Conversation Between oneye and havi

It might be a matter of the Buick BH and the flathead adapter trying to take up the same space. The original flathead had a two piece bell, the forward piece called the hogshead, the rearward piece held the clutch linkage. If your adapter to the Nailhead is a modified version of the hogshead portion, then yes, it should be just a matter of buying the flathead adapter, and using the S10 tranny. That would mean the only iffy part would be matching the flywheel to the S10 input shaft, spline count, and diameter... Which the link I provided shows a new flywheel for the 5sp. to '64 nailheads... may or may not be the right one. mix/matching adapters is sketchy, when kits take the guesswork out of it. But what you have now may be a good start already.

Hope I'm doing this right. Thanks for the reply. What's on it now is a BH that adapts the Nailhead to a 59T, (the stock 48 crash box), using the stock clutch linkage, etc. I thought that since the 59T is what originally bolted to the flatheads, and the T-5 bolts to the flatheads (with an adapter) ... that I could use the T-5/adapter to bolt up to the BH that's there now, maybe just adjusting for the difference in input shaft length, and clutch disk splines, which is what I thought the flathead adapters would do (by their thickness?). I see by looking at the Mustang T-5s that there are variations by year, and this might come down to trial and error, argh! Do you have any idea what a decent S-10 tailshaft would cost? I think the next step is checking out that Texas outfit that caters to setting up T-5s for vintage trucks, according to their listing. Will report. Thanks again. TWG

What bellhousing or adapter is on it now? Also, is the T5 a Ford Mustang? or Camaro? (might be same bolt pattern, but different input shaft lengths), and if it's the Camaro version, it may have a funky offset mount on the back. Either way, I would suspect you'd want the S10 shifter for closer to stock F1 placement. I assume the 59T bolt pattern is more like the early Ford butterfly, rather than the later narrow style, so your current adapter/bell may not work. But not to worry, you could check out Speedway for a kit, or Home Page or | Nailhead Buick for an adapter, and sell the one you have to somone looking to install a nailhead behind a traditional tranny in a hot rod. I recently picked up a '49 Pontiac with the flat straight 8, and have found that a 700R4 bolts up behind it with little work, so I'm starting to get more into learning the GM side of things.

I have a 48 F1, Buick nailhead 364 that's been adapted to a 59T. I want to replace the 59T with a T-5 and I'm looking at one on eBay that's a 93-95 WC,: 'These units have a 26 spline input shaft, late narrow bolt pattern for the bellhousing and electronic speed sensor for the speedometer. The mounting bolts are 7 3/4" center to center on the top and 6 3/8" center to center on the bottom. This will not bolt to an early GM bellhousing.'
You seem to be really knowledgeable about the T-5s, so wouldn't this bolt in as a replacement for the 59T already on the Nailhead. Maybe the clutch disc would have to be changed, but otherwise the stock crossmember can stay unmolested, just a length adjustment for the driveshaft. And a tweak of the shifter handle, to get close to the original position on the cab floor. Thanks a lot for any input. T.W. Graves Charlottesville VA Handle is Oneye.