T5 Transmission Swap

M

mustang8

Senior Member
Im hoping this is an easy question, I have a 48 pickup with the 8ba, looking to do the t5 ****** swap, found one on craigslist from a 91 s10, the guy said it is a 5 sp manual ****** from a 4cyl truck and that there is no tag on the ****** so I cant check the code. Anyone know if the 4 cyl trucks would have used a t5 or if they were all the same no matter what the engine size was? Thanks. Luke
 
The 4 cylinder trans will work just fine in your truck. My conversion kit will fit both the 4 cyl and V6. I've had 100's of customers use the 4 cyl with no problems. My kit will also uses your stock clutch linkage. Gary at Cornhusker Rod And Custom.
 
I believe the supplier above has the most complete kit you'll find. Pleasure to talk with too..... Mark
 
The plug in the front is different. In the second photo, the NWC is the one on the left. A 91 S10 should be a NWC. I don't like the gearing is the S10s myself, but a lot of people use them. Also, I believe that the 91 would have the electronic speedometer setup (bit of an issue for speedometer installation).

Some links you might be interested in:

http://lugnutz65chevystepside.weebly.com/t5-info-page.html

http://lugnutz65chevystepside.weebl...sions-of-the-t5---how-to-tell-them-apart.html

http://lugnutz65chevystepside.weebly.com/t5-pre-purchase-inspection-and-questions.html

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171291


NWC T5's were issued in 1982. First applications were in S-10 Blazers. By 1983 Ford started using them in the Mustang, GM had them in the F body Camaro and Firebird Cars, AMC had them in the Eagle and Jeep lines. AMC dropped the T5 by 1985 to make room for cheaper Peugeot and Toyota boxes. By late 1985 the first WC boxes were used by Ford. The WC boxes had 1st, 2nd, and 3rd speed gears riding on roller bearings instead of solid shafts. The countergears saw an upgrade to tapered bearings. The bronze synchro rings were replaced by fiber lined rings and dual cone designed rings to improve ring surface area. GM started using WC boxes as early as 1988 in the Camaro / Firebird line but still kept NWC boxes in S-10's and Astro Vans. By the mid 1990's most of the GM T5 installations were all World Class.
 

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This table is for per 91 T5s, but it gives you some idea of what the gear ratios are. Just remember, a truck transmission is a truck transmission!!!
 

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Keep in mind that MOST old Ford 3-speeds had a 2.82 1st gear ratio, and it's just about a perfect ratio. The 4-cylinder S-10 T5s had a 4.03 1st gear ratio.....awful! That essentially makes the S-10 1st gear about worthless. Most guys refuse to understand or realize that the ONLY S-10 parts you need are the TAILSHAFT HOUSING with provision for the "forward" shifter location (and hopefully with the cable speedo drive), as well as the corresponding shift COVER with the short shift rail. These pieces easily BOLT-ON to (for instance) an early Camaro T5 box and gearset, NWC or WC, with the wonderful 2.95 1st gear ratio. And behind a flathead, there's not a damned thing wrong with a freshly-assembled Non-World Class (NWC) transmission. Do some research on these wonderful T5s before you go out and spend your money on an "S-10" T5 that you're probably going to be a little disappointed with 'cuz ya didn't do a little more homework. DD
 
I couldn't agree more with v8coopman! The 4.03 fist gear is all but useless, I never understood why people liked this swap. The 2.95 1st gear lets you use a lower rear axle gear as well (along with the OD!) which is a win-win in my book.
 
JSeery said:
I couldn't agree more with v8coopman! The 4.03 fist gear is all but useless, I never understood why people liked this swap.
Click to expand...

Like I implied earlier.......MOST folks have "HEARD" that the "S-10" trans is "the one" to have, while not understanding the full story about needing ONLY the S-10 tailshaft housing and shift rail......which is only necessary to place the shifter at it's most-forward location.......which works-out well in these raggedy old Fords we play with. DD
 
Used Cornhuskers' kit (Krylon32) when I installed mine in my '48. Sweet installation as everything except the clutch plate is included. Didn't have to hunt for anything. I used a NWC '82 T5 as I wanted the grannie first gear. 20% overdrive is perfect hauling loads in hilly country. Mine came out of a 4 cylinder.
 
I don't know what ratio rear the early S10 trucks used with the .86 overdrive, but a 3.00:1 ratio rear would give a final drive ratio of 2.58 and make the 4.03 first gear more usable if my math is correct.
 
4t8v8 said:
Used Cornhuskers' kit (Krylon32) when I installed mine in my '48. Sweet installation as everything except the clutch plate is included. Didn't have to hunt for anything. I used a NWC '82 T5 as I wanted the grannie first gear. 20% overdrive is perfect hauling loads in hilly country. Mine came out of a 4 cylinder.
Click to expand...
Yep, that is what a truck transmission is for!
 
40cpe said:
I don't know what ratio rear the early S10 trucks used with the .86 overdrive, but a 3.00:1 ratio rear would give a final drive ratio of 2.58 and make the 4.03 first gear more usable if my math is correct.
Click to expand...

You're about right, but then 5th gear is about unusable. Take your pick! Ideally you would use a Mustang gearset with the S10 tailshaft.

The S10's with a 5-sp either had a 3.93 (standard cab) or a 4.10 (extended cab).

I have an S10 extended cab/ 4-banger and 1st gear will "almost" get you halfway across an intersection if you take it to 3500 RPM. The 4-bangers had 125 HP, more than most flatheads, but not quite as much torque. For true truck use, the low 1st is welcome, oh and Reverse is even steeper!
 
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Personally I don't mind the 4.03 first, mind you we have a decent healthy cam in a light car. Just means in very slow traffic it's easier on the clutch. Though in saying that we are changing fro a 3.54 rear to 4.11 and changing the trans to a 3.76 1st and the taller .72 in 5th .
The big cam tall tires tall rear gears just didn't mix well in town , we had overrun on backing off the gas.
Man if we had the 4.03 1st and 4.11 rear gears I think we could climb the wall of the house.
 
I agree on the mustang T5s, that is what I use. In fact, I like the T5z. You can get the 2.95 1st gear in the mustang boxes. If you want the S10 shifter location you can exchange the tail section and the shifter rods. I run a 4:11 rear gear. To me a close ratio is where it's at in any kind of performance situation. I you just want to get around and really don't care about the gearing then the other gear ratios will work. And if you want to haul heavy loads up step inclines and pull out stumps, then the truck gearing is for you!

And I don't think anyone is saying any of the S10 gearing won't work or are not driveable, they work in the S10 trucks and they will work behind a flathead. They are just not performance gearing if you have any interest in better performance. An S10 is similar to most flatheads in a lot of ways, so if you want something that drives like an S10, well then there you go.
 
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I used a NWC from a Mustang behind a 260 and have been trashing on it for years. $100 from a junkyard an never looked inside.
 
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