T5 in AMC Hornet Chevy mongrel

[Hornet350]

Hi all, This is my first post, and hopefully someone will be able to hook me up with the info I need to install the T5 in my AMC Hornet with a chev 350 in place. I did read all the T5 tech links I could find, but there is so much I got a bit confused. From what I am gathering, I'm going to need a one piece seal 350 flywheel [to suit my one piece seal motor..], a 4.3 V6 bell housing, (now the confusing part..)... an early S10 trans - with mechanical speedo... OR a Camaro v-8 trans. A few questions... which friction disk would I need to use?... 4.3 V-6 or a Camaro (305) style disk? Also, what shifter fork will I need to grab from the junkyard? Not much was mentioned on this item... Someone told me I can use either cable or hydraulic fork, and just hook up my traditional old-school push rod to it to make it complete. Which throw out bearing would I need to use and how about input shaft lengths... will this be a problem too? I'm aware I'll have to swap over a tail housing and top cover to get the shifter back where I need it for my application. Sorry for all the questions, but I'd like to get the most complete list to make only one or two trips to the junkyard. I'm aware the V-6 trans is weaker, but I'm not into 5000 RPM shifts or snagging second and third all the time! I don't have a ton of cash, so the cheapest way will have to do until I can get the cash up for a better trans. Any suggestions would be great! Cheers! BTW.. this car should be familiar to our Aussie friends, as this car was known down under as a Rambler..

[enjenjo]

Welcome to the RRT

Ok, I'll tell you an easy way to do it. Find a bell housing from a Spirit, or Concord with a 151 4 cylinder and a T4 trans. The clutch linkage will work with your stock parts without modification, and the bell will bolt to the 350. you will need a late 350 flywheel. Then find a T5 from a Mustang, it will bolt to the T4 bell without modification. You will have to fab a trans mount, and find a clutch disc that will fit the Ford trans, and the right size for the Chevy pressure plate. Should be a piece of cake.

[Hornet350]

Welcome to the RRT

Ok, I'll tell you an easy way to do it. Find a bell housing from a Spirit, or Concord with a 151 4 cylinder and a T4 trans. The clutch linkage will work with your stock parts without modification, and the bell will bolt to the 350. you will need a late 350 flywheel. Then find a T5 from a Mustang, it will bolt to the T4 bell without modification. You will have to fab a trans mount, and find a clutch disc that will fit the Ford trans, and the right size for the Chevy pressure plate. Should be a piece of cake.

Hi and thanks for the reply!! I did a bit of searching and found the bellhousing to be quite a hard to find item. I found one for 250 locally,... and the guy was reluctant to sell at that price... The Mustang T5 is also pricey at about 400-500 bucks for a good one... Is there a way to use more commonly available 4.3 liter V6 parts, as the 4.3 and the 5.7 share the same bell pattern? I'm o.k. with doing the top plate and tail housing swap if I have to, to get the shifter handle to a more rearward location. I think I can get the S10 trans here for less than 100... Thanks again for your input! Mike

[enjenjo]

Your Hornet had a mechanical clutch, those parts should be fairly easy to find. If you can find an older Chevy v8 bell housing with a mechanical clutch, the S10 T5 will bolt up to it, and the linkage would be your only problem. those bell housings are typically $20 to $25 at swap meets.

[Hornet350]

Your Hornet had a mechanical clutch, those parts should be fairly easy to find. If you can find an older Chevy v8 bell housing with a mechanical clutch, the S10 T5 will bolt up to it, and the linkage would be your only problem. those bell housings are typically $20 to $25 at swap meets.

Yes, I found a factory Hornet/Gremlin clutch and brake pedal set here locally and I've figured out the Z-bar and mounting method/geometry to suit the odd motor and chassis combo as well. Is there a difference in the T5's from an S10 regarding bolt patterns? I heard some transmission/years are the Ford pattern  and some are the Chev pattern. Can I assume the S10 clutch diameter is the same as, say, a T5 equipped Camaro? Is there a difference between WC and Non WC patterns? Sorry for the confusion. Thanks again for all your input! Mike

[enjenjo]

A T5 from a S10 or Camaro has a GM bolt pattern on the front, used on most GM cars from 1955, and some trucks from 1949. Most GM three and four, and 5 speeds use that bolt pattern. So a T5 from a S10 or Camaro will bolt to a 49 Chevy truck bell housing. So you can use a 60s or 70s six or V8 Chevy bell housing with a throwout bearing arm similar to what AMC used, so there will be one link to fabricate. If you have the Z bar figured out, you have the hard part done.

You should be able  to use the whole S10 clutch assembly if you have the right flywheel.

[Hornet350]

A T5 from a S10 or Camaro has a GM bolt pattern on the front, used on most GM cars from 1955, and some trucks from 1949. Most GM three and four, and 5 speeds use that bolt pattern. So a T5 from a S10 or Camaro will bolt to a 49 Chevy truck bell housing. So you can use a 60s or 70s six or V8 Chevy bell housing with a throwout bearing arm similar to what AMC used, so there will be one link to fabricate. If you have the Z bar figured out, you have the hard part done.

You should be able  to use the whole S10 clutch assembly if you have the right flywheel.

Thanks!! It looks like I'll be making a junkyard scouting mission this thursday... weather permitting. A friend suggested just grabbing the whole 4.3 mess, from the flywheel back, including any hydraulic parts [for good measure] and the starter too. These transmissions are much more available and cheaper too. Thanks and I'll have to post my findings/progress.

