'55 T5 conversion
 

hello all! im new to the forums here, so please be patient with me. i know sometimes people get frustrated with the new guy. im about to tackle a t5 conversion on a 55 f100. it currently has a 289 6 bolt motor in it with im guessing a 303 tranny. this is a friends car so i dont the all of the details in and out. i have done a t5 conversion in a ranchero recently so i know a little of what is involved. my questions are as follows:

will a 4speed bellhousing from a '65 289 be sufficient? i have an adaptor plate for the t5 already from california mustangs i believe. im assuming i will have to use the clutch fork to go with that bellhousing. there is already a hydraulic setup on the truck so im not worried about adapting that to work. is there any modification needed for the floor as far as shifter clearance/location goes? i know the t5 is a little taller than the 3 speed. ive read about the s10 tailshaft being the desirable setup in the 53- setup, what about the 55? what is involved with switching the tailshaft out? is that involved? if i remember correctly, the t5 and the 3 speed input shafts are splined differently. im guessing i would need a new clutch for the t5 splining. what about the mount for the t5? is there much modification needed for the crossmember? what about driveline angle? is that a factor?

i have read about a guy named "dick" on the forums who is supposed to have a good write up on this but i have not been able to find it. any help would be greatly appreciated! hopefully i dont scare you all off with many questions. thanks again

Tim

Welcome aboard!
Bump to the top.

To eliminate any guesswork, I'd look at using the 302 Mustang GT bellhousing and T5 with the proper balance flywheel (289's balance) and clutch for proper spline engagement. Then it's a matter of adapting the S10 tailshaft onto it so that the shifter locates close to the right spot.

I've been researching this same thing for sometime and I have a few links to different writeups on what you are doing. The 2nd link contains links to tons of info. I hope these help.

Ultimate T5 Swap Article The Ultimate T-5 Swap Article

This one has just about every T5 line on the net. TRANSMISSION - T5 Tech Links - THE H.A.M.B.