Any new ideas surface about moving the T5 shifter forward of the S10 position? I did a search here and a lot of great ideas. I am almost ready to do my flatty T5 union and want the easiest way to get the shifter located like the original 32. I may have missed a "new and improved method" so apologize in advance for my question. Thanks.
https://www.moderndriveline.com/sho...rd-t5-front-shift-tail-housing-rear-position/ This allows the use of a Mustang pattern shifter AND mechanical speedo drive on a W/C T5
My '32 shifter location is perfect for shifting with the S10 shifter stock. About 9" back from stock (you can see a black area in the floorboard where stock was). Pictures are in 1st gear and 2nd gear. It wasn.t a drop-in. The older S10 T5 I used had a longer input shaft than the bell housing adapter (Speedy Bill's)was made for. I cut about 1/4" off of it. Also, the clutch disc supplied bent the factory Ford linkage. Found out it was a Mc Cloud unit. I called them and they said instead of 12 springs try 9, so I removed 3. Also, they don't take speed shifting as I knocked out a T5 already doing that!
That won't move the shifter further forward of what a stock S-10 shifter is though, It just moves the Mustang T-5 shifter up to where the S-10 shifter normally sits for 750 dollars. Look at post 4 and study it a bit. Technical - T5 shifter position forward | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) Similar linkage has been used in various cars for years when the trans isn't in the right spot to have the shifter work right.
This thread was linked in the other thread I posted the link to and may have better images. Technical - y block to t5 | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) The flat bar link may explain how it works a little easier
My O/T Racecar [Mustang FR500C] has a similar method to move the lever rearward . This was done at the factory It would work exactly the same to move the shift lever forward [you only need tunnel clearance] If anybody wants to think outside the box. A Ssangyong Musso used a T5 with a rearward shifter This could be bored through so the shift shaft can poke out the front [and the shaft turned around 180° and new roll pins drilled for the offset lever]
Great info and thanks to all. That Ford MTC shifter reversed would probably work but to get one. Any ideas where to locate one? 48 chev that flatbar a spherical joint looks like it would also work. I can`t believe that Speedway or someone has not engineered a bolt on kit by this time.
A forward shift mechanism probably hasn't been offered because it would be a low demand item. Tremic at one time offered a front shifter for their TKO 500 trans which put the shifter in the early Ford spot but it was a low demand item so they dropped it. I had a TKO with the front shifter I put in a 32 Ford pickup. Some guy saw a picture I ran of the chassis and offered me $1000 for just the shifter. Very rare.
I actually could use 2 and a 3rd for a buddy`s project. If I can lower the flat bar and locate the spherical joint, I believe with the S10 tail and maybe shallow tunnel/channel in the tranny floor cover, it should work. I imagine the flat bar as a shaft would have the most clearance like the dog bone shape of the FR500 shown above.
Instead of the MTC shifter , make one! Understand the geometry is "an imaginary straight line" between 2 pivot points [the bar in between can be bent around things for clearance] You could mount the actual shifter higher up in the tunnel [or on the inside of the passenger compartment] AND use a "J" bar shape for the shifter shaft. You can also alter the leverage ratio at the shift lever [for quick shift] This only alters the north/south movement not east/west [which is degrees of rotation] You need to retain the stock shifter on a T5/T56 because the Belleville washers in them are needed to centralize the shifter in the 3-4 gate. [just cut and mod the lever] My wife did a write-up for me [while I was in HAMB jail for being naughty] about improving the shifter on a T5/T56 There a plenty of photos [including the MTC mods to the original lever] https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/improving-the-shifting-on-a-t5.1189127/ Here is some more photos of the MTC shifter [showing a spherical bearing instead of a heim] The shifter was bolted to a plate welded into the tunnel The cross-bar pivot on the lever needs to be narrow enough to fit inside the top shifter "hole" for assembly On this shifter the Tabs can be opened and the lever turned around 180° to face forward Top view
They sell these setups to tighten up the shifting on a Mustang T 5 for 30 something bucks on Ebay. Maybe not the high zoot thing but for the purpose it will probably do fine, Cut the ball off the bottom that is used to work the shift rod on the T 5 in it's normal configuration, make a mount bracket to set it exactly where you want it and fab the link like Kerrynzl showed in his bottom picture and you are set. There are a ton of them for sale so ou just pick the one you like the looks of.
Thanks to everyone that contributed. Well done!! I now have some great ideas and some of my left-overs from remote shifting VW`s to contemplate now. Thanks again.
The Jalopy Journal
