t5 swap?

[cadillacoffin]

so im about 60% done with my 32 ford pickup and was considering making my frame able to swap out the 39 3 speed to a t5.

i have an 8ba infront of a 39 open drive 3 speed attached to a 32 frame using a 41 merc center crossmember. the center structure will be reworked to allow the open drive line to pass through it with something similar to the picture below.

my question is for those of you who have taken out the origianl 3 speed to put in a t5 what all did you have to do to make it fit?

[deuce lover]

I removed the entire center saddle section

[BobM]

I'll be really interested to hear if anyone has done this with the body on. Is that a CE piece?

[deuce lover]

I did it with the body on and front end still in.email me your phone number and I'll call you.Easier than typing to talk.([email protected])

[Pete Fl/Wi]

Here is my 40 frame with T-5. I did have to trim some of the ribs on the trans both top and bottom. I welded temporary braces to the frame when I cut the center section out and installed the C. E. trans mount. I did not split the wishbone. I welded the wishbone ball mount to the bottom of the C. E. bottom mount and bolted the ball cup up from the bottom.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

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I did it to my 40 with the body on. I cut the top of the X off and left the bottom plate and the wish bone ball in it's place. I bolted a 1/2in plate on the bottom where the rear mount sets on. I had to cut that bottom wing on the T-5 trans off. I then had to find something to go across the top of the X that I cut out. I looked around the shop and found an old starter. I removed the feild coils sliced the starter housing in to length wiss. Then I welded some wings to the sides of the starter housing and layed the wings on the top frame and drilled 4 holes on each side and bolted the wings to the top frame. When your brought up on a farm you use what you can find behind the barn. Walt

[cadillacoffin]

thanks gentlemen!

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I also installed a T5 in my '40 with the body on but did it the "poor man's" way. With the aid of my old lift, I removed the entire center section by removing all of the rivets (grinding, drilling, making up new words as I went along), saving the top plate. I then flipped the top plate over and reused it. I also carefully removed the frame portion of the stock tranny mount and reused it in the same location but BEHIND the center section - almost acts like a drive-shaft loop. I then made a simple HD mount plate for the T5 about 5" deep, using 3 bolts per side, and also making sure my side pieces from the center to the outer frame rails were good, strong, and well attached. Rigidity restored and all done on a budget. The trans is easily removed from underneath with plenty of room to pull it back and down once the tranny mount is removed.

Of course, I blew that budget by using Speedway's 4-bar kit and getting rid of the wishbone but that's another story .....

In my 40 p-up project w/4.3V6 and 5-speed, here are some pics of what I did.... of course, it's with the body off, but it gives you an idea of where you can go with this. I have yet to make up the top and bottom plates but they will retain the frame's structural rigidity/flexibility. I will post updates this winter hopefully, once I'm back on this project .....