imho.

[JSeery]

Remoting the shifter is also an option on the Ford T5s. In selection a T5 I would start by determining the gear ratios you are wanting to use. That somewhat depends on the vehicle weight it is going into, your driving style, the rear axle ratio, etc. Gears can be exchanged between cases, but it would be simpler IMO to start with a box that had the gearing you want to end up with. Another consideration is the speedometer. Early S10 tailshafts use a mechanical drive while later GM and the Fords are harder to adapt. These are all generalizations as there are numerus variations. As stated there is a lot of information online. The HAMB has a number of threads on T5s with a lot of links to other articles. Do your homework before you start collecting parts. A good start would be checking with Krylon, a regular here on the Barn.

[Pete]

As has just been said, if you don't do a lot of research and choose the model for your type of driving and fit, you will not be happy with the results.
After you decide what you need, a transmission shop can either put one together from parts or modify one for you. It is not likely you will find one exactly like you want.
A good addition is a short throw shifter. You can make that yourself if you are handy.

One of the main parameters you need to consider is, how much horsepower you have.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

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Pete and jseery nailed it - my avatar has a T5 behind a stock motor. Running 85 mph at 2800 rpm. .86 5th, 32” tall tire, 3:54 banjo center. At 75 I wanted to run 2500 rpm and that was my gauge for the combo .....

[Flathead Fever]

We had a lot of S10 pickups in the phone company fleet. I rebuilt a lot of those transmissions. They are neat transmissions but he one downside was one of the synchros, its been twenty year's so I don't remember which one it was. Anyway the only way you could buy it was with the main shaft because it was pressed on. It made it a little more expensive to rebuild because of that.

There was an odd thing that happened at work that I have never understood? We bought out another phone company that had S10 pickups. They sent all of there vehicles to a gas station to have them serviced. What a messed fleet that was. The gas station drained out the ATF which is what is used in those S10 5-speed transmissions. They replaced it with 90W gear oil. After we took over servicing those vehicles the transmissions began to not shift. I don't care what you did they would not go into gear. We drained the fluid out and put the ATF back in. They still would not shift? Tore the transmissions a part and everything looked perfect? Went ahead and installed new syncros and blocking rings, Filled them up with ATF and they shifted beautifully. They should have shifted just fine switching back to ATF??? The moral of story is you are not smarter than the engineers that designed it. Do not modify stuff you no nothing about.

I imagine the Mustang trans is stronger than the S10. But the S10 trans should be plenty strong for a mild flathead. What you get into is the gear ratio sets in the transmissions Some ratio combination work better with a flathead. I don't know enough to answer which ones they are? There are lots of articles on sticking 5-speeds behind flatheads. The first articles that came out had some errors in them as people were sorting out what parts worked together. Also the earlier version use a regular speedometer cable that I believe can be made to work with your Ford speedometers. The later versions have a sensor that sends a signal to the speedometer. Those will not work with your speedometer. You make to make a careful study of which trans will work best before you go out and buy a 5-speed. If I wasn't a '39 Ford hot rod trans "purist" I would put a 5-speed in. I bet they really make a flathead run good. I'd rather have it drive like crap but be historically correct.

[Flathead Fever]

There are 5-speed transmissions being adapted to torque tubes to go in a Model A. I don't see any reason why you could not do it to an Early V8? I think it takes a 4X4 S10 transmission (which I use to rebuild too along with the transfer cases. Same trans except those 5-speeds do not have a tail shaft because the transfer case bolts directly to the transmission case. This guy makes a beautiful adapter that bolts to the 4x4 trans in place of the transfer case. Then the torque tube bolts to the adapter. I see his display every year at the Antique National drags in Fontana. He's a 4-banger guy.

Take a look at this Model A website on converting 5-speeds to enclosed driveshafts. I don't think this is the same guy I saw, the adapter looks different? To me, this would be the way to go if I wanted a 5-speed in an early V8 so I could keep the torque tube rear end. Then you could convert the early rear end to modern axles. I have a '32 Halibrand rear end with 9-inch axles in it. They will never break behind a Flathead.

http://valleymachineshop.com/model-a-parts.html

[Mike51Merc]

Flathead Fever:
The world class T5s use carbon fiber synchros that need ATF. The gear oil ruined the synchros and replacing it with ATF couldn't bring them back to life.

[brsturges]

Originally Posted by Flathead Fever

We had a lot of S10 pickups in the phone company fleet. I rebuilt a lot of those transmissions. They are neat transmissions but he one downside was one of the synchros, its been twenty year's so I don't remember which one it was. Anyway the only way you could buy it was with the main shaft because it was pressed on. It made it a little more expensive to rebuild because of that.

That is correct. The inner hub of the 1/2 synchro assembly is mated with the mainshaft from the factory. If it needs replacing you need a whole new mainshaft.

[rotorwrench]

Jeep had 4WD flange for the transfer case so some folks use those for torque tube adapt.

[Alaska Jim]

use this site for great info. find the right trans ratios by the tag #'s and application
http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Bo...T5-ID-Tags.htm

[Newc]

Hi all; Went to the web and down loaded a list of over 200 application codes for T-5's. it is a must if researching used transmissions. Newc

[AKCJ]

I talked with the guy at Modern Driveline at the Pamona Roadster Show in January. They really have a lot of T5 knowledge. I hope to get their shifter some day.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

Originally Posted by Alaska Jim

use this site for great info. find the right trans ratios by the tag #'s and application
http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Bo...T5-ID-Tags.htm

I use this site all the time. Biggest thing to remember is that you have a lot of interchangeability with the T5s so if you find one at a good price but not what you want, scoop it up for parts. There are several good YouTube videos in taking these things apart and rebuilding them. Rebuild kits should still be out there - get the one with the shims - they are really quite simple trannies .....

[Ol' Ron]

To bad you don't have a later 8ba style block as the adapter is only 170 bucks and uses stock clutch linkage. That;s what I;m using in the roadster.

[38bill]

I used the kit from Cornhuskers to install a S10 T5 in my '38 pickup. Give Gary a call .He is also here on the Ford Barn as Krylon32 .

http://cornhuskerrodandcustom.net/

[gearheadbill]

Originally Posted by 38bill

I used the kit from Cornhuskers to install a S10 T5 in my '38 pickup. Give Gary a call .He is also here on the Ford Barn as Krylon32 .

http://cornhuskerrodandcustom.net/

X2 on Krylon32 and his adapter parts. Reasonable prices, quality parts and a knowledgeable vendor. What's not to like.