Who's Really Happy With Their T5 Conversion

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, with so much talk about "gearing" options, types, and alternatives, got me thinking, might not be a bad idea, to run a thread on who is happy with their T5 conversion, those who are not happy with the T5 conversion, or those who expected something different, good or bad.

There have been many of these types of conversions, a lot of the Chevy people and some Ford people too, who are using a T5, but there options may have been more limited.

Now share your story, who likes the T5 conversion and who does not?

What did you like about it, and what didn't you like about it? Is I the best option? Does the gear spread, meet the needs of a Chrysler flathead 6?

There will be some who may never go this route, for their own reasons.

There is the bellhousing modification, shifter location, etc.

So let us know, if going the T5 route is the best idea, and why you have this opinion(s).

So please let's keep this discussion on topic, and please share your experience, not your arm chair in front the computer screen experience....

 

[Young Ed]

I haven't gotten mine to the point of driving it yet so I can't comment on that part. I will say it was very easy to adapt to the truck bellhousing with a very inexpensive kit. Very straight forward install. Drill 4 holes and install 2 spacers/bushings. Done. You do need a new pilot bushing but with a new trans of any type that is probably true so I don't really count that.

[Robert Horne]

I am very happy with my TK5 83 to 87 Ranger trans install, very much different than the T5 units.

 

No kit necessary, only had to shave the trans front cover plate to fit the 5 inch hole in the bell housing.

 

The pilot bearing was two pressed together, good fit, found on ebay.

 

I tried the 3.9 gear, but too low in first.

 

With the 3.73 Ford gear, first still a little low,  but comes up my driveway great, a the overdrive is great.

 

Going to try a 3.55 Jeep rear next.

 

My Coupe has a stock 80hp engine, does very good..

[55 Fargo]

I am very happy with my TK5 83 to 87 Ranger trans install, very much different than the T5 units.

 

No kit necessary, only had to shave the trans front cover plate to fit the 5 inch hole in the bell housing.

 

The pilot bearing was two pressed together, good fit, found on ebay.

 

I tried the 3.9 gear, but too low in first.

 

With the 3.73 Ford gear, first still a little low,  but comes up my driveway great, a the overdrive is great.

 

Going to try a 3.55 Jeep rear next.

 

My Coupe has a stock 80hp engine, does very good..

Hi Robert, yes I have read your thread on your conversion, sounds like the gear ratios/spread work good for you, going T5 GMC, would possibly not have been your best bet?

With your 80 hp engine, and the weight of the car?, and 1st being a bit low even with a 3.73, very interesting, must be geared fairly low.

If you go to 3.55, will you have enough power in 5th gear? Sounds like you are doing well with the 3.73s....

[55 Fargo]

Toyo Kogyo 1984-87 5 speed trans gear spread/ratios

 

1st 3.96, 2nd 2.07, 3rd 1.39, 4th 1.0, 5th .86

with your 3.73 diff,

1st 14.77, 2nd 7.72, 3rd 5.18, 4th 3.73, 5th 3.20,

 

with a 3.55 diff,

1st 14.07, 2nd 7.34, 3rd 4.93, 4th 3.55, 5th 3.05

[Don Coatney]

A quick forum search will produce several forum members who have installed a T-5 and they are all happy with the install. The only bad report I have ever heard on this forum was from a member who has never posted on the open forum and when I ask him about his unsatisfactory results he declined to discuss it. So I am uncertain on why a thread was started about this transmission as there is a lot of positive feedback already available.

 

A much better transmission topic would be on the recent suggestions on installing the Mopar A-833 4 speed overdrive transmission. I have asked the question on who has actually made this conversion and having done so what are the results. But nobody to date has had any information to offer. So once again I will ask if anyone has actually completed this conversion and if so please post results.  

[55 Fargo]

A quick forum search will produce several forum members who have installed a T-5 and they are all happy with the install. The only bad report I have ever heard on this forum was from a member who has never posted on the open forum and when I ask him about his unsatisfactory results he declined to discuss it. So I am uncertain on why a thread was started about this transmission as there is a lot of positive feedback already available.

 

A much better transmission topic would be on the recent suggestions on installing the Mopar A-833 4 speed overdrive transmission. I have asked the question on who has actually made this conversion and having done so what are the results. But nobody to date has had any information to offer. So once again I will ask if anyone has actually completed this conversion and if so please post results.  

