I built the chassis for my roadster around a Muncie 4 speed and then decided a 5 speed would be a plus. When I ran a trial fit on a V-8 Camero T-5, the trans mount and shifter position were bad wrong. A friend suggested that we put a Chevette tail housing, outputshaft, and 5th gear on the 2.95 first geared V-8 main box. The transmission mount and shifter worked out perfect and away we went. Here's the problem, first gear through the 3.70's is a little low but 5th gear, because of the way T-5s get to 1:1 in fourth is around .46 and way to high. I was told (by my long gone trans building buddy) that Chevette 5th is thinner and that's why they have the shorter tail housing and Muncie location trans mount. Does anyone know of a 5th gear set that will fit in the Chevette tail housing and get me a lower 5th gear without changing the main box ratio?
Try Bob Hanlon at Hanlon Motorsports. http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com/?q=node/2 email is info@hanlonmotorsports.com
If I understand this correctly ... you already have a T5 from a V8 Camaro. All you need to do is replace the T5 tailshaft housing with one from an S10. It moves the shifter forward a LOT and levels the trans mount (assuming you are using an older bellhousing that does not "tilt" the trans like the Camaro/Firebird bellhousing does). This allows you to keep the trans ratios from the V8 trans (assuming you are installing behind a V8) and gives you the correct shifter location (as well as leveling the trans mount) for an earlier car. Worked for me.
I agree with the s-10 tailshaft. I'm getting ready to install one in my '64 gmc so I've done my homework.
leave the gears alone. Forget about the Chevette. If you really need to have the shifter located farther forward, then find an S10 T5 and use the top plate, tailhousing and shifter from it. Note that the speedo is located in a different spot on the S10, so you will need to either swap out the mainshaft with one from the S10, or shim the Camaro shaft to accept the new speedo position. There are some pictures/info elsewhere on here about how to do that. Note that if you decide to swap mainshafts, that the S10 shaft would need to be from the same class of T5 as the Camaro is. Also note that S10 tailhousings are either cable driven or electronic, and that you can't turn one into the other by just swapping out the sender, so get the right housing for what you are doing.
The V8/s10 T5 Hybrid (V8 gearbox/S10 tailshaft) will be exactly 3.5" longer than your Muncie, but will take the same driveshaft yoke... The only other thing you'll need is a 26 spline clutch disk...
Where does it put the trans mount? The Chevette tail housing moved the trans mount to the same place as the Muncie where it will have to be. I'm trying to avoid cutting up the powder coated frame under my completed car.
What I have done for my customers and myself in the past is to use a Camero trans with the S-10 tailshaft. I've done dozens with great results. I have one in my deuce 3 window and just furnished one for HotRod Roadster for his bitchin 40 coupe which replaced a Richmond 4 speed.
What I've done in the past to relocate the trans mount was to make an adaptor that was two pieces of 1/4 in plate separtated by a thicker piece in the middle. ----____ . Kinda like that<. To move the mount and the height difference to get the mount back to the same plane.
I do not have room for an S-10 tail housing. The Chevette 5th gears are narrower allowing for a shorter 5th gear housing and the trans mount is real close behind it. I really just need a usable ratio 5th gear.
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