Hey, was looking into putting a T-5 in my 84 camaro with an L-81 motor in it, but have plans for the future involving putting in an 86+ motor with a one piece rear seal. I wanted to ask if anyone knew whether or not if I bolt up a Tremec T-5 to my current motor, if the new motor will drop right in and bolt right up when the time comes?


Thanks,
Oliver

 

Get a T5 with a hydraulic release and it should fit your current motor. Then when you go to the one piece rear main motor you'll need a different flywheel. I think the clutch should work. There are lots of threads covering the auto to T5 swap. Good luck. I think you'll be glad you went with the 5 speed.

Then later down the road when you build a stronger motor, go with the TREMMEC TKP 600. It's a fairly straight forward swap from the T5 and twice as strong.

 

does it make a difference who makes the T-5? or does only Tremec produce it? In the summit catalogue its sold by Classic Motor Groups or somethin, is it still gonna be a Tremec or did they throw their own parts in there?

 

Borg Warner made the T5 that came in our cars, then Tremec bought the design. I don't know if they still make it. The Tremec TKO 600 (and others) are aftermarket trannys based (loosly) on the T5 design. But they don't actually share any components. Summit and lots of others dealers can supply the Tremec trannys. If you need a stock T5 there are lots of sources for rebuilt units like Zambrota Bearing and Gear (zbag.com).

 

It gets confusing these days with the 5 speed trannys. Basically the deal is Tremec bought out Borg-Warner, so they now own the rights to and produce the T5 transmission that was formerly manufactured by Borg-Warner. However, the only T5 I'm aware of that's still produced as a brand new replacement is the "Z spec" T5, which is a Mustang T5, and doesn't fit a Camaro. If you were looking at a Tremec from Classic Motorsports Group, I guarantee it's a TKO, or 3550 series trans, which is a completely different animal from the T5. The TKO's started out as a Ford transmission, and these aftermarket companies now modify them to work in a GM application. The only way to get a correct T5 for a 3rd gen Camaro is to buy them used. The advantage to a retrofit TKO trans for our cars is that while they're quite spendy, they're easily 100 times stronger than any T5. If you're building a high powered 3rd gen, the TKO or the GM T56 trans are the only way to go. If your car is relatively close to stock, you'd be fine going with an original Camaro T5 for much cheaper.

 

I have a WC T-5, and was wondering what kind of torque it is capable of withstanding?

Sorry for jacking your thread!

 

We have ways of dealing with trouble makers like you! JK.

If it's a 2.xx first gear V8 WC T5 then it should be rated at 300 lb/ft torque. Its really a good trans but won't last forever behind a stout engine. Mine survived about a year and a half behind a nitrous L98... and that was without dumping the clutch or power shifting. It's my daily driver and one day she just sheared all the teeth off the input gear during a normal shift to third! Went with TKO 600 this go round and am happy with it so far.

 

So I was correct in my assumption that it won't hold up behind my 468 BB!! Thanks for the response!

 

Not for long anyway! Go with the TKO 600. Rated at 600 lb/ft so it should be ok behind a BB unless it's a real monster!

 

That big block motor would shred a defenseless T5 into paper confetti! If it's any reassurance on the TKO 600, you might be interested to know it's the same trans they're putting in the new, retro-mod Baldwin Motion 69 Camaros, which are running the 572 big block crate motor.

 

Gotta love the old school styling with new, modern strokers and overdrive! Best of both worlds!!!

 

The 468 which I have is a real torque monster. I don't even think the tko 600 will hold up but I could be wrong! I may just have to go with an automatic. i guess I could go Lenco?

 

Back in the day 4 speeds were the way to go and auto were for wimps!

Anyway, you may want to check out Gforce. They have aftermarket 5 & 6 speeds for 1000hp and beond. Real serious stuff!

 

Amen brother! In fact, I'm just finishing up a deal with one of the board members here on a TKO 500 for my black, 69 RS/SS Camaro as we speak. The old Muncie has been a great, virtually indestructible tranny all these years, but it'll be so nice to throw it into 5th gear and not be revved to the moon at any speed above 60 mph!
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I'd have to say you're way overestimating on your tranny needs there. If you wanted to go auto, just get a professional, race-built TH400. That should handle practically anything that 468 will throw at it. Can't beat a stickshift for the fun factor though if your car is going to mostly be just a street bruiser. Nothing like rowing through the gears and shifting at 6k!

 

[ Can't beat a stickshift for the fun factor though if your car is going to mostly be just a street bruiser. Nothing like rowing through the gears and shifting at 6k! [/quote]

 

lol sorry to interupt, but is there a way to get the newer T5 that was put into mustangs to bolt upto my camaro? I really dont care what tranny i put in, as long as the ratios are right, its a 5 speed, and it shifts o so crisp and smoothly

 

Nothing like rowing through the gears and shifting at 6k!

6K, my 427 at 7K is even more fun!!!

http://www.camaros.net/showroom/data...l_DSC01029.JPG

 

The input shaft, bolt pattern to bell housing and shifter location are all different. It may be possible but I wouldn't go to all the trouble. And in the end it's still a T5.

 

Sounds good. I'll do that then. will the camaro factory T-5 be able to handle about 450 ft lbs of torque from a 350?

 

Those T-5's can barely handle a 305 on a consistant and reliable basis. You could try it at your own risk, but I'd never do that personally. I've heard of guys running them at the track just fine, and I've heard people blowing up tons of these transmissions with hardly any power behind them.. I think it's fair to say the T-5 isn't the best transmission to put behind an engine with more power to it.

 

TKO 500 then?