t5 conversion question

[427hunter]

Hi all, debating on a t5 conversion so I am looking for some who has done it.

I would be going from a t10 to a t5z and I want to use the adaptor plate so I can run the original bellhousing and linkage.

Questions:

Do I need to shorten the drive shaft ? If so by how much ? or is there an aftermarket bolt in?

Does the trans tunnel or shifter opining need to be modified?

What conversion kit did you use?

Thanks!

[jamesfee]

I put a WC T5Z in 1801 back in 2006. I worked with Bruce at Modern Driveline. There were a couple of back & forths but he worked through them with me quite satisfactorily. To begin with, I have a COBRA scattershield and the first adapter plate did not line up (bolt pattern). Bruce got me a different one and it was spot on. I used his cross member and shifter assembly and did not need any modifications to the tunnel or bodywork. The driveshaft did need to be shortened, but rather than modify my original, I worked with a local shop and we just built and balanced a new one. It is not a very expensive project and I have the original setup intact, if I go back to the T-10. As a sidenote on the driveshaft - when I changed my gears from 3.89 to 3.50, 2 years ago, I put in a complete 3rd member and needed to alter the driveshaft again (there's another learning experience on pinion & universal sizing). Once again it was cheaper and easier to have a new driveshaft built and balanced than to modify.

Of all the changes I have made, the T5Z is no doubt the most useful. Last spring we drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Tail of the Dragon. It was 1800 miles and seven states in 10 days, and after the run, just being able to cruise home on the interstate was worth the price of admission.

[TA Coupe]

Bruce is a great guy to work with. I have known him for about 35 years and he installed the 5 speed in my 5 speed 92 Ranger.  He use to also work with the Shelby people to do conversions on the cobras.

https://www.moderndriveline.com/

      Roy

[427hunter]

I put a WC T5Z in 1801 back in 2006. I worked with Bruce at Modern Driveline. There were a couple of back & forths but he worked through them with me quite satisfactorily. To begin with, I have a COBRA scattershield and the first adapter plate did not line up (bolt pattern). Bruce got me a different one and it was spot on. I used his cross member and shifter assembly and did not need any modifications to the tunnel or bodywork. The driveshaft did need to be shortened, but rather than modify my original, I worked with a local shop and we just built and balanced a new one. It is not a very expensive project and I have the original setup intact, if I go back to the T-10. As a sidenote on the driveshaft - when I changed my gears from 3.89 to 3.50, 2 years ago, I put in a complete 3rd member and needed to alter the driveshaft again (there's another learning experience on pinion & universal sizing). Once again it was cheaper and easier to have a new driveshaft built and balanced than to modify.

Of all the changes I have made, the T5Z is no doubt the most useful. Last spring we drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Tail of the Dragon. It was 1800 miles and seven states in 10 days, and after the run, just being able to cruise home on the interstate was worth the price of admission.

Thanks, but I am looking for someone that did the t5 conversion from oem parts using the bellhousing adaptor and an over the counter kit.

Back to the top regarding t5 conversion

I would be going from a t10 to a t5z and I want to use the adaptor plate so I can run the original bellhousing and linkage.

Questions:

Do I need to shorten the drive shaft ? If so by how much ? or is there an aftermarket bolt in?

Does the trans tunnel or shifter opining need to be modified?

What conversion kit did you use?

Thanks!

[TA Coupe]

Give Bruce a call as he can answer all of those questions.

      Roy

[Jbarela]

I did the conversion in my 65, not tunnel mods, cut my hurst shifter and drilled two holes in it and mounted directly to t5s shifter, had to use the kits tranny mount. I dont believe I modified my driveline at all, but I suppose if you needed to the math is simple thickness of adapter plate and difference in length between the two trannys and shorten driveline by those numbers but I am not very technical. I dont remember the kit I bought, butnit was a 90 or 91 WC t5.

[Jbarela]

I might have not even had an adapter plate now that I think about it, the later bell housing bolted up to the engine. But my memory is bad. Sorry

[Jbarela]

Here is the kit, it was simple not sure if the exact kit, but it was just these pieces and I used a t5 bellhousing
https://www.drakeautomotivegroup.com/65-6-t-5-conversion-w-t5-bell-t5-65-kit. Again dont remember shortening my driveshaft but I did the work myself so might have skipped that step.

[NC TRACKRAT]

I did a "do-over" to the original T5 swap that previous owner Roger Werner had JBA perform.  It was obviously one of the first of its kind.  There was no cross-over "H" pipe and I wasn't pleased with the routing of the exhaust.  I used a Modern Driveline adapter plate and had a machine shop do the small modification to the bellhousing.  No modification to the shifter opening was required.  It's a great mod!

[shelbydoug]

Those are some really sexy twists and turns on the exhausts.

Did you machine the bell to eliminate the spacer plate?

[NC TRACKRAT]

The sexy curves were compliments of Virginia Mustang's H-pipe and exhaust system.  It's been a few years since I did the re-conversion but the minor machining to the original style bell housing doesn't eliminate the adapter plate.  As I recall, the entire operation was covered in a "How to Do" article in Mustang Monthly many years ago.
Here's a California Pony Cars YouTube video on modification of the bell housing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VBWR-dC1aQ

[427hunter]

All things must come to an end - So as the sands of time fall though the hourglass, so shall this thread fall apart. 

[2112]

All things must come to an end - So as the sands of time fall though the hourglass, so shall this thread fall apart.

I see a couple of guys trying to help out. 

[pmustang]

2170 66 Shelby was converted. T10 to T5

No cutting. Even without the slic shift shift arm relocate arm that modern driveline sells

Driveshaft needed shortening.

But. I always had a driveline vibration from day one. "Buyer of my car was notified of this)

It was determined by a chassis shop that the driveline angle needed adjusting. I ordered Ron Morris adj engine mounts but never fit them as the car sold (mounts sent with the car)

An excellent conversion. I have owned many cars with them. I had the "factory look T5 arm from modern driveline

They now sell a much more capable trans then the T5. Much higher load rating

[GT350DAVE]

I've done 2 conversions in a 67 using components from Modern Drive Line. I went with the beefier Tremec in both cases. I had vibration in both cars. One was a pressure plate I purchased from Modern. Both had tail shaft to rear end angle problems. The first was solved by shimming the rear end housing. The second one I am still playing with but has improved by shimming the rear. There were no modifications to the tunnel and in both cases had to fabricate a new drive shaft. Bruce, at Modern is very knowledgeable.
Dave