[Mac]

Is there a difference in the T5's from an S10 regarding bolt patterns? I heard some transmission/years are the Ford pattern  and some are the Chev pattern. Can I assume the S10 clutch diameter is the same as, say, a T5 equipped Camaro? Is there a difference between WC and Non WC patterns? Sorry for the confusion. Thanks again for all your input! Mike

The WC(`92-ish up) box from an S10 will have a Ford bolt pattern.

[Hornet350]

Well.. went to the junkyard today and found out some interesting things. First, there were 2 S10 2.2's there (one piece bell trans??) and 2 "Wedgie" Camaro 2.8 T5's there as well. No 4.3 stuff at all.... So.... Which way do I go here?

A. Get the conventional old-school bell with mechanical pushrod, and hold out for 4.3 stuff (11" disc and larger input shaft!!!) , and meanwhile grab the rear shifter tail housing and top shifter fork assembly from the Camaro 2.8 trans. to swap onto the 4.3 main trans section later on... or

B. Buy the Weird 151/4 cylinder AMC bell with the Ford trans pattern and run the entire 2.8 Camaro trans.??  Then we get into which combination of clutch guts to use to make it all work together. (isn't that a teeny 9" disc and 1" diameter input shaft??)

I'm leaning towards A. ... Any suggestions? I appreciate the help!

Cheers, Mike

[enjenjo]

I would go with A.

[Hornet350]

I would go with A.

Thanks for the reply!! I think this is my route to take. Now to pull a real McGuyver and adapt a set of XJ Cherokee pedals to work with the Hornet body.... finding a set of factory Hornet pedals has been more than elusive... I'm not waiting around. I'll give it a go myself! Cheers! Mike

[ArizonaBear]

I would go with A.

Thanks for the reply!! I think this is my route to take. Now to pull a real McGuyver and adapt a set of XJ Cherokee pedals to work with the Hornet body.... finding a set of factory Hornet pedals has been more than elusive... I'm not waiting around. I'll give it a go myself! Cheers! Mike

1966+ Rambler American use essentially the same brake/clutch pedal setup as the 1970+ Hornet, etc.........and I suspect that even the RHD models had a manual transmission option.

[tomslik]

I would go with A.

Thanks for the reply!! I think this is my route to take. Now to pull a real McGuyver and adapt a set of XJ Cherokee pedals to work with the Hornet body.... finding a set of factory Hornet pedals has been more than elusive... I'm not waiting around. I'll give it a go myself! Cheers! Mike

1966+ Rambler American use essentially the same brake/clutch pedal setup as the 1970+ Hornet, etc.........and I suspect that even the RHD models had a manual transmission option.

i can shoot ya a pic of some 66-69 american pedals if you want but i don't have any spares, though.
amc stuff is pretty scarce around here, it seems...

[Hornet350]

I would go with A.

Thanks for the reply!! I think this is my route to take. Now to pull a real McGuyver and adapt a set of XJ Cherokee pedals to work with the Hornet body.... finding a set of factory Hornet pedals has been more than elusive... I'm not waiting around. I'll give it a go myself! Cheers! Mike

1966+ Rambler American use essentially the same brake/clutch pedal setup as the 1970+ Hornet, etc.........and I suspect that even the RHD models had a manual transmission option.

i can shoot ya a pic of some 66-69 american pedals if you want but i don't have any spares, though.
amc stuff is pretty scarce around here, it seems...

Yes, thanks! That would be nice! All I need to do is figure out the distance of the factory upper push rod thru hole in the clutch pedal, to the upper pivot point center. I'd like to get at least close so my leverages work out. I don't want to have to use 2 feet to work the clutch pedal!! **LOL** With your pics, I just might be able to pull it off. The only "Fly in the ointment" will be figuring out how the upper push rod bends around and down thru the factory thru-hole in the firewall, to attach to the Z bar.

[tomslik]

I would go with A.

Thanks for the reply!! I think this is my route to take. Now to pull a real McGuyver and adapt a set of XJ Cherokee pedals to work with the Hornet body.... finding a set of factory Hornet pedals has been more than elusive... I'm not waiting around. I'll give it a go myself! Cheers! Mike

1966+ Rambler American use essentially the same brake/clutch pedal setup as the 1970+ Hornet, etc.........and I suspect that even the RHD models had a manual transmission option.

i can shoot ya a pic of some 66-69 american pedals if you want but i don't have any spares, though.
amc stuff is pretty scarce around here, it seems...

Yes, thanks! That would be nice! All I need to do is figure out the distance of the factory upper push rod thru hole in the clutch pedal, to the upper pivot point center. I'd like to get at least close so my leverages work out. I don't want to have to use 2 feet to work the clutch pedal!! **LOL** With your pics, I just might be able to pull it off. The only "Fly in the ointment" will be figuring out how the upper push rod bends around and down thru the factory thru-hole in the firewall, to attach to the Z bar.

well, my camera is having "issues" but it's 5" from the pivot to the clutch rod and 12.5 overall...

ya know, before i gave 250 for a STOCK bellhousing, i'd go (and did) with a Quicktime bell.
yeah, it's a bunch of money BUT a lakewood/mcleod is gonna require some firewall work (trust me).
you ALSO might concider a hydraulic to bearing or external slave IF you have the room
i didn't with the lakewood but it's a moot point as i'm going amc now...
btw, yes, the trans tunnel IS offset to the right;).
headers WILL suck to find, too.i'd try a shorty set for a 62-67 nova.
rh strut rod bracket get's in the way with an amc enging, really gets in the way with a sbc....

one more thing, if you go with mech. linkage, use a 62-67 nova bellhousing as the fork comes out at an angle and MIGHT give you enough room for linkage, otherwise you'll be cutting up the floor.
i believe some of the later camaros came out the same way and you could use the hydraulics.(and the 5 speed)
just a thought
as you can tell, i'm getting "eddykated" on amc lately;)