I have a 390 BBF and wish to switch to a S10 5 speed or Ford 5spd. Does anyone know what I need to make the swap. Don't want to speed $1,500 for a kit. I have a 4spd. in it now. Will a Mustang 5 spd, bolt pattern match my 4 spd. bell housing ? Thanks
Ford had several variations of the FE bell housing, and fitment will depend on which one you have. Ford transmissions had a narrow bolt pattern which changed to a wide bolt pattern around 1965 when the top loader came out. FE transmissions also had the large diameter input shaft. Calling @Crazy Steve ....
Not all FE manual transmissions had the large input shaft, actually only a select few had them. Like the 427s and such. Usually you need the FE truck bellhousing for the small block transmissions. Bones
I believe the answer is no. There is an adapter that I have found on ebay for less than $200 a year ago that would solve the problem. The t5 input shaft is too long for the standard bellhousing and the bolt pattern is different .
The mustang with the longer input shaft may be the easier option. The bolt pattern is supposed to be different. I’ve seen a simple aluminum spacer/adapter used to mate the mustang t5 to an older bell. This might help https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1491368-360fe-t5-swap.html and I couldn’t resist
Probably not as is.... There're three basic varieties of FE bells, the '58-64, 65-70 car bells and the '65-76 truck bells. You say you have a toploader OD, so that rules out the early bell and I strongly suspect you have a truck bell. You'll need to verify this before proceeding, which will require pulling the trans back to see the casting number (C5TA). You can get an adaptor to connect the T5 to this transmission pattern. The trick will be to NOT tell them you're connecting to an FE; they'll tell you it won't work. It does, but there is a caveat attached. The truck bell is .350" deeper (11/32) than the other FE bells, this was to allow Ford to reduce transmission inventory in the truck line; they could use the same type input shaft for all motor options. I'll note here the only difference between the early and later input shaft is the length of the pilot bearing shaft on the input. The late input is 1/2" longer. Only the FE-powered cars still used the shorter pre-65 input length. The truck bell pulls the input splines out of the clutch hub by the amount of the added depth. As to it being a problem, some think so but Ford sold thousands of Ford trucks like this with no issues that I'm aware of, and a number of guys here are running this combo. So when they ask, tell them this is to hook the T5 to an '65-70s SBF, don't mention the FE. If you DO have a '65-70 car bell, make sure the pilot shaft isn't bottoming in the end of the crankshaft. If it is, simply cut enough off the end of the pilot shaft to allow the trans to fully seat. You'll need something like this... 1965 - 1973 Ford T-5 T5 Bellhousing Adapter Plate 6 Bolt Billet Kit USA | eBay I would question the advisability of using a T5 behind a FE. Those aren't rated for the amount of torque a larger size FE can deliver (even the so-called 'world cl***'), you will have durability issues unless you treat it gently. Both Ford and GM limited it to roughly 300" inch motors because of that.
I see wheelstanding 10.5 slick equipped Fox-bodied Mustangs cut impressive elapsed times on the strip on a regular basis. All with World Cl*** T5's. There is a common misconception when it comes to Borg Warner/Tremmec torque ratings. The ones that you see are not for shock-load. They are for continuous-load.
Yes, that's true, but those are all small-block cars. HP isn't the problem, it's torque. Tremec sold ****-loads of 3550s and TKOs to those same guys to replace dead T5s.
Some of those are big block cars, of the small blocks, several have one, or two turbos, and there are several Prochargers. If a supercharged car has 600hp, it WILL have a whole bunch of torque, no matter what the displacement is.
I run my 64 ford pu with a world cl*** 5 speed . The hook up was easy peasy . I did the swap 10 years ago .Transmission has stood up fine ,although I don't side step the clutch . From what I remember is that the input shaft is an inch and a half to long. I used a truck bellhousing which is 3/4s of an inch deeper. I removed the input shaft from the transmission and ground 3/4s of an inch off the shaft,put it back together and bolted it in . Easy peasy . Because the shaft is heat treated it has to be ground . I put my input shaft in the lathe and set up a sewing machine motor with a small stone on the tool post and ground away , the shaft is heat treated far enough back that it retained enough hardness . As I said I have been running it 10 yrs problem free . I believe it was a 97 mustang world cl*** 5 speed
It was a long time since I did this, and my measurment could be off ,but I guarantee it is that easy ,do your own measuring .Been driving my truck 10 yrs .Seems to me the truck bell is more than 3/8th deeper ,but it has been a long time .
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