The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 4spd to 5spd conv. '65 C20

Can anyone tell me the easiest and most budget conscious 4spd to 5spd conversion for '65 C20 with a 230 cid? Trying to make this a good daily driver. I was just going to change the gear in the rear but I'm having trouble finding anything for the heavy duty Eaton. Think Art Houser's got a 3.90 gear($468, WOW!)so thought that coupled with a newer 5spd would be pretty nice. Anybody gone thru similar situation?

Mugsy,
I was thinking about doing a 5 SPD (overdrive) myself (68 c-10, 250 CID, 3.90 (i think)rear). There are many posts available on how to do the conversion, just use the search engine above. I believe the tranny of choice was a T-5, from an S-10, but it does require some machine work and figuring out a good clutch plate. An article on this conversion is in the Tech Tips at the top of the page.
Possible consideration: In Vegas, there is a shop that makes overdrive units to place on SM 420, and SM 465 trannys. They are pricey, about $2,000, but they'll let you keep all the power you have with that low 1st gear. Since I do some heavy work occasionally, that's the route I've chosen. Use the Google search engine to find the shop, or I can e-mail you the link.

For the 230-250-292 series, machine work is not needed for the T5 conversion.Good swap for a six if you DON'T carry big loads or tow.Your pressure plate,80's Camaro T5 clutch disc,your clutch linkage, 83?-87 S10 V6 trans is a good one.Not for big power,but lots of 6cyl guys happy with it.Tom

Thanks for the info Pal. Yeah, $2k is a little steep for me. But you're right it would be nice to keep that granny gear. I'll check out the tech tips for the T5 stuff.

I am going the T5 route behind a 292. I have an 11" clutch on the 292 and am using a 621 bellhousing from a 78 Z28 Camaro. The transmission is a blend of two trannys. A 96 Z28 V8 T5 with a late 80's T5 from an S10.

The gearshifter on an SM420 is about 4.5 inches back from the bellhousing while the S10 T5 is about a foot back. The Camaro T5 is about 22 inches back (all guesstimates)

Here are the trannys I am about to start tearing apart to do this swap.

[img]http://www.kinemation.com/Trucks/Images/S10-and-V8-T5s.jpg[/img]

Tom M, so just find your parts, slap 'em together and go? What about driveshaft? I'd think you'd have to shorten the old one.

Hey Ken, I saw a pic in a magazine recently where the guy had modified his seat to accomdate a shifter that was back further than original. I usually like to go with original stuff but, it looked pretty cool. The seat was just rounded in to accomodate new shift position. It looked like it be more comfortable shifting too. Of course the seat was nicely upholstered.

Maybe this question has been answered elsewhere, but will the T5 bolt up to a 216/4spd bell housing? I'd like to try it in my 49, but I don't want to pull a tranny at the Pick-A-Part unless I know it will fit!

The T5 is not just a bolt in swap, but it's not that hard, even if you're not a mechanic. The 4 bolt holes need to be drilled out to 1/2 in. The original holes are a little smaller. (Metric) The input shaft and throw out bearing snout, both have to be shortened. I cut mine off with a cut off wheel. I have a 10 in flywheel and pressure plate, so my clutch shop hooked me up with a 9 1/2 in. disc for an older Astro van. He said the 1/2 in. differance would make it grab better. He was right. Then I had to have the drive shaft shortened.
If you get the T5 out of a S10, you won't have to do anything to the seat. If the T5 comes out of a car(Camaro), the shifter is farther back and will hit the seat. I think the bolt pattern for the transmissions has stayed the same all these years.

This page
http://home.twcny.rr.com/schickling/1940Chevy/T5.html
is linked from Pegs post in the Lounge about Garrett Rinehard, page #2 of
Topic: This is a [censored] (Passing of fellow stovebolter)

Tells you what he had to do to put a T5 in a '40. What bellhousing he used and who has the best prices for the parts he needed. Also includes a spread sheet he put together with the different gears and gear ratios that can be put together. The guy tells of his experiences mixing and matching T5 parts.