OT...T 5 trans swap into '38 dodge pu...OT

[David Strieb]

Someone posted the other day that putting a T5 trans into a dodge pu was a easy swap. Anyone have info on this?? I'd like to retrofit my '38 pu.

Also, any ideas on lowering the front end. I think I'll have to get new springs made. I want to go about 2" all the way around, lowering blocks will

work in the back, but the front??? Thanks.

[james curl]

You can have MoDrop in Calif. drop your original axle, also there is a member of the H.A.M.B. who makes all of the major swap meets in Texas who drops axles. I saw a MoPar dropped axle he had at the Pate swap meet in Ft. Worth last April. Langdon at Stovebolt makes a simple kit for the Pick Up bell housing; it consists of a ring that presses over the input-bearing retainer to make it fit the opening in the bellhousing. You can have a machine shop make a puck to hold the Chevy pilot bushing like the one Coatney made. I had one made very similar to what he made. You have to remove the flywheel to install the puck the way I had mine made. If I do another will have the flywheel chucked up in the lathe and the center hole trued up and a ten-degree taper to the opening. It took a lot of rotating the puck to find a spot where it would not rock in the flywheel, the original hole was not round and the taper was less than ten degrees. Langdon furnishes a puck of some type also. Someone on the Pilothouse site has one of his kits.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I remember the post about putting the Volare front suspension on the pickup, cannot recall the T5 in the equation

[james curl]

Tim, why are some people so aginst the Volare front suspension being installed on any pick up frame but will recommend a Mustang II. I personally think the Mustang II front suspension to be a bit light in the construction department for a truck.

[Plymouthy Adams]

James, I cannot understand that myself except to say ..it is in all the hot rod magazines and this is about as close to actual hands on may owners get..actually the Mustang II is a set of upper and lower control arms and a spindle and ball joint..the rodding business build these to the width you need..it is the simple cross member set up that makes it ever so popular..

The Volare is very much a doable swap in trucks of old with the straight front frame rail..not anything as complicated as our late 30's to mid 50's Mopar cars...the torsion bar ride is very smooth

[james curl]

David, go to the pilot house forum, 6th post down, by Dan Olson T-5 will tell you everything you have asked, quite a long posting and also a good one by our own Young Ed.

[Young Ed]

Here's the kit. From what I understand it involves these 3 pieces drilling and threading 4 holes and installing a chevy clutch disk. Of course theres driveshaft changes and ebrake stuff too. Someone also mentioned their old bolt holes were in the way of some of the new ones. Possibly a difference with 3 or 4 spd original bell housings.

[David Strieb]

Thanks for all the info.

[PatS....]

How about a complete crossmember from a late model crown vic???

Steering, suspension, brakes...the whole enchilada

[james curl]

Pat, that looks real good. You don't know the outside width of the Pilot House frame do you? How close does the clip fit to the frame, how much filler would be required to fit tight to the outside frame rails? A friend and myself are looking for something simple in the 60" width to install in our 55/59 chevy pick ups. The chevy frame is 34" to the outside of the frame rails. Where did you find the information about the installation?

[PatS....]

http://www.vintagerods.ca/showthread.php?p=5315#post5315