Woo hoo! First trip out of town in a year and a half. 5th gear is nice. Lumber along on the back roads at 1300 RPM.

 

i have been drooling at the tko 500 every night seems like since i bought my truck. what was the major hurdles you encountered with the swap? how much did it set you back with the shorter input shaft also?

 

My truck was an automatic truck so really my biggest hurdles were gathering and installing the manual parts themselves, along with a bent clutch disc and then a second install where the pressure plate wouldn't seat properly.

The transmission itself was easy.
Remove floor pan cover
Remove driveshaft/xmember
Remove T19

Install TKO and shifter
Install X member

The short shaft was identical in length and size to the T19, I compared them side by side. As a result I retained the L&L clutch swap/flywheel setup.

It also bolted to my bellhousing that I took from a 79 F350.

Adapt reverse light wiring (different plug)
TKO takes the same ford speedo cable.. Did have to change the gear though.
Used the T19 trans mount. It bolted right up

TO bearing is the same, as well.

If you never move your seat forward at all, or have buckets, you might be able to get away with the 2nd to last shifter position (there are 4 I think). I do move it, and don't have buckets, so I needed the mid mount shifter setup (another few hundred $).

For a stick I used a Hurst stick for an 88-98 Chevy C/K with an NV3500 trans. If I were doing it again I MIGHT use an S10 stick (Hurst has like 40 sticks available in all different sizes and shapes).. The Chevy stick will touch the seat in second and forth if the seat is all the way forward.. Which, unless you're a Hobbit, it should never be.

Then I cut the floor cover for the shifter.

I used a generic Hurst-looking boot that I stuck an H on to make it look like a 70's Super Boot.

I still need a carpet, but that's no big deal.

I got the trans from Mike Fortes at Fortes Parts Connection in Framingham MA.

Forte's Parts Connection - TREMEC, FACTORY FIVE COBRA PARTS, FORD RACING PARTS, FFR, MUSTANG, TRANSMISSIONS, T-56, T-5, TKO, TR-3550

Very big Ford guy, lots of Cobra clone guys love him. He makes many of the parts that other vendors sell relating to TKOs. He's about an hour from me so I dealt with him.

Good guy to deal with and I intend to purchase from him in the future. The trans / shifter / input shaft installed / gear lube was a little under $3K with MA sales tax.

 

Quick update.

70 MPH = ~ 2000 RPM in 5th

It's a totally different truck. with a lot more wind noise.

Anyone need a T19?

 

Click for a video! Just a daily drive ride to work.