ive read up on the 302-t/5 swap issue regarding the shifter location. from what i understand the shifter is placed too far back. i know i could use the s-10 tailhousing to bring it forward closer to the stock location, but is using the mustang tailhousing still feasible? or will it be too akward?

 

Depends on what seats you plan on using. The shifter will end up under the front edge of a bench seat, requiring a recess in the center, or a strange looking shift lever. No real problem with buckets (unless you are much shorter than average and move your seat significantly forward) especially if you add a short throw shifter kit to it. What's wrong with using the short tailshaft tho?

 

Here's a visual that shows how much different they are. It's a big difference.

Mustang T-5 is on right, S-10 in middle, stock 3-sp on left

 

AXracer is absolutly correct about the location, with my 60 it will be just under the front of my bench seat I plan on using a short throw shifter and a custom shifter lever. I will make the lever in a forward position like the 60's Cobra just a lot longer. I was planning on using the S10 tail housing and even bought one. Then I figured I would rather use the Mustang tail housing due to simplicty of shifters and speedometers. Plus if I ever switch to a T56 it will make it a eaiser install

 

Misfit, take a look at my gallery, the interior pics. I built a remote linkage to move the lever forward without the s-10 tailhousing. The design is not new or original, it's just my adaptation of a linkage I've used and seen in the past.

 

Well done! Does it fit under the trans cover, or is it above the tunnel?

 

Ross, it's slightly above the floor, I'll have to make a cover to attach to the tranny cover. The stub of the old shifter is about 2" above the floor, just under the front of the stock bench seat. Notice the distance between the pivots on the shifter stick (the long one) is longer than the distance on the stub. I used that difference in leverage ratio to make the shifter throw shorter. It only moves about 6" from 1st to second, about the same as the average car. Unfortunatly, that raises the linkage allitle higher above the floor. I haven't decided whether I'll make as small a cover as possible to keep the floor flatter, or just make a console over it. Btw, all the rod ends are just standard hot rod shop ends, the linkage is hardware store steel, and the shifter stick is steel tubing, gently bent in a vice. Only time will tell if it gets sloppy with age, but I've driven race cars that were still tight after thousands of shifts.

 

I was surprised you used the rod ends; it seemed at first that they would allow rotation between the two pieces, but after thinking about it I see they don't. It's pretty slick, if I ultimately go T-5 I will probably do the same. Are you going into production?!

I think I'd go for the smaller cover (not the console), but it depends on what the overall truck "look" is. To be a useful console it would have to be pretty tall. It would be nice to have some cupholders!

 

Ross, the linkages that I've copied all used clevis's for the horizontal cross rod, which only rotate fore and aft, and transfer side to side to the stub. But a clevis seemed to be a high wear item to me, so I went with my design so I could used a sperical bearing rod end. As you noticed, the two parallel rods, connected so they move together, provide the same function as a clevis, but with bearings. Perhaps there's a simpler way. Any ideas?
Here's another thought. The stock shifter has a ball on the bottom that fits into a cup which is roll pinned to the internal shift rail assy. After the tail housing is removed, the internal rail can be removed and the cup removed from the rail. At the rear of the tail housing, there's a plug that can be removed that would allow access to the rear of the internal rail. You could fab linkage to attach directly to the internal rail, through the rear of the trans, eliminating the stock shifter stub entirely. This would allow you to run the cross rod closer to the tranny, maybe even fitting under the stock tranny cover.

 

I think your approach is better than getting into the shift rail directly; the whole idea is to not have to get inside the Mustang T-5's to use them on a Bonus Built. Your fix is all external. I don't think the 2 - 3" hump is a big deal, you can't carry a passenger in the center with floor shift anyway.

I think I'd figure a way to eliminate the tubes and all that welding to brace them; maybe a solid block of aluminum? I have access to 1"-thick alum. scrap plates. Screw rod ends into tapped holes in it?

 

albuq, great visual......can i save that picture to "my website", i'd like to put it here........ http://www.geocities.com/yj3qtr_ton/info.html


rhopper, that some serious linkage...........really gave me an idea on one of my transfercase shift levers i'm having a hard time figuring out......

 

I think the clevis ends are overkill unless length adjustment was in someway useful. I would use two 1/4" steel plates with a 1/8" web between like a small I beam. Holes could even be cut in the web to lighten, then use press in flanged nylon bushings at the pivot. Nylon bushings would be plenty of bearing to make for smooth operation, and wear would not be an issue. Hanging pedal assemblies use nylon bushings for the pedal pivot, and they don't wear out even though the pressure is much higher and the clutch is pressed every time the shifter is moved.

 

Hopper, is this on the road yet? One thing I wonder about is shifter shake. With no firiction, will it rattle? May need to add weight to the shifter handle to lower the natural frequency. Adjustment capability would be good to get the handle where you want it.

F-3, it's not my picture, I don't think the owner will mind but let me confirm and email you.

 

Ross,if I had that type of aluminum I'd use it. I thought about flat plate and welding nuts to it, but used the square tubing because I had plenty. Make sure the cross rod is stiff enough. Fore and aft stick movement has very little resistance, but the side to side has a surprising amount. Since you're cutting the original shifter off just a few inches above the tranny, you've lost about a foot of leverage, and the effort to move the stub side to side is greatly increased. When I mocked up the linkage and just had the cross rod tacked, it was very wobbly side to side, as the cross rods were flexing. Fully welded is fine though. You could lessen the sideways resistance if you disassembled the shifter and removed one or more of the spring washers that provide centering. I tried that, and it works, but it made the shifting too vague imo.
Ax, I looked at various bushings, including nylon, and decided on the rod ends. Any bushing I tried allowed too much side to side play, making the shifting sloppy. It was similar to using a clevis. The rod ends were not my first choice, but they had the close tolerance needed to keep the shifting accurate. They did make the linkage more complicated since you have to use two on each end to make them think they're clevis's.

 

Ross, it's not on the road yet, and you've got a good point. I'm not entirely happy with the bend of the stick, so I was thinking of cutting the stick off near the floor, turning some round bar to slip fit inside, and plug welding in a new stick after finding a bend I like. The additional weight of the round bar should keep vibration down.