Mr Coatney, although I have your posts blocked, I reluctantly decided to view your post. I specifically asked that any posts on this thread to be on topic, as part of your post is. I already am aware of your T5 conversion, and the fact you are jubilant about it and it's function, capabilities etc.

This is not a thread about the Chrysler A833 transmission or the TK5 Toyo Kogyo, both very fine transmissions both covered well, in other threads, blogs and on other forum boards. Yes i did have  some exchange about Robert Hornes TK5, as He did a great job of engineering and adapting this trans to his Chrysler flathead.

 

Being this is a T5 thread, not sure why you feel the need to suggest a Chrysler A833 thread. But since you want to learn something about the A833 transmission, and have been asking questions about it, does this mean you are not happy with your T5 conversion, and wish to now learn about the A833 trans. I invite you Don to start a A833 trans thread, and additionally I encourage you to call George Asche to discuss purchasing the adapter plate, while supplies last. George can give you all the details of this conversion, and hopefully it will answer your questions  you may be seeking. Mr Asche has produced a number of the A833 adapter plates,to date produced with high quality aircraft aluminum. Don are you suggesting Mr Asche, is making something that does not work? Something that has not been tried and researched? Something that is not quality designed and built, as has always been his reputation?

Don if you have any real sincerity and interest in the A833 trans adapter, the conversion process, and its functionality, you should give Mr Asche a telephone call to inquire.

I suspect though Don, you have no real interest in the A833 trans and it's adaptability to a Chrysler flathead 6.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Fargos-Go-Far

[Robert Horne]

Hi Robert, yes I have read your thread on your conversion, sounds like the gear ratios/spread work good for you, going T5 GMC, would possibly not have been your best bet?

With your 80 hp engine, and the weight of the car?, and 1st being a bit low even with a 3.73, very interesting, must be geared fairly low.

If you go to 3.55, will you have enough power in 5th gear? Sounds like you are doing well with the 3.73s....

At first I was looking for a T5 trans, a 86,87 seemed to be the best fit.        Have a couple of books with the many different gearing ratios available, some

very similar to the TK5.  Not sure about my ability to do a T5 install, and the T5 were around $300 at the time.    I came across the TK5 for $75, and $50.

With the few years of driving with the install, my 38 Coupe does real good, at 80hp,  even here in hilly Virginia, mostly in the 40 to 65 mph driving.       The 3.55 gear

would be a better option for a flatter highway though..

Sorry, do not want to take away anything on the this T5 thread.

Hope everyone has a great Holiday Season,

 

Bob..

[49D-24BusCpe]

Hi Fargo,

 

    I,REALLY, REALLY like my T-5 conversion in my '49 (1st series) D-24 Dodge Business Coupe! I guess because of my long-time auto industry data processing background - I'm a 'Bill-of-Material' type of guy. I develope project goals/objectives, define completion steps, and start collecting parts to finish them.

 

    Although I'm primarily a Musclecar restoration person (I finished my original '65 Plymouth A-990 aluminum-head Hemi lightweight restoration in March of '14), I had wanted a 'fat fendered' Mopar flathead for sometime. I purchased my California built coupe in the fall of '12. During high school I was given my Grandma's 39,000 mile D-24 Deluxe 4-door - so I was familar with the sedate perforamce envelope of a 230 Fluid-Drive vehicle.

 

    My goal was to have a very road worthy flathead powered Mopar that would kick-the-ass of Ford flathead street cars. So, my project has evolved into an upward compatible three step program, The first being the TRANSMISSION/AXLE, second the 12V CONVERSION, and lastly the ENGINE REPLACEMENT. The first two having been sucessfully completed,and I'm now in-process on 265 development program.

 

STEP 1: Replace Fluid-Drive 3-speed and original rear-axle assembly. I did extensive web-site reviews, and in particular Don Coatney's efforts on this one, I had a a lot of conversations with George Asche, Paul Curtis and Tom Langdon about the best approaches and combinations. I've known Mr. Curtis and Mr. Langdon for over 40 years, as we're all members of the Michigan Hot Rod Association. Here's what I came up with;

    TRANSMISSION

    P-15 Bellhousing, clutch fork, and flywheel.

