Coming back from Rome GA to Cedartown on US 27, driving Henrietta the '38 Ford pickup, running about 55 or 60. T-5 trans suddenly locked up with no warning. I heard about two or three quick popping noises from the trans and suddenly I'm sliding sideways fighting to regain control, thought it was going to turn over with me. Fortunately stayed right side up, didn't hit anything, and came to rest on a muddy shoulder just short of hitting a guard rail. Of course, when trans locks up, one rear wheel locks and one turns freely. Once I got stopped and sat there long enough to quit shaking, I started it up again. First gear works fine, all other gears and neutral, locked up tight, let out the clutch and it stalls out. I'll pull it out tomorrow evening when I get home from work and do an autopsy on it. I'm off Friday (furlough day, state employee, state budget cuts), will go out to Yarbrough's and pull me another T-5, hopefully the next one will hold up longer.
Hope you weren't going comando. A ride like that requires underwear. Maybe two pair. Glad you survived and didn't decorate the guardrail. Best of luck on the new one!
Glad no harm came to you or the truck ! I'm re-doing a 1950's house in Rome. Just off Hwy 27 split on Worsham St. Was down there today. I live up in Calhoun. Pretty good show and swap meet coming up at Paradise Drag Strip in Oct.
Yeah, ****s when that happens. I blew out the first gear on my '71 Triumph TR6 (car - not bike) coming around a corner acting a fool... it locked the trans and sent me on my merry way into the ditch. Luckily I wasn't going as fast as you. I put it in reverse and I guess it let some of the chunks fall to the bottom. I was able to drive it home in 2nd and 4th of all gears... My welded spider gears in the '49 CJ2A grenaded on me when I was doing 40... it was like someone just locked up the rear brakes. I'm glad it didn't roll. No seatbelts or rollbar. I was getting ready to bail out. Glad you're alright... that **** can be scary.
Planning to try to make it up to Paradise Drag Strip in October, obviously will be doing it with a different transmission. I know the Calhoun area pretty well. I was pastor of Hill City Baptist Church near Calhoun in the late '70s/early '80s, prior to that I was at First Baptist in Shannon, between Rome and Calhoun.
Wow gald you are ok.Think I would need a change of clothing after that one.Good thing that you didn't hit or get hit by anyone on the road difinitely a blessing.
Hey, Nailhead Terry-- I like the International in your avatar photo. Glad to see more people building those trucks, always did like the looks of them.
Glad you saved it. Sounds like some Duke Boys driving you did there. Let us know what caused the streak in the britches. Maybe some of us with those old T-5's can prevent it if we know what happened. Later, Kevin Ooltewah Speed Shop
>I was pastor of Hill City Baptist Church near Calhoun in the late '70s/early '80s, prior to that I was at First Baptist in Shannon, between Rome and Calhoun.< Hot dog another southern Baptist is in the building!! Do yourself a favor and ditch the T-5, you were lucky to have survived the indecent. The good Lord was watching over you and there is no reason to make him have to work overtime because you threw another one back in her! Break down and drop the cash for a Tremec, I have yet to kill one and have thrown over 1100hp to the ground with it in an OT Mustang. Just the fact that it has lived for several years and not using the clutch when shifting gears that should tell you how tough it is. I wish the motors would hold up that well. You will have to get a new driveshaft to make up the difference in length of the cases but it is well worth it if you are going to race the truck.
Wow, that's a scary ride. Sounds like the first gear froze on the shaft.... has the ****** oil been checked lately?
It didn't happen to be a T-5 out of a Ford Ranger, did it? Those things were complete ****, and I've grenaded 3 of em in the same OT vehicle without even driving it hard...
The T-5 that locked up on me came out of an '87 GMC S-15 (same as Chevy S-10. Didn't know they ever put T-5's in Rangers. I've had two of the Mazda 5 speeds fail in a '90 Ranger. FWIW, my T-5 is bolted up to a basically stock '68 Chevy 307 that came out of a '68 GMC pickup that only had about 30,000 miles but was rusted all to pieces. Not planning any racing with it, but it moves the truck along pretty good.
Engine is painted Ford flathead green with valve covers lettered "Ford Experimental Overhead Valve." Got a whole **** and bull story about this rare experimental OHV engine, complete with intake manifold designed by legendary Ford engineer Ed L. Brock. I've had people swallow the story hook, line, and sinker, watched them walk away in awe over this ultra rare experimental Ford engine.
My family has been in Calhoun for around 140 years. In Georgia for over 200 years. We lived at Hill City around 1976 for a year or so. Yep, went to church there a few times back then. I found a '32 coupe out at Villanow, back in the early 80's. Doors were welded shut. Must have been a dirt racer. My dad wouldn't let me it buy because of that LOL He grew up around Craneater/Red Bud and turned me onto a chicken house full of old cars. I went to check them out. The lady was a widow and told me I could go have a look. Several old A model's and 50's cars in the chicken house. Her son actually owned them. I think his dad p***ed away and left them to him. He wouldn't sell them for anything. They probably turned to dust in that environment. All the amonia and **** in those houses. Did you ever see all the old A models at the "Hermits" house in Resaca ? He p***ed away a few years ago. They tracked down one of his kids and I think they sold the cars off to someone.
Damn sorry to hear about the trans ****ping out. Glad to hear no damage otherwise. Let us know what you find.
Good save,you get the Sy Young award !!!If your truck had a posi rear it would have spun like a top.So...put in another ****** and be parinoid thinking it'll happen again...
Glad you got out OK! Cool truck there too. Would like to know what went wrong. I've got a S-10 T5 from late 80's on a flathead in our roadster. Use the Astro van disc. Not on the road yet but would like to be alert for any problems...Have you taken the thing apart yet? KEEP US POSTED...
Got the driveshaft out, floorboards out, and everything unbolted, will pull the trans out when I get home from work tomorrow. Should have autopsy results to satisfy everyone's morbid curiousity (my own included) tomorrow night. Saw lots of little pieces of metal when I drained the oil out of it tonight, which is usually not a good sign.
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