Trying to get all my stuff together so I can do this job without a bunch of waiting on parts. For those who have done a T5 in an AD truck….what is the floor clearance like between the shifter “tower” and the floor cover? Furthermore, what did you do for an opening and cover?
My truck is a floor shift SM420 so the cover has a little hump. I was thinking it might fit under the “flat floor” cover that the 3 speed trucks have….just have to source one of those covers and locate the shifter opening in the right spot.
Do you have a T-5 from an S10? If so, the shifter will come up through about 6" or so to the rear of where the SM420 comes up. I recommend that you just install the transmission and find a 3 on the tree transmission cover and lay it on the floor and mark the cover for a hole for the shift lever. What are you going to use for a boot? Are you going to use the S10 shifter arm or weld a SM420 lever to the T-5? I cut the S10 lever off to a stub so that I could weld a SM420 lever to it, then bolt that assembly to the T-5. I used the S-10 boot.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
Yes, it’s an S10. I was probably going to find a short throw shifter of some kind, and affix the SM420 lever that shifter stub. Might take some of the bend out of the SM420 so it’s not in my lap with the few inches its moving back.
Boot? I haven’t thought that far just yet. My whole intent is to make this look as stock as possible .
Yes, it’s an S10. I was probably going to find a short throw shifter of some kind, and affix the SM420 lever that shifter stub. Might take some of the bend out of the SM420 so it’s not in my lap with the few inches its moving back.
Boot? I haven’t thought that far just yet. My whole intent is to make this look as stock as possible .
I went without the short throw mod with the SM420 shifter arm and it works fine. No interference with the dash or the seat. If I did bend the shifter to make it work, it wasn't by much.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
As for the original question...floor clearance...there was about 1/8 to 1/4 inch clearance and I just cut a rectangle cut to match the transmission's profile. Seems it was maybe 2" x 3". Not a lot of extra room but no problems.
I bought a 1.25" tall aluminum spacer piece, drilled a new pivot hole and located the ball 1.25" higher and adapted a look-alike shift rod (look-alike meaning it looks like the old 4 speed shifter). So I have a nice short throw scheme that looks just like original. I did have to make some cardstock shims for the spacer piece. It needed a wee bit of adjustment to shift as smoothly as I wanted. T5 was out of an Astro Van. The boot is one I got many years ago from Patrick Dykes along with a stainless mounting piece that fits around the boot. Close to a copy of the original but more rectangular. On one side of it was engraved "Patrick's". I turned it over and used the blank side.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
Repost : I used a reproduction three speed cover and cut a hole for the stock shifter. Pictured with sound deadener on top black paint on bottom. No clearance problems with the S10 T5. The shifter required heating and slight repositioning for comfort and clearance.
Ron - - Dusty53 1954 Chevy 3604 In the Gallery Forum "You can't dance with the Devil and then wonder why you're still in Hell." "They will forget what you've said, and they will forget what you have done but they will never forget the way you made them feel."
Repost : I used a reproduction three speed cover and cut a hole for the stock shifter. Pictured with sound deadener on top black paint on bottom. No clearance problems with the S10 T5. The shifter required heating and slight repositioning for comfort and clearance.
Excellent pics!
Roughly how far below the trans cover (inches) is the “tower” of the stock T5? (Just the raised round part, not the shift lever or any stub of a shift lever)
I ought to mention this...when you shorten the throw of the shift rod, you have to raise the pivot point with a spacer. There are two spacers out there. One is 1 inch and the other is 1.25 inch high. Higher means shorter, naturally but those spacers are what move the top of the shift point up and closer to your floor plate. Nothing to worry about but you might want to take a measurement. That's why I ended up cutting a rectangular piece out...a round cut never would have worked for me. If you don't raise the pivot point and you use a shifter that mimics the old 4 speed one, the throw could make it difficult to have 3 people riding in the cab. The shifter I used sits 26 inches from the top of the transmission shifter dome (bends at the lower part just like the 4 speed did) and the travel from first to second or third to fourth is 9 inches. That is as short as I was able to make it with the knob at that particular height. As I recall I could have picked up another inch or so by shortening the rod down to around 24 inches, but the trade-off wasn't what I considered good.
Also...important...if you modify the shifter of the T5 to accept a shifter like I used, you have to cut it at an angle or your shifter will sit all weird. You'll figure that out when you get to that point. Just be careful. I had to make some angled spacers because the angle I used wasn't quite what it should have been.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
That’s kinda why I was asking. I plan on modifying one of the cheap, and widely available, FJord pattern short throw shifters. Was trying to get a feel of the taller (short throw) shifter would still sit below floor level.
On top of the transmission casting sits a rectangular shaped affair which ends in more or less a round dome-like thing which is where your shift work happens. You can see on the image below. The spacer you get will go between the casting and that shift gizmo and the higher it sits the shorter your throw will be. I could improve mine by removing the shifter and bending it at the first bend (it would move it in closer to the dashboard and further away from the seat), however the piece is chrome plated and I don't want to ruin that. The shift rod of the T5 is pretty substantial...like between 5/8" and 3/4" in diameter where you'll be cutting it.
If you look at the shelf that's created by the shifter piece (attached to the casting), that will be just a hair above your floor plate at the front and maybe 1/8" below it at the rear...because your engine and transmission enjoy a notable angle. There is another image attached. That's what it will look like. Good luck.
Last edited by Jon G; 05/06/20246:47 PM.
~ Jon 1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end
A month ago I spent a few hours helping Papa Joe get his T5 sorted out. Here’s the story. Others have already answered 99% of the questions. The shift boot pictured is from an S10. VIDEO LINK