    Paul Curtis transmission adaptor kit                     Paul Curtis:    www.pjplymouth@netscape.net

    Mustang T-5/S10 Hybrid transmission                  Earl Johnson   www.hjhnracing@msn.com

        '95 V-6 Mustang World Class Main Case (3.35, 1.93, 1.29, 1.00 ratios). This was chosen because the Ford case 'packages' better with the P-15 bellhousing, the ideal gear spacing, and that it's input shaft is the longest of the Fords.

        '86 S-10 Tailshaft (.72 5th gear).  This was my choice because of the forward shifter location and the mechanical speedometer capability.

        Hurst shifter package. Needed to tighten up shifter pattern, for the longer shifter lever.

        Lokar XMSL6B - 16" black single bend shifter lever.

        Lokar SK-6872 - 5-speed ivory knob.

 

    REAR AXLE:

        '65 Plymouth B-body housing, with 10" brakes. Brake drum-to-brake drum measurement is .75" narrower than stock, and the 10" drum size is the same as stock! For me, this was a 'no brainer', as I has a lot of extra rear end parts left over from my Hemi project.

        3.73 742-Case Sure-Grip, NOS.   Same ratio as stock.

        Lokar EC-8002HT - '38 - '48 Mopar Hand Brake Connector package.

        Emergency Brake Cables - '70 Challenger, modified. In-Line Tube.

 

   With this drive train combination, my car's current '56 230" Power-Wagon engine gets an all-around 19 mpg average. First gear has a great launch and is good for 25 mph.  The car revs at 1950 @ 60 mph, and 2600 @ 80 mph. When I get the 274" (.060 over 265") installed, I might change to a 3.90 or 4.10 to slow the top end down and pick up a little acceleration! Even with the current 102 hp engine, it easily stays up with modern traffic. IT'S A TERRIFIC PACKAGE!!!

 

Walt

[55 Fargo]

Hi Walt, thanx for the post, wow, you happen to stumble on this thread, as I see it's your first post on this forum. Glad you are satisfied with your Chevy/Ford T5, and it sounds like your 230 is happy for it.

Your 265 build, sounds interesting, hope to see a thread and pics of your build. While on the topic of pictures, can you post pics of your T5 conversion, as there are many on here, or even visitors who would be interested in seeing your approach.

Yes the fluid drive coupler replacement is a must for any of these conversion, as I do not know of anyone engineering a long input shaft for a T5 to make it work. There is another member, who is debating what to do with his truck, with a fluid drive and 4 spd trans, think he will need to ditch the fluid drive, do as you have done. I do hope he tunes into your process, to solve his problem.

Well I was beginning to think nobody on this forum was either interested in sharing their T5 stories, glad it works for you.

[Young Ed]

I haven't seen a post from him in a couple years but a guy from here named BeBop was very happy with his T5. He was driving it all over MN.

[55 Fargo]

Well so far it looks like there are 3 people on this forum happy with this conversion, thought there would be more. Most likely most members are happy with there stock trans, or the B&W Overdrives, or some other trans that's not a T5.

I have asked Don Coatneys friend from "Detroit" to share pics of his conversion, will wait and see how he has done his...

[Sharps40]

My thoughts on the T5 don't stem from MOPAR but from Chevy Truck.  I installed an Astro Manual T5 (available only on contractor vans) to the Chevy 250 inline six since it is the only T5 that is a direct bolt up for the early Chevy Trucks.  The Astro unit as .76 OD, perfect for the stock 3.73 rear in these trucks.

 

That said.  Fine transmission and kept the little six in its happy zone for rpm and torque.  However, even rebuilt, its 35 odd years old.  

 

Troubles with it included continuous leaks, multiple stripped threads in the aluminum housing and that pesky overdrive gear hung on the aft shaft as an afterthought (A simple redesign of the T4, hang the OD gear on the back and cover it with a tailshaft housing.....)

 

Problematic with the T5 is,,,,,the OD gear thrusts rearward against its single retainer clip.  When the shaft, or clip is worn, as is likely even in a rebuilt trans, it fails.  Boing and yer back to 4 gears. 

 

Finally got smart, went old school permanent fix and installed a new OD Gear clip and tack welded it into place. 

