T-5 Basic Question.

[Grandadeo]

Looking into what to use for a transmission behind the '49 flathead in my son Tim's '30 roadster on '32 rails project that we just started on.  I've been through the T-5 tech articles on HAMB - finally broke down and registered - but I have not found the answer to my fundamental question.  If it's there I missed it.  Here goes - Did they use the same T-5 transmission for both the 4 cylinder and V6 applications or are they different?  Maybe the V6 was stronger, different gear ratios?  Only want to buy one so want look for the right trans from the get-go.  Thanks guys.

Lee

[Bib_Overalls]

The basic transmission is the same.  Gear ratios vary.  You want one from an S-10 because of the shifter location.  

The 49 flat head will require a truck bell housing and a transmission adapter.  Speedway sells their own brand of adapter and one made by Offy.

Be careful.  The Later S-10 transmissions have a Ford bell housing pattern.  The Ford pattern S-10 transmissions are "World Class" and the Chevy pattern are "Non-World Class."  The World Class are a little stronger but there are adaption issues.  A NWC transmission is more than adequate for a peppy flat head.

I have an Offy adapter that I will sell for what I paid for it along with the truck bell.  But it does not have the front cover and starter mount.  I was going to run a flat head in my next project.  But two Chevy 283s fell into my hands for almost nothing.  So my direction is changing.

[Uncle Bob]

The 4 and 6 cylinder models are esentially the same for strength, the input shafts are splined differently though depending on which car they come from.  As Steve said you'll want the S10 unit, or at least the tail housing and top cover, so that the shifter is further forward, right around 9 1/2 inches.  Also the mounting pad on the bottom of the tail housing is flat on the S10 whereas most of the 6 cylinder ones are canted at something like 15*.  Not real handy for the way most trans mounts are made.

Oh, one more thing that I hadn't seen when I did similar research as you're doing (for my /29 on deuce rails) is that the trans mounting pad is near 2 inches further back than the typical chevy mounting location.