Installing a five-speed transmission into a classic muscle car could not be any easier these days. Not only is it easy but there are numerous choices to be had.
Transmission Choices
Transmission ChoicesMany of the five-speed transmissions found in late model Fords (the late model being those produced in the past 35 years) can be used in a swap with little modification. There are several good five-speed transmissions to choose from. The Borg-Warner/TREMEC T5, TREMEC 3550, and TKO, and the TKO 500/600. T-45 transmissions found in 1996-99 4.6L Mustangs are limited to just that 4.6L as the bolt pattern is completely different than that of Windsor blocks. 4.6L motors are not limited to the T-45 as there is a bell to install a TREMEC behind a 4.6L mod motor. More on that later. All of the transmissions offer a 5th gear over-drive to reduce engine rpm and for improved mileage while weighing less than their automatic or four-speed counterparts.
Conversion Choices
There are 3 ways to approach a five-speed swap:
- Use an early 3 or 4-speed bell housing with an adapter plate allows an easy T5 swap,
- Use a late TREMEC T5 or TKO bell housing, which allows each transmission to be bolted directly to the bellhousing without the use of adapters or spacers,
- Use an aftermarket scatter shield, which adds additional safety and sometimes the only bellhousing available for an application.
Which conversion choice you choose depends on what parts you are starting with and how you set up the clutch linkage.
More info…
- Swap from automatic to T5 with a small block
- Conversion of manual transmission-equipped cars
- Swap from automatic to TREMEC TKO with small block
- Conversion from automatic to TREMEC TKO with a big block
- Classic Mustang Transmission T5 Swap
