Hey Y'all,

I relatively quiet on here, but I enjoy reading what you all have done to your bumps as I figure out what to do with mine.

I've got a 1970 2WD F100 w/ a 302 and a 3-speed that the yahoo I bought it from had converted to a floor shift due to issues with the shift tube. I've gotten to a point where I'm starting to lose 1st gear anyways, so I looked around and ended up buying a T5 from an '89 Mustang GT for a decent price. It's not a work truck, just a daily driver for getting around. I don't ever really haul anything or load the bed, so a T5 should be fine from what I can tell. Plus, it should bolt up to the 302 no problem.

That being said, I bought this truck not really knowing much about cars/trucks to begin with besides changing a tire and the oil. Luckily, I'm pretty mechanically inclined and have the advantage of knowledgeable friends plus the internet.

Long story short, I was wondering if any of you lovely people out there in internetsville, have put a T5 into an F100 and can tell me what to look out for or have any advice. I've tried searching these forums but haven't really found anything about the actual process itself.

My biggest concerns are: Will my driveshaft still fit, or do I need to have it modified/find a donor? Is there an issue with the stock crossmember that supports the trans, and does it need to be modified/moved?

I really appreciate any advice/wisdom/help you can offer.

Thanks

 

I've also read somewhere (I think here) that the T5 shifter location is farther back and may cause issues with the bench seat. Anyone know if this is true, and if it is, would I be able to modify the stick to avoid the issue?

 

Do it!

I went with a TKO due to having an FE but it's the same in principle. The driveshaft is one of the last things you'll need to figure out so don't let that ya keep ya from doing the swap.

I moved the tranny crossmember back about one inch and used a coupling shaft from longbed FE/C6 and it fit perfectly.

Contact Modern Driveline and they can set you up with the bits n pieces yer gonna need.

 

I've never put a T-5 in a truck. However, I can tell you that a T-5 from an '89 5.0L Mustang will have a 3.35:1 first gear.

Depending on how low the rear end ratio is in your truck, 1st to 2nd shift will come pretty rapidly if the rear ratio is much lower (higher numerically) than 3.25:1.

The '93 Cobra T-5s had a 2.95:1 1st gear.

 

To the OP, just know that the T5 is only good up to 300 ft.lbs of TQ and is borderline for a truck... but a truck that is used to work and haul.

A T5 can live in a street-driven truck whose operator isn't into side stepping the clutch or doing long, smokey burnouts. Daily driver? Sure.. it's doable. Not ideal but doable nonetheless.

Shifter? It won't interfere with the bench if you get the correct shifter arm. Below is a pic with the bench all the way forward and the trans in 2nd gear... Umm, yeah.. I'm vertically challenged cuz I didn't get the "height" DNA from the parental units.

 

Thankfully, I'm not so vertically challenged, and my bench is all the way back. Sometimes I wish I could push it back just a bit more, but I'd have to move the gas tank first.

I ask about the driveshaft because I'm looking to do this on Saturday, and I kind of need to be able to drive it on Monday. No shops open on the weekend around here to shorten a driveshaft if need be. It's a longbed if that makes a difference.

Thanks for the quick replies, y'all!

 

Anyone know if I can use my existing clutch fork and pedal assembly, or do I have to switch to a cable clutch?

 

Your clutch should work, but check the splines on the input shaft on the T5 vs. your trans. You may need an adapter/spacer, as the T5 input shaft may be longer than your trans. I looked into this years ago for my van, but it never happened. I do know I was going to need the adapter though.

 

The fulcrum for the clutch fork on the T-5 is not in the same place as the older style clutch forks.

The existing pedal will work though.

The old clutch forks are a push type. The T-5 clutch fork is a pull type.

 

I suspect you'll have problems with the shifter location. Here's a pic showing the Ford T5 shifter, located all the way to the rear of the tailshaft housing VS. the S10 shifter located all the way to the front. There's also an AMC version that puts it somewhere in the middle.



When I did the 5.0/T5 conversion on my '89 Ranger I had to swap in bucket seats as the shifter was far enough back that it would have been right into the front of the seat. Granted the Ranger is a smaller truck than a bump but I'd bet the shifter would still be too far back for comfort.

 

Here are the parts and pieces needed to mate a T5 to an SBF: Modern Driveline - Classic Mustang Small Block T5 conversion parts kit 1965-1973

MDL's site allows you to create your own "kit" whether you already have a T5 in hand or not. Of course, you skip the trans crossmember since you're working on an F-truck and not a Mustang. The site also provides information on clutch actuation options.

The distance from the transmission face to the shifter centerline is 19.5 inches. Therefore, remove your transmission cover and measure from the rear of the bellhousing. Again, my pic above is with the bench all the way forward.

 

Did you get the bellhousing and clutch with the T5? That would probably be the best way to go. You'd need to set up a cable clutch. I've copied a link to a good cable conversion kit so you can convert your clutch pedal.


cable

 

Yeah, so it looks like I'm gonna be selling the T5. I can't mount its bell to my 302 because the flywheel is too big, and I can't mount the trans to my bell even with a spacer plate to make up the difference in the input shaft because the bolt holes don't line up. Not to mention the original driveshaft being too long.

The bad news is that poor Irene is still sitting on ramps with no trans or driveshaft. The good news is that I found a 1996 f150 in the yard with everything I need on it from the hydraulic clutch master cylinder to the driveshaft being the right length. (Funnily enough, I stole the seat out of it yesterday when I was there looking for a slip yoke for the T5.)

 

A pre 83 (or so) 302W requires a 28 oz. imbalanced flywheel... an aftermarket adapter plate is also required to mount a T-5. But it's evident that little research was done on your part because those facts would have been clearly evident.

Wave the white flag and move on I guess.

 

I honestly don't know a whole heck of a lot. That's part of the reason I bought this truck. I wanted to learn. I tried to do as much research as I could. Unfortunately, the internet is full of free advice that is dead wrong, and being completely new at this, it's hard to tell the good advice from the bad.

Fortunately, I got a decent deal on the T5 and I'm pretty sure I could get back what I have into it, maybe more.