5-speed in a '56 sedan?

G

Grumpy Rick

Senior Member
Asking this one for my brother.

Can a 5-speed stick trans be fitted to a 6 cyl. 1956 Ford sedan without a lot of hassle?? It now has a factory three speed stick, and would be a lot more useable with a 5 speed overdrive.

If so, which one? Mustang?

Thanks
 
This will get you started. Mummerts site

http://www.ford-y-block.com/t5in-cars-bird.htm

Along with the things mentioned (which it will work with a 6) is finding the older T-5 from the Mustang. There’s a lot of different ratios out there for T-5’s, so watch that. You’ll need to have a look at the current rear end ratio, and the various 1st gear ratios. Usually the o/d cars (6 or 8) had a numerically higher gear (like 3.9 or 4:11 in cars. I know the 56 6 cyl wagon used the Dana rear with a 4:27). Finding parts for the oem rear end is getting tough, so worth thinking about in advance.
 
A fox body 5.0 powered five speed has a 3.35 first gear. That would certainly wake up a 6 cyl. car. The only drawback is the shifter is at the rear of the tail housing. Unless you go to bucket seats, that shifter probably will interfere with the bench seat.
 
This thread from the HAMB has a lot of info. It’s over 19 pages, but just the first page will get you started. Shifter positions, gear ratios, tag numbers.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-ultimate-t-5-article.171291/

Pay attention to the gear ratios in 1st and 5th. I can tell you from experience it’s easy to screw up. A 3.27 1st with a 4:11 has you shifting to second in the Safeway parking lot. A .68 o/d really doesn’t want to pull a 3.33 rear end except on a flat freeway. I’ve made those mistakes. But properly sorted out the combination of 5 gears and a 1st gear synchro really makes a nice street driver. Tire height and vehicle weight play into it of course.
 
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