Im buying a 67 shortbox with a 351w & a 4 spd transmission. It has 411 gears and I was thinking about installing a 5spd. Ideas? Opinions?

 

Sure. Plenty.

What's your budget and what is the truck used for?

 

I'm with you on it. My 302 has a tremec 4spd and 3rd is just too much range. I say go for it and make sure.you post plenty of.pics. I think the late 80s f150s had 5 speeds, but I am not sure. I don't think I would use a car tranny, but that is just a thought.

 

I think you have a T170 (SROD/RUG/RTS).. it's got a big ol' hole between gears. Like a chasm.... a crevasse... a canyon..... like the Marianas Trench.

To the OP, the low buck option is a 2WD M5R2 from 1988 to 1995 found in F150s. Same bolt pattern as an SBF I believe. On the high end.... step up to a Tremec TKO (Call or visit Modern Driveline).

IMO, a T-5z is a mismatch with a heavy truck unless the rig is purely for cruising. Even then there is always the itch to get loose with it.

 

It is just a street truck. But it would be nice to cruise on the interstate without running in the higher RPM range. Budget heck I dono does anyone ever stay in budget?

 

Doesnt a 5.0 fox body weigh about 3500? This truck should weigh 38 or so?

 

These trucks weigh around 4200 pounds and up... aT5z is still only rated at 300 ft.lbs. of torque.

I stayed on budget according to the build plan... (after all things considered)......

 

A 351W is a SBF. You can also find the M5's behind 300's as they use the SBF pattern. One problem with the M5 is the rubber plugs on the top of the case that dry rot and leak out the ATF while running. That happened to a friend of mine's 93 which munched it with no ATF. Before installing replace the rubber plugs with metal ones. Another option is the ZF-5 found in up to 98 F-250/350's.

 

If recall is on, right after I built my 66 long bed I took it to the feed mill truck scale and it was around 3800lbs.


John

 

My truck with the 351C, AOD, 31x10.50 tires, toolbox full of stuff, gassed up with me in it, weighs 4200 on the scale.

So a stripped down F-100 could easily weigh 3800. I think that's what the curb weight is listed at anyway if I remember right.

 

When living in Nevada it was time to get Nv vehicle Lic. they go by weight so removed the camper went to the DMV weight station an my truck 4wd f250 now having a 390 from an 300 I-6 and 32x11.5 x8 tires with white steel spoke wheels. 5,300lbs. but my pink said 3,800lbs The guy ask if I wanted to pay more by placing 5,300 on my new NV pink or
go by what's was listed on my old Ca. pink went back over to DMV paid $38.00bucks.

Orich

 

1990-1993 5.0L Mustang LX/GT World Class T-5s (3.35 1st gear) were rated for 300 ft/lbs of torque. The '93 Cobra WC T-5 (2.95 1st gear) was rated at 310 ft/lbs.


In 1993 Ford started offering a new service unit to the Ford Motorsport crowd. The nick name T-5z comes from Ford’s engineering number, 7003Z. It has all the upgrades, having a 2.95 first and a Cobra pocket bearing. The T-5z is a 1993 Cobra T-5 with 2.95 first gear set and .63 over drive. It has the best of everything. Hardened gears, short throw factory shifter, steel front bearing retainer, and tapered output shaft bearing and a seven tooth drive speedometer gear. It has a torque rating of 330ft/lbs. based on 100,000 mile usage. The stock T-5Z can handle up to 450hp with a soft locking clutch and if it's not shock loaded, like in drag racing.

An '03/'04 Cobra T-56 6-speed (designed for a 4.6L engine) is rated for 450 ft/lbs.

I realize the subject is about a 5-spd manual overdrive transmission but, just as a comparison, the Ford 4R70W 4-spd automatic overdrive outshines all of these transmissions, in the torque rating department --even more than the Cobra T-56 6-spd.

There is some decrepancy about what the torque rating of the 4R70W really is. Some say the "70" in 4R70W is the torque rating multiplied by a factor of ten or, 700 ft/lbs. Some say since the 4R70W is a metric-based transmission, the "70" relates to Newton-meters multiplied by a factor of ten. If so, that would equate to a torque rating figure of 516 ft/lbs. (still very impressive).

Even if the lower figure is the true rating, box-stock, the 4R70W is MUCH stronger than any of the factory manual 5 or 6 speed transmissions listed above. Performance improvements would only make the torque rating of a 4R70W even higher.

4R70Ws were also being put in Ford Expeditions that had a curb weight of 4,891 to 5,468 lbs.

The TKO transmissions are very good transmissions. However, they are aftermarket productions and they do carry a pretty hefty price tag. A TKO 600 is rated for 600 ft/lbs. (84 ft/lbs more torque than a 4R70W --IF the 4R70W's true rating is 516 ft/lbs). The TKO 500 is rated for 500 ft/lbs. (TKO 500 rating is 16 ft/lbs less than a stock 4R70W).

These are just some things to consider, if a person is going to run a more modern factory overdrive transmission in their older (heavier) truck.

 

Actually these trucks are lighter than the newer counterparts. The M5R2 was the HD trans for the Thunderbird Supercoupe, being a bit more robust than a T5 at the time. The ZF S542 is the ultimate bolt on HD trans, it was put behind the 300-351w on F250 and F350 trucks, and with a different bell behind the 460 and 7.3.
You'll have to find out which flywheel the truck has. There were two flywheels used on small blocks, a 157 and a 164, with the trucks getting the 164. The main difference is in the starter location, which was a little further from center line on 164tooth versions, and that can cause some real headaches.

 

Thanks for all the info. Not that going thru the gears wouldnt be fun I really need the truck to be more drivable. I'll be picking it up within the next week and be going from there.

 

UR, wouldn't a late model E4OD be stronger than a 4R70W? A C-6 derived trans versus a C-4 derived trans? A 4R100 vs a 4R70W?