 

Trans still leaks and the aluminum case still needs a helicoil installed every time ya have to break it down for maintenance or repair but day in and day out, it runs fine.

 

All that said.....I'd never do an old vehicle with an "old" power train again.  Not even a Slant 6 with mopar trans or GM V8 with the 4 speed auto....let alone sticking with a flat head motor.....(Yep, I expect death threats on that one....)

 

There is too much to be said for modern power packs (5.7 Hemi with matching trans, GM Vortecs and 4L60E, etc.) combined with suspension that makes the cars nimble, reliable, repairable away from home, safe and fun.

 

Nope.....The T5 is nice and can be reliable but its old tech at 40 odd years old and I'd not do one again.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Sharps40

[Plymouthy Adams]

Posted Today, 11:02 AM

My thoughts on the T5 don't stem from MOPAR but from Chevy Truck.  I installed an Astro Manual T5 (available only on contractor vans) to the Chevy 250 inline six since it is the only T5 that is a direct bolt up for the early Chevy Trucks.  The Astro unit as .76 OD, perfect for the stock 3.73 rear in these trucks.

That said.  Fine transmission and kept the little six in its happy zone for rpm and torque.  However, even rebuilt, its 35 odd years old. 

Troubles with it included continuous leaks, multiple stripped threads in the aluminum housing and that pesky overdrive gear hung on the aft shaft as an afterthought (A simple redesign of the T4, hang the OD gear on the back and cover it with a tailshaft housing.....)

Problematic with the T5 is,,,,,the OD gear thrusts rearward against its single retainer clip.  When the shaft, or clip is worn, as is likely even in a rebuilt trans, it fails.  Boing and yer back to 4 gears.

Finally got smart, went old school permanent fix and installed a new OD Gear clip and tack welded it into place.

Trans still leaks and the aluminum case still needs a helicoil installed every time ya have to break it down for maintenance or repair but day in and day out, it runs fine.

All that said.....I'd never do an old vehicle with an "old" power train again.  Not even a Slant 6 with mopar trans or GM V8 with the 4 speed auto....let alone sticking with a flat head motor.....(Yep, I expect death threats on that one....)

There is too much to be said for modern power packs (5.7 Hemi with matching trans, GM Vortecs and 4L60E, etc.) combined with suspension that makes the cars nimble, reliable, repairable away from home, safe and fun.

Nope.....The T5 is nice and can be reliable but its old tech at 40 odd years old and I'd not do one again.

Edited by Sharps40, Today, 11:05 AM.

 

 

 

 

death threats are as empty as many subject topic are on usefulness...I like yourself see the /6 transplant as just another step up the ladder to no where...still an improvement over the flattie in many respect but oh so lacking compared to modern drivetrains that are available for relatively cheap as the uni-body crumple zones of todays car makes slight accidents into totaled vehicles as the zone crumpled as designed to save the interior and it contents...sometimes getting folks to understand that a car body less engine is not a candidate for originality but at the same time it should not be crushed..dealing with these types is like trying to baptize a cat..

 

of course this reply is a tad OT of the who likes their T5 tranny but Fred opened that door when he did not slam another for the TK5 and the other guy's flathead engine...

Edited December 20, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams

[55 Fargo]

Hey Sharps, thanx for sharing your experience with your T5, sounds like it was a nightmare at times, especially for deep repairs.

No threats on your opinion on the old flatheads, they are not for everyone, and yes there are some like yourself, who like the old cars/trucks, but prefer a modern powerplant, that's not a problem with me.

Ice cream ,comes in may flavors for a reason, and some will swear this flavor is better than the other, but that's there own unique reality.

I also see a few who keep buzzing around this thread, who I know don't care for flathead powerplants, and don't like standard transmissions, but I guess anything entertains some folks.Thanx again for your candid post..

[Sharps40]

Not really a nightmare....just replacing a 45 year old trans (the 3 speed) with a 30 year old trans (Astro 5 speed) wasn't sensible.  Its getting to be that way with GM Small blocks and the older 4 speed autos.  There is much better tech out there and much of it now lasts 250K or more miles.....more than another lifetime on a hot/resto rod whether or not its daily transportation.

