Dose any one know if the 5 speed in a 89 formula can take the power from a 383

 

Mine has so far, but I've been cautious with it.

Your 89, provided it hasn't been changed and originally came behind a V8 engine, should have the World Class (stronger) T-5 version just like my 91.

Of course, I don't do real long burnouts, 3500RPM clutch dumps, and always use the clutch (very rapidly at time!) when shifting.

As a result, YMMV

 

It all depends soley on your driving. I destroyed 2 WC T-5s, one backing a 305, the other behind a 355. As with any drivetrain part, as soon as you "hook" the car, the breakage factor goes way up. Alot of wheelspin on the street with a T-5, probably wont hurt it just yet. Keep in mind, these transmissions were only designed to handle roughly 300 lb. ft. of torque. You might consider upgrading later on.

 

brutalform is dead on right. Traction is the T5s biggest enemy. You'd be suprised what you can run through something that just shouldn't be capable of living behind that much power when you eliminate traction. Years ago my cousin and I swapped a 350 Chevy engine into his '87 Jeep Wrangler. Stock it had a 4-cylinder, so it had a notoriously wimpy Peugot built 5-speed trans. The people at Advanced Adapters (where we got the motrs mounts, headers, and trans adapter) begged him not to use that trans. They were reluctant to even sell him the adapter plate to mate the SBC to the Peugot. I built the motor (nothing special really, maybe 350 lbs/ft and 250 HP). My cousin is tougher on vehicles than anyone I know. He flogged this Jeep for two years, and despite having a u-joint explode during a 5th gear powershift at about 120 MPH the trans never broke. He sold the Jeep to a guy who drove it for another three years without breaking the trans. Finally it gave up the ghost and he swapped in a TH350, but it made it 5 years on borrowed time. The secret? Even in 4WD it had so much power and it was so light that it would just roast all the tires. No traction, no stress, no problem.