Did any 350 TPI (L98) cars ever come with a Manual Transmission??
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All thirdgen f cars shared the same frame construction, unless it was modified for use as a convertable.
As far as ttop 350 cars not being available after 89, this is not quite correct. Much more uncommon, but they are out there. See MDFormula350 for an example. Hope this helps!
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Luke, you are correct. I bought my car from the dealer brand new in 1985...the 1st year. I wanted a 5-speed and was told that I HAD to buy the carburated engine (20 less HP than the TPI...195 vs. 215) Both motors were 305's. I was also told that GM was afraid that the original T-5 wouldn't handle the 20 extra horse(????) The car had the stock engine for 146K. I had it rebuilt before I put the new motor in it, and the guy who did it said the trans was in great shape, and only had to replace the syncros. The car (and the trans) have over 150K on them now, and the trans is still in good shape, and handles 425 HP with no problem (so far). We'll see.....
__________________ Carburated 5-speed (From the factory) Special ordered from A.J. Foyt Chevrolet in 1984 by me. One of 2497 made. 355, Vortec heads,512 total lift, Exner TH-350,Hughes 3000 stall, 650 Holley double-pumper ,Hi-rise intake, Global West LCA's, South Side Machine Works sub-frame kit, Headman Headers, Imco muffler, Nice stereo,exhaust cut-out, title-holder for the best-sounding exhaust 2 years running.
Last edited by Barry85Iroc; 03-28-2004 at 07:21 PM.
Originally posted by Barry85Iroc Luke, you are correct. I bought my car from the dealer brand new in 1985...the 1st year. I wanted a 5-speed and was told that I HAD to buy the carburated engine (20 less HP than the TPI...195 vs. 215) Both motors were 305's. I was also told that GM was afraid that the original T-5 wouldn't handle the 20 extra horse(????) The car had the stock engine for 146K. I had it rebuilt before I put the new motor in it, and the guy who did it said the trans was in great shape, and only had to replace the syncros. The car (and the trans) have over 150K on them now, and the trans is still in good shape, and handles 425 HP with no problem (so far). We'll see.....
Holy smokes, an L69/m5/3.73 Iroc! I have only seen one, about 3 years ago someone who worked near me had it. I kept meaning to stop in but never got around to it and it disappeared.
Anyways, I am on T5 #2, t5 #1 was a WC, #2 was a NWC. Seems like #2 is holding up rather well thus far!
lol, I still have the 85 T-5 in mine been blown since 86 and only had to put in a shift fork! But it has never had anything but street tires on it......... 550hp+ no problems (knok on wood)
I have the 85 camaro book in front of me right now this is how they showed the options on engine/trans
IROCZTWENTYGR8
I'd say the approx. 15 more HP and almost 50 more ft./lbs. of TQ had something to do with it. A T-5 will NOT last behind a 350 TPI that is driven aggressively, they barely handle the better 305s and sometimes even don't.
I just read more of this post and I know its old but............
LMFAO no disrespect IROCZTWENTYGR8 but this is how I have driven my "weak" NON W/C T-5 for 50k miles and she ain't given it up yet Link
I sold chevys at a dealership in california, in '85-'86, and we were told you couldn't get a 350/T-5 combo because it wouldn't pass emissions in california. Thats what we told people that wanted them. We were also told that a new corvette with the same drivetrain as a camaro was slower in the 1/4 mile due to the corvette being heavier.
i have 2 of each car (fbodies and C4s) however i havent had them weighed. i can say that my 88 GTA ceratinly feels heavier than my 89 Vette.
i did check Nadaguide.com which lists vehicles weight. for the 85' model year the IROC lists at 3319lbs while the 85' Vette lists at 3191lbs. i would guess certain options added more weight, and the figures given were for stripper cars.
i also checked on corvetteforum.com, where some of the drag racers there have weighed their cars. it seems most 80s C4s weigh roughly 3200 - 3300lbs with a half tank of gas. i always thought IROCS and GTAs weighed a few hundred pounds more than that
Last edited by tpivette89; 04-04-2004 at 12:21 PM.
an fbody sure as hell better be heavier than the vettes... fiberglass vs steel. the only manual trans that came with a 350 the the L69 look it up on this site like i did http://www.f-body.org/tech/tech.htm
__________________ -Alex
"It's a Chevy... If it ain't smokin, you're walkin." ----------- My Cardomain site
This is the same T-5 that were put in the Mustang 5.0's? If so, I don't think the reason they didn't put them in the 350's were for torque reasons, they T-5's that were in the Mustangs were good for up to like 350-375 lb ft of torque.
Originally posted by Klortho This is the same T-5 that were put in the Mustang 5.0's? If so, I don't think the reason they didn't put them in the 350's were for torque reasons, they T-5's that were in the Mustangs were good for up to like 350-375 lb ft of torque.
They are the same in name only. Apples and footballs difference.
Originally posted by Saigon_Bob is that like the t56 in the mustang/viper/camaro
Couldn't tell ya, sorry. I don't know much about the T56 other than the Vettes is mounted on its rear end, and that the LS1 F-bodies T56 is unique to the LS1 cars.