 

Most of the problems with my T5 related to the porosity of the casting, lost a thread every time as the alloy just won't hold a thread.  That, plus internal parts for the GM T5s are getting scares enough now that its more difficult and expensive to rebuild them.  They are old and like old men, the older they get the more they break and the less likely they are to get fixed well or at all. 

 

I am satisfied with the T5 enough that I could recommend it as an option, but probably not for someone that actually wanted to put 30K miles a year on his vehicle.

 

Given the availability of 21st Century power packs, I just don't think it makes sense, especially if you plan to drive it away from your well stocked and tooled garage with its shelf of musty tomes covering all the repair specifics for the old parts ya stuck in in the name of upgrade!......

 

Its more certain that with a late model drive line, in any old car, yer less likely to have a failure and if ya do, ya can pull in to the appropriate shop, parts will be on the shelf ...

 

and using the OBD port, even the Mechanic in EAST BF Wyoming (located on Rural Route 0, 200 miles from the nearest big city) will be able to do more than scratch his butt and say, "Jeez, I never seen nothing like that before!". 

 

More likely he'll say, "Yep, got that part and have ya back on the road lickety split, grab some coffee, I'll get er done!"

Edited December 20, 2015 by Sharps40

[55 Fargo]

Yes, again, "different strokes for different folks", and certainly is nothing wrong with that, hell look at all the Keurig coffee consumers now, when's the last time you seen a coffee percolator, and I still like perked coffee.

But fair is fair, and although this is not a long distance/reliability thread per say, will give credit where credit is due, 1st on the list, for some of the biggest thumbs up of recognition will go to Bamfordsgarage and his pal Jerry. The old beat up 47 D25, has seen more miles in recent years, then most likely 90% of the regular modern car drivers. His trips to Hershey, down to Florida, then all the back to Edmonton Alberta. Another excursion to the Arctic ocean, via Alberta, BC, the Yukon, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories, in late winter, very brave souls. All done in a stock, 47 D25 with a 218 and 3spd trans, with 2 heaters, special laminated front glass, and extreme snow tires, trudging the Alaskan Highway.

There are others such as  James Curl and others, who have driven these old beasts, many miles on long road trips, Pete Blueskies, drove his 50 Plymouth with 3 sdp OD trans to Tulsa Ok, for the unearthing of the infamous 1957 Plymouth, he drove all the way from Idaho, and back.

Todays, vehicles, with all their creature comfort, technology, and longevity, is indisputable, but many folks on here as well as the HAMB do drive old type heaps, with old time powerplants, many miles each year. Travelling with some of the usual/typical parts, that fail, is often the case, some of those mishaps, and unexpected situations, add some adventure, tho these travels, not always shared by a lot of people in the modern world.......

[T120]

....... Travelling with some of the usual/typical parts, that fail, is often the case, some of those mishaps, and unexpected situations, add some adventure, tho these travels, not always shared by a lot of people in the modern world.

 

- While I have confidence in my old stock Dodge making a trip without a serious mechanical failure,if the trip is more than say 50 miles from home my wife will always have "more pressing things to do" .   

Edited December 20, 2015 by Ralph D25cpe

[Don Coatney]

Yes, again, "different strokes for different folks", and certainly is nothing wrong with that, hell look at all the Keurig coffee consumers now, when's the last time you seen a coffee percolator, and I still like perked coffee.

But fair is fair, and although this is not a long distance/reliability thread per say, will give credit where credit is due, 1st on the list, for some of the biggest thumbs up of recognition will go to Bamfordsgarage and his pal Jerry. The old beat up 47 D25, has seen more miles in recent years, then most likely 90% of the regular modern car drivers. His trips to Hershey, down to Florida, then all the back to Edmonton Alberta. Another excursion to the Arctic ocean, via Alberta, BC, the Yukon, Alaska, and the Northwest Territories, in late winter, very brave souls. All done in a stock, 47 D25 with a 218 and 3spd trans, with 2 heaters, special laminated front glass, and extreme snow tires, trudging the Alaskan Highway.

There are others such as  James Curl and others, who have driven these old beasts, many miles on long road trips, Pete Blueskies, drove his 50 Plymouth with 3 sdp OD trans to Tulsa Ok, for the unearthing of the infamous 1957 Plymouth, he drove all the way from Idaho, and back.

