Hot Rods Chevy SBC 383 Stroker to Ford T-5 HELP!

Folks,


I need a little help. I've got a new "just built" 383 Stroker, originally out of a 1999 2500 Chev truck (supposedly).

I’ve also acquired a mid-90s Mustang Borg Warner T-5 5 Speed.


I’ve seen several posts on different ways to connect the two.


But I need some help.


I’ve seen folks redrill and tap original Chevy bell housings. And I’ve seen $300 adapter plates.


Thoughts from the HAMB?


Nick

Monza275

 

There exists a GM bellhousing with the 90º V6/V8 pattern, and the Ford transmission pattern.

Let me see if I can dig up that part number.

 

This: https://www.ebay.com/itm/284749454400

This was used behind the Iron Duke 4-cylinder, which had the V8 pattern, when used in Jeeps, with a manual transmission.

You might need a spacer between the bell and the transmission, or shorten the input shaft a little.

This only takes a 153-tooth flywheel, which takes a 10.5" clutch, so be aware. For a built 383, you should use a performance clutch.

153-tooth flywheel.
According to Hollander:
Clutch housing 3251270 3251268
'80-82 Concord 4 cyl.
'81-82 Eagle 4 cyl.
'83 eagle 4 cyl with vin "B" (GM)
'80 CJ7 & CJ5 4 cyl with shift lever in extension
'81 CJ5, CJ7 & CJ8 4 cyl.
'82 CJ series 4 cyl. with shift lever in extension
'83 CJ series with 4 cyl. vin "B" (GM) with shift lever in extension.
'80-82 Spirit 4 cyl.

The Chevy Astro van could be had with a manual transmission behind the 90º V6, that had the Ford transmission pattern, too. Those are as rare as hen's teeth, though.

 

A T5 won't survive very long behind a healthy 383. You might want to consider a stronger transmission before spending a bunch of money on a weird adaptor plate for your T5.

 

Then how do I know guys with Fox body Mustangs, on 10.5 slicks, touching low 10-second quarter mile times, with a T5?

 

@gimpyshotrods nailed it. The AMC Bell works, I have one, along with the Astrovan T5 Lakewood also does a SFi certified scattershield

 

If I remember correctly, there were only about 1,500 Astro vans produced with T5's.

 

If you use that AMC/Jeep bell you also can use the 10 spline Jeep input shaft and get away from hard to figure out clutch disks.

 

The Astro vans I have seen with T 5 transmissions have all been fleet delivery rigs. They had some of them sitting in a lot locally waiting to be sold on an online auction and I looked them over and decided that they were too far gone and too beat up to be worth fooling with.

 

moparboy440 is right. The Mustang T5 is rated for 300 lb. ft. of torque. The 383 will far exceed that. Your buddies' T5s might not break on the 1st pass, or the 10th, but they will break. If you intend to see track time, put a TH400 behind the 383 stroker.

 

The T5 in 87-92 or so Fox , always breaking 2 or 3rd ( stock t5) with the spray 175 up on slicks , a svo mights been a stronger Version, but do not know if so .

 

The 5.0 Mustang T5 has a 3.35 1st gear. Depending on the rear-axle ratio, some racers launch in 2nd gear. Launching in 2nd probably will extend the lift of the transmission. You could get a World Class T5/w 2.95 1st.

 

The 1995 Mustang Cobra R was equipped with a 351W engine and Tremec 3550 5-speed transmission. Do you suppose that Ford thought that the BW T5 couldn't handle the torque of the 351W?

 

I have a friend with a T-5 behind a 383 in a deuce roadster with well over 400+ dynoed ft lbs.
I know the car, I built it.
It's been on the road nearly 10 years no problem, but as I have said before, it has a 'rubber fuse.' By that I mean 7.50/16 rear tyres (3.7 diff gears.) Plus, it's a light roadster.
Bottom line re. torque? I all depends of the final application.

 

Last time I checked 99 % of the guys on here don't slick their cars up and side step the clutch. A world class T5 will be fine for street use if your not a dumb ass. I do race my stuff and build those cars to take the abuse. Maybe the OP should state the weight of the car + the horsepower and torque ,and wait maybe the gear ratio + the type of tire to be used before the naysayers condemn it.

 

Won't hook up.

 

Did you read " rubber fuse"?

 

There is a common misconception about Borg Warner (later Tremec) transmission torque ratings.

What you see them rated at is continuous torque, not peak torque.

Most seem to have an impression that a 300lb-ft rating means that a 301lb-ft shock load means a broken transmission.

It most certainly does not.

 

Ford stopped using the T5 in ALL V8 cars in 1995. It had everything to do with factory capacity at Tremec.

 

The bellhousing pictured above appears to have the standard late Ford bolt pattern and not the Ford T-5 specific bolt pattern used on all Ford T-5's whether it be 4 cyl.,V-6 or 5.0 versions.The GM versions used what appears to be the standard GM bolt pattern with some being clocked to roll the transmission away from vertical some.

 

I'm a 1%, Dumb A$$er ,my 32 5w slicked up for street use Its a Race Rod,
The Silver 32 3w had been posted here in pass from Callie, He a 1%er also pushing in his 70s .

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/t-5-500-hp-breakage.360285/
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/t5-destruction-gearing-too-long-opinions-please.743817/

 

Read my post again, especially the part about the rubber fuse.

 

Why spend a lot of time and money trying to adapt that transmission to a Chevy? If there is any engine in the world that its easy to find a transmission that bolts to it, its a Chevy. I understand adapting when someone is putting a Chevy into a certain car that you don't want to change the existing drivetrain, but don't think thats the case here.

Secondly, why have a 383 if you don't plan to romp on it sometimes? I knew a kid that had a 350 Camaro, and he put 3 T5s in it. I pointed out the economics of biting the bullet and getting a stronger trans. Then I sold him a Richmond 5 speed I had at the time. Last time I saw him he was still using it. It is well known that T5s will not last behind even 350s, and if you have a healthy 383.........

They aren't cheap, but instead of fighting with getting differnt lengths and cobbling up clutch parts for a transmission that isn't going to last.....why not put the money toward getting a Tremec?
When a transmission breaks, it gets expensive and you lose money. Get the better trans and it will cost more ($2500). Yep hard to swallow, but most likely cheaper in the long run. If you ever decide to resell the trans it will bring 75% of what you paid.

 

Just a dumb question, since the S-10 changed over to using the Ford trans pattern in 1993-ish; is there a bellhousing from a 4.3 V6 S-10 application that could also work besides that AMC/Iron Duke option? Since the 4.3 has the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the SBC.

 

Yes, the ultra-rare Chevy Astro/GMC Safari van manual transmission bellhousing.

From my recollection, about 1,500 of those vans were ordered that way, plus whatever support parts were made for repair.

It is far easier to find the AMC/Jeep one.

 

What's the point in building a 383 stroker, putting a weak transmission behind it, and having the power that reaches the wheels go up in smoke?

Yes, I read "rubber band fuse."

 

Same, but I am on M&H Racemaster Drag Radials.

 

The owner wanted the engine spec as it was and it is very powerful. The car accelerates very hard from all speeds. You can spin the wheels easily from a standstill if you want to, but generally he doesn't want to, so drives accordingly.

My point is, the tyres will break grip before the gearbox breaks, hence rubber fuse (not rubber band.)

 

How many T5's have you broken?

How many have you personally witnessed to be broken?

Can you post some pictures?