I've been thinking of swapping out the automatic in my truck for a manual, and I thought it would be cool to swap in a later model 5 speed manual from a 90's ford. How hard would this be to do? What other options would I have and what was the manual that was offered in fords in 1979? Thanks in advance.

 

All I know of are , 4/sp with granny gear and 4/sp with overdrive. There may be others. I'm going the other way and replacing the 4/sp granny gear with a automatic.

 

Any swap that has you putting in parts that weren't an original option will likely require some fabrication, but it should be doable. Any modern transmission that will bolt up to a 1990's 300 six, for example, should bolt up to an old one.

The problems I see are as follows:

Clutch - If the new trans has an "integral" bellhousing that is set up for a hydraulic clutch, you might have to retrofit your truck with one.

Tranny Mount - Different length transmissions require different crossmembers in different locations. You may have to drill some holes in your frame to allow the proper crossmember for your trans to bolt up.

Driveshaft - Different length transmissions require different driveshafts. Custom driveshafts can be made to fit nearly any application.