Todays, vehicles, with all their creature comfort, technology, and longevity, is indisputable, but many folks on here as well as the HAMB do drive old type heaps, with old time powerplants, many miles each year. Travelling with some of the usual/typical parts, that fail, is often the case, some of those mishaps, and unexpected situations, add some adventure, tho these travels, not always shared by a lot of people in the modern world.......

I see the rules have changed and it is now acceptable on this thread to post non T-5 related stuff.

 

So I will once again ask if any forum members have successfully installed the Mopar A-833 4 speed overdrive transmission. I am interested from an educational prospective on ease of instillation either using a "kit" or other means and how the transmission performs once installed. As I have said I am very pleased with my T-5 install that was done without a "kit". I am not questioning the quality of any "kit". Only looking for any first hand comments related to a Mopar A-833 Transmission install and not for the comments of the kit sales staff.

[TodFitch]

I see the rules have changed and it is now acceptable on this thread to post non T-5 related stuff.

 

So I will once again ask if any forum members have successfully installed the Mopar A-833 4 speed overdrive transmission. I am interested from an educational prospective on ease of instillation either using a "kit" or other means and how the transmission performs once installed. As I have said I am very pleased with my T-5 install that was done without a "kit". I am not questioning the quality of any "kit". Only looking for any first hand comments related to a Mopar A-833 Transmission install and not for the comments of the kit sales staff.

Probably better to start a new thread for a different transmission, even if there were some comments about non T-5 transmissions here.

[55 Fargo]

Probably better to start a new thread for a different transmission, even if there were some comments about non T-5 transmissions here.

Thank you Tod

[cavisco1]

I see the rules have changed and it is now acceptable on this thread to post non T-5 related stuff.

 

So I will once again ask if any forum members have successfully installed the Mopar A-833 4 speed overdrive transmission. I am interested from an educational prospective on ease of instillation either using a "kit" or other means and how the transmission performs once installed. As I have said I am very pleased with my T-5 install that was done without a "kit". I am not questioning the quality of any "kit". Only looking for any first hand comments related to a Mopar A-833 Transmission install and not for the comments of the kit sales staff.

Don,

 

Please try the search function. I believe Mr. Kingsbury has already provided details about the A-833 conversion. He also recently written a blog post about the conversion kits sold by George Ashe. Go ahead and buy one and give us a report on how hard it is to install and how well it performs.

 

All the best to you and your,

Scott.

[Young Ed]

Don,

 

Please try the search function. I believe Mr. Kingsbury has already provided details about the A-833 conversion. He also recently written a blog post about the conversion kits sold by George Ashe. Go ahead and buy one and give us a report on how hard it is to install and how well it performs.

 

All the best to you and your,

Scott.

Please post links to happy customers using the a-833. Thats what this thread is about.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Young Ed

[55 Fargo]

Please post links to happy customers using the a-833. Thats what this thread is about.

Posted 18 December 2015 - 06:42 AM

I haven't gotten mine to the point of driving it yet so I can't comment on that part. I will say it was very easy to adapt to the truck bellhousing with a very inexpensive kit. Very straight forward install. Drill 4 holes and install 2 spacers/bushings. Done. You do need a new pilot bushing but with a new trans of any type that is probably true so I don't really count that.

 

Well Ed, we can say you are happy so far with your T5 conversion, the truck conversion is also different than the car.  Now you are asking for links of happy A833 trans users, might lead someone to believe you have some reservation on the T5 swap.

While I have no issues with your query, do find it odd you are answering a quote that is directed to Don Coatney.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Fargos-Go-Far

[Young Ed]

 

Posted 18 December 2015 - 06:42 AM

I haven't gotten mine to the point of driving it yet so I can't comment on that part. I will say it was very easy to adapt to the truck bellhousing with a very inexpensive kit. Very straight forward install. Drill 4 holes and install 2 spacers/bushings. Done. You do need a new pilot bushing but with a new trans of any type that is probably true so I don't really count that.

 

Well Ed, we can say you are happy so far with your T5 conversion, the truck conversion is also different than the car.  Now you are asking for links of happy A833 trans users, might lead someone to believe you have some reservation on the T5 swap.

While I have no issues with your query, do find it odd you are answering a quote that is directed to Don Coatney.

 

No reservations at all. I do however have more than one vehicle. Maybe an 833 would find its way into my next project.