Manual Transmission replacement

Mikey44 · MATHESON, ONT

Manual Transmission replacement

dualquadpete · BLACKSTOCK, ONT

I'm running a Tremec TK 500 5spd. in the Torpedo back w/close to 400 Hp up frt. Very pleased with the performance of it & the O/D is the way to "GO" Pulls like a train in the 1st. 4 but cruises down the road at 1800RPM at 65 to 70 MPH with 3:43 rr. gears!!!!!

Mikey44 · MATHESON, ONT

Thanks Pete .. I was looking at the Tremec also. A 5 speed would be awesome!

Rochie · LONDON, ONT

I have a T5 in my 29 and I drive the wheels off of it. I know it's not a TK 500/600 but for a light little roadster it's just great. Out on the highway you will really appreciate the overdrive. My car just seems to settle down and just run down the highway in 5th.

wuga · PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONT

Mike

I am running a W/C T5 from a early 90's Monte Carlo in my 62 Cutlass behind the aluminum V8. It may be a little extra work, but I would suggest picking up a T5 from a Camaro and trying it first. You should be able to find one for no more then $500.00 whereas the Tremac will run about $3500.00 Be sure it is a World Class, has a 2:95 first gear and I would highly recommend a Hurst shifter upgrade. Don't be too abusive with it and you should come to appreciate the O/D when you are cruising. That 2:95 first gear also gives the car a nice jump compared to the 2:54 first gear of the 4 speed. My Cutlass originally had a four speed and the T5 upgrade made all the difference in the world. I drove about 6000 miles this summer all over Ontario and the surrounding states and that O/D made a huge difference in gas mileage and cabin noise, not to mention adding extended life to the engine.

Warren

wuga · PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONT

Mike; I don't know much about production cars after '69, but I know this T5 came from a performance GM that was not a Camaro or Firebird. It might be from a 87-88 F body. It doesn't matter what it came from because they are all the same as far as mounting goes. I also looked for a mechanical speedo output. Here is a link to all T5's made. The only way to identify them is by a small brass tag hanging on one of the casing bolts. All of the other numbers are irrelevant.
www.britishv8.org/Articles/Borg-Warner-T5-ID-Tags.htm

Warren

Sacotu · COBOURG, ONT

i pulled the st10 out of my truck this year because the lack of overdrive was driving me up the wall. the t5 that is in my truck now is a camaro box with a s10 tail piece because i wanted the mechanical speedo drive. love that overdrive. the t5 are recommended up to 300 hp.

slim · DUNDAS, ONT

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

the tail shaft conversion from the camaro to s 10 was fairly common going the other way for AD trucks that required the short tail shaft. you might find more information searching 48 to 54 advance design chev trucks and reverse engineer from there

-- Edited by slim on Sunday 3rd of November 2013 11:08:03 AM

shag766 · FOXBORO, ONT

you have to make a choice mikey before you go too far. if you plan much track time, north bay, my guess would be the richmond as it is a side mounted shift. if its just cruising and styling then the t5 would do the job. i put the tremec in the coronet behind the hemi but i won't run the track with it. and thats just me. growing up with hurst side mounts the direct in shifter doesn't feel right. make sure your rev eliminator is set.
--off topic but, if you street-strip play i would go o/d auto. there is no way in heaven, lol, that a standard trans will shift as quick as the auto in my chevelle. being old school i had to have a standard, hence the tremec. when i had the 572 built for the chev i was thinking muncie but my buds a westech said i should consider auto and sent me to Art Carr at califorina transmissions. am i ever glad i paid attention. i had no idea his autos worked the way they do and at 60mph its about 21-2200rpm. 390 rear-823hp.
-
---just saying

dualquadpete · BLACKSTOCK, ONT

I was going to go with the WC trans. but heard a few stories of "gernading" one or 2 of them if you want to "pound' on them!!! I got my tremec for under $3000, think it was around $2800 [more than I paid for the car] but I'm more than pleased with it's performance & shifting, have a "pistol grip" shifter, intermediate length from Summit, & have "banged off" a few shifts that would have "exploded" a WC

wuga · PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONT

Like I said, After 69 who knows. It did not come from a Camaro but some kind of mid size and besides who cares. It is a W/C T5 that works just the same as any other W/C T5. And besides, this thread is not about my knowledge of mid 80's stupid cars but rather about getting the right transmission into Mikes Camaro. The list is supplied so that you can find a T5 with a GM bell housing pattern and to make sure it is a WC. I originally had a NWC and the synchros didn't last very long. Just sayin'

Warren

shag766 · FOXBORO, ONT

"have a "pistol grip" shifter, intermediate length from Summit,"
humph- i have the full length shifter, didn't know there was an intermediate length. 1st to 2nd is not a problem but the 2nd to 3rd i find i can't crash it through. pete, if its working for you, good for you. now i will have to look up summit to see the length diff.
oh well, something new every day.

RacerRick · TORONTO, ONT

i have a WC T5 behind a big block mopar in my 67' Belvedere. I haven't driven it much but it hasn't broken.

When it does I am going to have a G Force built. Its about $2500 out the door and is rated to 500ft-lbs.

Fordy Acres Car Farm · DORCHESTER, ONT

I must agree with the others, the Camaro is heavier than an early hot rod and although a T5 can live a happy life behind a healthy small block in a light car, it won't live too long behind 450 HP especially in a heavy car. A TKO 500 or 600 would be fine choices for your power level.

If you've already got a tough setup that works well, but is only missing the OD, you could also look into a Gear Venders OD. They are rated for 1100HP and can be mated to pretty much any trans, be it manual or auto and with the flip of a 12V switch can be used for "gear splitting" - turning a 3 speed into a 6 speed or a 4 speed into an 8 speed. I plan on using one in a '64 Galaxy with a BW T10 4 speed and possibly behind a 'built' C-4 in a '62 Falcon.

Although less mainstream, there is also a new player in the OD game. Keisler used to put packages together to retrofit TKOs into muscle cars - still do I think, but now they have designed their own 5 speed to address their perception of TKO's shortcomings. If memory serves me, it's called "Keisler RS"

Not trying to sway you one way or the other, just providing options to investigate.