Originally posted by Air_Adam Couldn't tell ya, sorry. I don't know much about the T56 other than the Vettes is mounted on its rear end, and that the LS1 F-bodies T56 is unique to the LS1 cars.
i do know that 93style 4th gen t56s bolt in directly to our cars.... and a corvette setup would be awsome
__________________ -Alex
"It's a Chevy... If it ain't smokin, you're walkin." ----------- My Cardomain site
Didnt the GT and 93 Cobras come with 5 speeds? From what I have read, Cobra 5.0s were just as powerful as 350 TPI. This would mean GM did not create a 5.7/T5 combo because of reliability, but possibly of vette comparison.
my next-next door neighbor (and the guy i bought my car from) has a "cobra R" foxbody with a 5 speed. i think its just a regular GT or maybe... maybe a cobra( i think it just has a cobra plenum on it.
pretty much i think this issue has been answer in that GM didnt put 5 speeds in the 350 camaros becuz they could easy rival the corvette. chevy wanted a noticable difference between the two. I'll tell you wut , they got it. granted i only have a 305 my auto sucks compared to my dads old vette(1985). it had the retar ded 4-3 overdrive which he( an accomplished truck driver of many years) couldnt figure out. its too bad he had to get rid of it b4 i started driving . well i guess since mah bro stopped fitting in the rear hatch it was good that he got rid of it
__________________ -Alex
"It's a Chevy... If it ain't smokin, you're walkin." ----------- My Cardomain site
Originally posted by Pro Didnt the GT and 93 Cobras come with 5 speeds? From what I have read, Cobra 5.0s were just as powerful as 350 TPI. This would mean GM did not create a 5.7/T5 combo because of reliability, but possibly of vette comparison.
Not so fast... the Mustang T5 is a totally different trans from the F-body T5. The relation is in name only.
I could have swarn that I saw a factory 5 spd L98 in 86. I remember reading that after a year or two of production with many transmission failures, GM stopped offering. I wish I knew where I had seen that. It doesn't really matter though. The T-5 is a terrible trans for anything other than mild street driving unless it has been gone through. There are a couple of different T-5's out there...the most popular in a GM was the World Class T5. Which is simular to the one in the Cobra's, but not as strong. Don't get me wrong, a factory GM T5 is ok, I have one behind a Vortec 350 in my 91 Camaro....but it hates to be driven hard.
Originally posted by Saigon_Bob i do know that 93style 4th gen t56s bolt in directly to our cars.... and a corvette setup would be awsome
The T-56 is very close to a direct bolt in, however a new crossmember is required. The vette trans will not work, unless you can find a way to mount it in the rear of your F-body along with the independent rear suspension. The 93 trans is not a desirable as a 94+ version though. The transmission gear ratio is different, and the 93 requires a numerically higher rear end gear to actually make good use of the trans. There are tons of articles out there on the swaps...do a google search, and you will be amazed!!
This would mean GM did not create a 5.7/T5 combo because of reliability, but possibly of vette comparison.
not because of Vette comparison. even if the Corvette and the fbody had the same exact motor, trans, and rear gears, the Vette would win in a drag race because of its weight advantage
and if GM were THAT concerned about the fbody beating the Vette that it didnt give the 350TPI a manual trans, then why for 93' DID the LT1 fbodies get a manual behind the V8? wouldnt that theory continue with the introduction of the LT1?
the fbody didnt get a 5speed cause it couldnt reliably handle the output of the 350TPI motor for prolonged perioids of time. end of story
Originally posted by Red92TA The T-56 is very close to a direct bolt in, however a new crossmember is required. The vette trans will not work, unless you can find a way to mount it in the rear of your F-body along with the independent rear suspension. The 93 trans is not a desirable as a 94+ version though. The transmission gear ratio is different, and the 93 requires a numerically higher rear end gear to actually make good use of the trans. There are tons of articles out there on the swaps...do a google search, and you will be amazed!!
no i meant the first body sytle of the 4th gens...
__________________ -Alex
"It's a Chevy... If it ain't smokin, you're walkin." ----------- My Cardomain site
Hello just joined the site and love it. So much info and helpfull tips and opinions, its great. I'm the gm at our family pontiac buick gmc truck dealership. Back in the late eighties I remember going to the gm dealer only auction and buying an iroc with my dad it was a 5spd no air or t-top car. Which I thought it was odd. I would work saturdays cleaning cars for the lot. I got to clean this one up. I almost fell over when I popped the hood and read the engine size it said 5.7l. Turnes out this was a 1le car they used up here in Canada for the racing series called the players challenge. Hence no ac and no t-tops but a manual transmission. I was a huge firebird and camaro fan (still am for the firebird anyways) back then and read every article and dealer bulletin and brochure i could get my hands on. Turns out after they used them for racing they put new interiors (holes cut in dash for roll cage) and installed a new 305 5spd to sell as a used car! Now you can beleive if you want to but I was there to see it and ask the questions then.
pontiacfan
I'll probably get laughed at again, but I believe you. I read about this in a Camaro magazine a long time ago (can't remember which one, or find the article). But, it said there was a very small number of 1LE 350 5spd cars built for race duty.
in 88-98? didnt chevy put the tremec/ muncie built 5spds in the c/k series trucks instead of the borg warner t5 thats whats in my brothers truck maybe they didnt put them in f-bodys with 350's because of reliability, just a guess
Originally posted by fbody85 in 88-98? didnt chevy put the tremec/ muncie built 5spds in the c/k series trucks instead of the borg warner t5 thats whats in my brothers truck maybe they didnt put them in f-bodys with 350's because of reliability, just a guess
I sent your message off to my old 5th grade English teacher (she lives down the road) for her to translate it for me.
