I'm thinking a Transmission upgrade for my Model A. I am keeping the banger and was leaning towards the s-10 T5 with an adapter from crazydaddio. Then I started talking to the guys on Ford Barn about using the 84-87 F150 4spd. The F150 is shorter and the shifter is closer to original location. Do any of you have personal experience with either trans behind a banger? Thanks
I was planning on adapting one of those 80s F150 trans to a 235 that in my 37 chevy p/u but went with the T-5 due to adapters/bellhousings being made to do that swap,I really wanted to put the Ford trans in due to the shifter being in the correct location but never liked the gear spread in those trans. You will need to have steeper gears for it to work right as first and second have a normal 4 speed ratios but it jumps to 1 to 1 in third and if you have tall gears speeds from 25 to 30 will be difficult,I had one in a car with 3.00 gears and second was not enough and in third it would lug to much but if you have 3.55 to 3.90s it might be ok.
The stock Model A guys are telling me that the F150 trans has the same 1st and 2nd gear ratio as the stock Model a trans. So to get not so low of first gear I should go T5. The shortness and shifter placement is tempting. There are some guys that sell adapter kits for the Model A.
I put a 4 speed ford box in my dads banger. shifter was about 2-3 inches back from original. Runs nice 4th gear seems to run a little lower RPM than a mitchell unit. We are running an open driveline with the standard rear gearing. I think next time I would go with a T5 for the Xtra cruisng gear
T-5 with open drive for me. 55 in 4th. Not real sure in 5th because I don't have a lot of miles on mine. CDO's adaptor is the bomb, much better IMHO than the steel plate I have. There are a lot of S10 ratios out there, find the right one. I wouldn't be afraid of the electric speedo either, there are adaptors available to cable or just pretend you can't see the digital odometer...
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