Jamie and Rick,
Any updates to share? I am looking forward to swapping in a 5 or 6 speed in
place of the T10 in #760 so your labors are of great interest. I am
particularly interested in Rick's T56 adventure. The T5 swap has definitely
been done before but the only 6 speed installation I'm aware of is a
Richmond unit. I've been told that one is relatively easy to do, but the
tranny is very expensive and there have been some complaints about hard
shifting. Both of these would make great articles for the Brickline.
Thanks to all and good luck!
----- Original Message -----
From: <Bricklin0023@aol.com>
To: <bricklin@autox.team.net>
Cc: <htc@mnsi.com>; <fierodoug@comcast.net>; <seanjohnson@attbi.com>;
<bricklin0023@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2003 10:41 AM
Subject: Re: manual conversion...long overdue.
> Rick, Sean, Doug, John Blair and all,
> I am sorry that I did not have the time to write sooner. I also owe
John an article on my conversion....and maybe this will serve as a good
starting point.
> I am also glad to hear that Rick has succeeded in his quest to mount
the Mustang pedal setup. Rick I was curious about this setup when I
started...but I figured that it might be difficult to mount the bellhousing
side since I would be using an AMC bellhousing. I just never got around to
trying it, although it was in the back of my head.
>
> Here is what I have done. Note: I did this to a 74...so we are talking
AMC here...where applicable. I also chose a hydraulic setup rather than the
cable setup from the 5.0 or the linkage setup from the old AMC's. A few
advantages are that the clutch pedal pressure required is about the same as
my 4 cylinder Altima, the linkage setup is impossible to find (and I guess
it could have tricky mounting/allignment problems), and I knew that it could
be mated to the AMC.
> On the side....The T-5 IS overdrive. 5th is NOT 1:1, it is 0.67:1 I
think....I could be wrong there. It is straight from a 5.0 mustang setup.
Choose any from 87-93, but only from the 5.0 (eg. not the Turbocoupe,
Supercoupe, SVO, and definitely not the 4 banger)
> Also, I do have to credit John Elle for a great writeup of the AMC T-5
conversion. I used this like a bible.
> I mounted my clutch pedals with no welding and only minor adjustement
to the car itself.
> First, I found another AMC brake pedal. removed some of the drivers
side and found a smaller pad so that it resembled a normal brake pedal in a
manual trans car.
> Secondly, I removed the fuse panel, and here is my only real mod to the
car...moved the fuse panel as far towards the outside of the car. This
bought me about 2-3 extra inches of space on the firewall.
> For a brake pedal, I found a hydraulic setup out of a newer import that
had a self contained clutch pedal/mount setup. I think that almost all
imports that have hydraulic clutches have this. Mine was from a 90's Nissan
240.
> I had to make a mount for this pedal on the firewall and a mount that I
attached to the steering column. I used metal plates on both sides of the
firewall for stregnth...since it is fiberglass. I also used a torch to heat
this pedal and bend it towards the brake/gas pedals...since it would not
have correct allignment.
> Then I took some advice from a local Jeep guy (these guys are used to
the AMC 360's and my guy seemed to know his stuff). I bought an AMC clucth
master cylinder, and a clutch slave cylinder (I think that these were either
used on some late AMC's or Jeeps). I mounted the clutch master cylinder to
my pedal. Then this "Jeep" guy provided me with 1/2 inch steel bracket to
mount the slave cylinder to the bellhousing. The only other thing that I
needed was an adjustable length pushrod for the slave cylinder to the clutch
arm....he had that also. (this could be made)
>
> Obviously this is only the clutch pedal setup and mounting. I had to
make some other modications: removal of some more fiberglass in the tunnel
for the tranny, shortened driveshaft from a 80's ford (Grenada was my
choice).
>
> As for the parts not mentioned yet. The bellhousing came from a early
80's T-4 equiped AMC (spirit and the likes). It mounts any AMC to the
borg-warner trannys. The pilot bearing is AMC and I think readily
avaible...or can be drilled out to fit the T-5. It mounts any AMC to the
borg-warner trannys. The clutch and pressure plate are AMC/Jeep. The
flywheel is specific to AMC and the size of the motor because the motor is
externally balanced using the flywheel. The flywheel seemed to be one of
the hardest parts (not counting the linkage setup) to get without paying
waaaay too much. I have been lucky because I also found one for my 401 that
has since been installed..but the car has not yet been dropped to the
ground...soon though.
> Also...about the stregnth. The T-5 was no problem behind the stock
AMC. I do have a 93 Z-spec T-5 which is rated at 330lb-ft....which is a
little nicer than the other T-5's. Now, I have who knows how much HP from a
nicely rebuilt 401 and I dont know how much longer it will last. So...to
counter this...I bought a tremec 3550 (that needs to be rebuilt) and a
bellhousing from a AMC with T-10...which I have been told will fit.
> When I get some extra time I will dry test the mounting of the T-10
bellhousing and AMC 360 and tremec 3550 while sitting outside of the car and
let everyone know how it goes....and if I am idiot and blow the T-5 before
then, I will be testing it in the car.
> I live in NYC, but my car is in Northern MD near I-95. I see that some
of you guys are from NJ and the like, so you are more than welcome to stop
by and take a look at what I have. Also on the property are my fathers 75
brick (that is still waiting on the AOD conversion) and 74 4-spd....so we
have a nice assortment of cars to compare against.
>
> Phew....
>
> Jamison
>
> ps - I promise to check email more frequently.
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