Transmission / Overdrive: If I wanted a T5 for my 259, which one should I get?

[Jeff T.]

Right now I am in the middle of a lot of body work on my 62 hardtop, replacing the trunk floor and left side of the cab floor and then patching under the dash

In my basement I have an assortment of t86 three speeds (or FOMs) to use in the short term with my 259

In the long term a T5 might be fun.... but which one do I want? one from a Mustang? an S10? should the shifter be on the tailshaft or closer to the gearbox?

Just wondering

My Lark hardtop is the closest thing I will ever get to a sportscar so I might as well have fun

Jeff T.

[wcarroll@outrageous.net]

If you're going with a Ford version out of a Mustang, try to find a 90-93 from a V8 car with the ID Tag 199 or 208.

The chart linked below shows that those year V8 Mustang T5's could handle 300lb/ft and had internal design improvments.

You should plan to replace the stock shifter with an aftermarket with positive shift stops if buying used.

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/Detailed/349.shtml

[jallen]

Hi Jeff, if you need a floor shifter for a three speed let me know. Good luck with your project.

[Reo28]

Hi Jeff, I have just fitted a T5 to my 1959 Silver Hawk. It has a 1958 289 in it. I used the T5 adapter plate from Dan Giblin. I purchased a rebuilt Mustang WC T5 with 2.95 gear set with 0.63 OD (5th gear), which had a S10 tail shaft with mechanical speedo gears. I bought this from Anaheim Gear & Standard Transmission as a fully rebuilt unit with their part number T5V8S10. The beauty of this configuration is the World Class Mustang box with better synchros, good gear ratios (2.95,1.94,1.34,1.1,0.63) and the S10 tailshalft which puts the gear lever just behind the box, further forward than the normal Mustang T5 which is at the end of the tailshaft. This brings the gear lever out of the floor about 9 inches ahead of the bench seat and about halfway between seat and dash. Looks good. Still plenty of clearance with the seat fully forward. I even used a chrome S10 gear lever which makes it look like it could be original. The rear T5 mount is perfectly over the wide cross member that goes from A pillar to A pillar. Easy matter to drill and fit tailshaft mount here. Car originally had the BW 3 spead + OD. When it drops out of OD it free-wheels and the clutch was getting sad, so I figured the T5 would be a much nicer driver. It certainly is with a really set nice of ratios and the 0.63 5th speed OD is great on the highway. My diff is 4.10 and seems right for this gear box. If I had a 3.73 diff I would probably have gone for the 0.80 5th gear. I usually start in 2nd gear unless on a hill and the car pulls well and drives nice. I am happy with this change. I am from down under in New Zealand so had a dditional costs to ship the adapter and T5 from California to NZ but it was worth it. I'm sure you could do this change at a very reasonable cost there. Cheers Mal

[52-fan]

I would like to see a picture of the shifter inside the car.

[junior]

this link may be of use....i think i originally got it from this forum, but its been so long I don't know who to give credit to, just came across a printed version of it while thumbing through the binder of info I keep on my own car. Junior

http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Borg-Warner-T5-ID-Tags.htm

[Reo28]

Hi Guys, here is a photo of the shifter position using the Mustang T5 transmission with S10 tailshaft. I find it perfect for driving. Cheers Mal

[ddub]

Boy that looks strange! I wonder if I could learn to shift left-handed? Probably not at my age. Nice installation by the way.

[Alan]

Jeff, is this the one you were going to make into a Taxi? I still haven't cut the bracket even though I made the template a year or 2 ago. Also still have the 2, 3 speed Stude shifters I bought for you. Still looking for the rest of the parts, have bodies and handles only.