But no, I believe BW was used in the 98 and older CK trucks.
Also you could get a 5 speed 454 3500. Why its cool behind a 454 and not a 350 TPI, beyond me.
Originally posted by Pro I sent your message off to my old 5th grade English teacher (she lives down the road) for her to translate it for me.
But no, I believe BW was used in the 98 and older CK trucks.
Also you could get a 5 speed 454 3500. Why its cool behind a 454 and not a 350 TPI, beyond me.
ok your 5th grade teacher said this:
Borg Warner was not used in the chevy trucks from around 88-97 or whatever.
The TREMEC TR-3450 was used, it was a five speed with integral bellhousing
now what i was trying to say is that chevrolet did not put the BW t-5 tranny in the trucks, instead they used the TREMEC TR-3450, and what i've seen before 1988/1987ish were muncie m21/m20, meaning that obviously chevrolet thought that the t-5 wasnt enough for the towing/weight of a truck in any year
they actually made 2 camaros with the 5spd and 350 motors
chevy kept one and the other was scrapped
This is what I found in the books, I have a friend that swears up and down that he has a 350 with the 5spd. I haven't seen it for myself but other people say its true.............. to me until I see it for myself...
1992 5.7 350 (700r4)
headers
cat-back exhaust
hypertech stage 2 chip
SLP cold air kit
Random Technology Cats
SLP intake runners
and a few other mods
i read somewhere that some z cars (iroc and z-28) were labeled 5.7l when in fact they had a 305. what does that say?? well it say not to believe the sticker and look on the block to find the real deal info
__________________ -Alex
"It's a Chevy... If it ain't smokin, you're walkin." ----------- My Cardomain site
This is a Quote From David Shelby: Author of (Camaro Performance_Handbook) Available at Summit.
He talks about all 82-92 Camaro's and what changed or was discontinuied through the years.
This quote is in the 86' model 1LE Package:
1LE--Although 1987 marked the official introduction of the 350 cid TPI engine, some '86 IROC-Zs were produced with a five-speed manual transmission. It's not known exactly how many of these IROC-Zs were made, but they were essentially hidden from the public, because the 350 was part of the RPO 1LE package that was developed for road racing in various showroom stock classes, and was not widely advertised. Since the 1LE package was intended for racing, it did not include air conditioning, radio or any power accessories. The 1LE option was available only on standard coupes (without T-tops) and featured specially calibrated springs, shock absorbers and sway bars. For collectors, these cars are definite winners.
As you can see Chevrolet did make a 350 cid w/a 5 speed, but only for racing.
That's also wrong misinformation. There's tons of it in publications. There was no such car available to the public and there wasn't even a 1LE you could buy until 88, of which only 4 were made.
No matter how secret a car is it has to be certified for sale to the public, real racers or not, they qualify as public. The 80's were not like the 60's where anything goes. The L98 was introduced in early 87 in the IROC-Z, although there were test cars the year before. As usual, none of those test cars made it to the public because they were just test cars with no VIN's and such. The number of there being 50 is a rumor and has never been confirmed to be true or not. We actually have a video of one of them. Also, the cars in magazines before 87 showing the new L98 IROC-Z's are also those test cars. It was not possible to release an F-Body with that engine before 87 as the year before was when all the testing, developing, decisions, and certification was being done for that engine to make the 87 model and it had to be different from the Corvette's of course. Before the 1LE was a public car 88-92, the RPO used was A40 for the Players Challenge cars 85-88. Later on with 1LE, (89-92) RPO R7U was added instead. None of these cars, early years or later were ever 350/5-Speeds. They were not certified with that trans and why would GM send a car to race and win with a trans that they knew wouldn't last, especially in something like racing? L98 and F-Body means Auto, kinda like how all 1st Gen Z28's had to be manuals. There's gotta be a reason why there has never been a true case or any real documentation of an L98/5-Speed car, and that's because it never happened and no one owns such a car like that stock from the factory. GM just never built it.
Hope this helps! 
I have only seen one, about 3 years ago someone who worked near me had it. I kept meaning to stop in but never got around to it and it disappeared. 
Crazier things have happened though. 
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. well i guess since mah bro stopped fitting in the rear hatch it was good that he got rid of it
to me until I see it for myself...
As I say they made 2 with manual tranny's guys c-mon I thought you guys knew that
I guess you guys need to do your homework
