I want to put a manual trans with overdrive in a 38 Ford project I will be starting. There is a 2wd 1993 s10 with a 2.8l 5 speed for sale locally. Is that a good starting point for the trans? It's going to be connected to a mild 283. Is there anything else usable from the donor truck (rear leaf springs? Rear end? Do they use hydraulics for the clutch?...anything else?)
First, make sure the trans is a T5. If it's a T5, the trans unbolts from the bellhousing; there are some S10s that used a trans with an integral bellhousing (trans case and bellhousing are cast together one piece). The other issue to be aware of. The last T5 with a cable speedo drive was '87 or '88. The later ones have an electronic speedometer. They all use a hydraulic clutch.
The rear ends on 2WD are a bit narrow at about 54" outside to outside. The springs may be a bit long for your '38, need to measure, but I found them a very good fit (along with the S-10 Hanger and shackles) for a Chev/GMC pickup. Ray
The gear ratios are many and vary quite a bit, you'll want to use something with a 1st gear ratio you can live with. Do a little research to find one with the gears that will work for you. Much has been written here and elsewhere. britishv8.org/articles/borg-warner-t5-id-tags.htm
No. There are several issues that make this not an ideal candidate. 1. Starting in 1993 ALL T5's had the FORD transmission-to-bellhousing pattern, irrespective of what make they were in. Yes, this means GM applications got the Ford pattern, too. Unless you track town a Chevy Astro (rare) T5 to 4.3l V6 bellhousing, or a 80's Jeep bellhousing (rare), you cannot just bolt it up. 2. This has an electronic speedometer drive. There is no provision for one. You can add one, or add external hardware to subs***ute, but those often cost as much as another T5. 3. This has the 4.03 gear set. If you remember the old-school "granny gear" in an old truck, it's a lot like that. About the last thing you want in a hot rod.
Those are on the 4.3l V6, which is a 90º engine, and the 2.2l 4-cylinder. The 2.8l is a 60º engine. Those got the T5, until the end of the line of the 2.8l. L4 2.2 NV1500: 4.3l NV3500
Yep, the low gears are an issue for sure. The gears can be changed out, but just realize the cost involved so you know the final cost you are going to end up with. To me the 2.95 1st gear is the best setup. These are what are sometimes referred to as Cobra gears. The more common gears were the 5.0 mustang ratios which had a 3.35 1st gear. These are the Ford ratios but Chevy had similar ratios, I'm just not sure of the years/applications (I'm a Ford guy). It might help you to keep these in mind when looking for a T5 set up. These were HP cars the S10 is a truck with a very low 1st gear. Now there are several ways to go: - Get an early S10 T5 and swap in the gears you want - Get a later Chevy T5 with better gears and swap out the tailshaft (but still Chevy bolt pattern) - Get a later Chevy T5 with better gears and use GPS or other modification for speedometer (but still Chevy bolt pattern) - Go with a Ford bolt pattern T5 and deal with an adapter
Actually, the early 93's, (at least the early 93 S-10's), still had the Chevy bolt pattern. I'm parting out a 93 S-10 with a 2.8 V6 and 5 speed. The T5 had a Chevy bolt pattern. However, it was actually built in December 1992. I used the truck as my daily driver for the last 10 years and was the 2nd owner, so it definitely had the original trans. Attached is a ****py cell phone pic of the trans.
The switch was in the 1993 production run, not the 1992 production run. Borg Warner dropped all NWC production, and all cases but Ford, in 1993.
My S-10 was a 1993 S-10 and the T5 that I pulled out of it was a N.W.C with a Chevy bolt pattern. When I checked the build date of the truck, it turned out to be a late December 1992 built, 1993 truck. It definitely was the original trans to that truck and all of the date codes on the trans, engine, etc. all matched up to be from that truck. In addition the original owners lived in the same small town as myself and had the truck serviced at the local garage, since it was new. The trans had never been replaced. Just guessing.....But Chevrolet was probably using up the T5's that were already in stock at the factory, at the time the early 93 S-10's were being built. So, if the 93 that is for sale is an early built one, it might have a Chevy bolt pattern trans. If it is a late production truck, it would not. The trans was sold, and the bell housing went in my 84 S-10 with a 2.8. This was this last summer, when I changed the 84 S-10, over from an automatic to a stick shift. The T5 from my old 85 S-10 bolted right up to the 93 bell housing. Couldn't use the 93 flywheel because the 93 engine was internally balanced, and the 84 is externally balanced. As far as using an S-10 5 speed behind a 283.......I would not. Mainly because of the screwy input shaft.
I don't doubt you. Your truck was made in 1992, not 1993. The parts were sourced and staged for the ***embly line well before the demise of the NWC T5, and the Chevy pattern in 1993. GM started well in the previous year the production for the next year. They even sold them before the model year, too. If the build date was in 1993, and the parts were of 1993 production, it should have the Ford pattern, but only GM would know for sure when the cutover happened.
Buy a 3rd Gen Camaro/ Trans-Am T5 to get the Chevy bolt pattern and 2.95 first gear. Then buy an Early S10 T5 to vulture the Tail shaft ,Tailhousing and shift rail. Swap all the bits over to get the correct combination 2.95 S10 T-5. With the wonky 3rd gen Camaro tailshaft , rear ***emble it on the Granny Gear T-5. [ give yourself a beer for building the most undesirable combo T-5 ever, the granny gear 3rd gen] Sell the 3rd Gen box to recover costs [But not on the HAMB please]
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