im im still having a problem with this overdrive transmission swap. i want to go with an overdrive manual transmission but i just dont think a t5 is strong enough. everyone i talk to say that they wont handle the weieght or power if i put one in my truck. i have a 1959 f350 with the 292 and a 4 speed trans where 1st is a creeper gear. i was told if i had the bell house from a 3 speed column shift and modified it a t5 will work. the only question now is what can replace the t5? a tko 500?
The only thing im finding is stuff for a t5 I just want something stronger like a tko500 just I can't find and exact answer im trying to find someone that has some it
Yeah I know what you mean. Honestly your best bet is to go on yblocksforever.com you will find your answer. Im boilding quite a few yblocks aswell and those guys know it all!!
yea i pretty much think what i know wht im going to do. as much as people say t5 arnt strong and that a truck weighs alot and it might not be the best choice im just going to put one in anyway. t5s are dirt cheap, they are easy to find, and they are cheap to build if anyhting goes wrong. yes its going in a truck that weighs alot but its not my daily driver and i wont beat on it too much. its the easiest and cheapest thing to do and people have done it before so i know it works. i wont have to play a guessing game trying to find a better combination that has not been done before
I think the strongest trans would be a Mercury 55 56 tbird Ford 57 very good 3 speeds but maybe hard to find,and will bolt up with car bellhousing.They are side shift.
Why not just install a Ford 50's overdrive unit? Bolt in and there still listed on ebag at a cheap price.I have one behind my flatty 52 Courier and one behind a warmed up 302 and no problems.
The truck bell is different from a car. Ill look into the t3550 just as long as it bolts up like a t5
i would think a mid-80 5 speed out of a full size truck would work with a 2 speed rear end or a 3.55 gear . theres no way that car trans will live in that heavy truck. also the shift will be under the seat and the front of the t-5 late stuff is longer than your truck stuff and will need a 1 inch+ spacer. just went down this road on a 56 truck 312 . we put a early 80-s lite truck 4-speed that fourth is overdrive . the trans hole in your bell should be the same size as the later transmissions you may need to drill and tap the holes the bosses were in the bell for the bigger trans pattern.
Why not look for a Mopar A-833 4 speed with 4th being overdrive. Were in alot of trucks. The T-5 is not going to hold up to the load. The A-833 is a strong tranny that will take a beating. Had one in 3/4 ton pickup pulled low-boy with dozier on it no problem.
it has to bolt in like a t5 because thats what the bell housing will accept. and this truck is more of a fun cruise around town truck that is my project. the flatbed is just on there to drive it for now until i find a bed off something like an f100. so other than the weight of the truck the trans wont be under too much of a load
I put a T-5 S-10 NWC behind a 322" Buick Nailhead. It is in my 1953 F100 It works great, I cruise the truck and don't beat on it though. If you are not going to beat on it, it is a very inexpensive way to get O.D. and 1st gear Syncro. Makes driving it very enjoyable. Good Luck with your project!
I put a ford orion in a 76 1/2 ton with a 360 This trans was used in late 70s and early 80s ford cars and pickups it's a top loader 4sp that 3rd gear was turned into an 20% overdrive. So you have a 3sp over drive depending on year and app some are side shift some are top.
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