Blade3001

I have an 83 bird that came with no engine or tranny. I did not even see what was in there. This weekend I'm taking a trip to the junkyard. This place is dirt cheap and being as I need all the pieces and bolts it's best that I pull it.

My questions is what can I look for?, will a t-5 (i'm quessing thats what I had, its what the vin says) from any RWD chev bolt up to the 2.8L V6 carb'd. I read something about the spedo needing to be changed to mechanical on the good ones from the late 80's but is easy. By my logic and decifering of the info in my repair book is that the 88mm 5spd is the same for all years of f-body. Am I right?. I will most likely have to take the tranny out of an s-10 or blazer (any other vehicles work?). If i get the tranny from anything other than a v6 firebird: will the part that goes to pedal be the same (I only have a few pieces of it), can I use the bellhousing?, will the shifter line up right into the console?

Also what are some things I can check for to make sure it's a good tranny I'm pulling. It probably won't be running. The tranny's are $65 Canadian here so I do have room to replace a few parts.

Looking for some reassurance

Thanks

RB83L69

One from a pickup will not work. You'll have to get one out of a F car, either Camaro or Firebird. Because if the trans being mounted at the unusual angle in these cars, the trans mount surface for them is unique.

The T-5 is the same internally with minor detail differences in all chassis (GM, Ford and others), but the cases are different.

The only BH that will work in a 6-cyl F car is one out of a 6-cyl F car.

Generally, what you need to do, is find one of those cars and strip it of all that stuff. That will be a whole lot easier than trying to piece it together, plus you'll have a sample of what all is supposed to be there.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

Blade3001

So it HAS to be from a V6 hey. I was hoping on keeping my options open. If things start to look better in the long term I was going to change the plan to include a V8 and the wonderful gas bill that goes with a -60 winter $.90/l gas.

If i chose to go 305 later all I would have to change is the bell housing right?

Using that logic backwards, if i got a t5 from a v8 f-body then to put a v6 in all i'd have to do is change the bell housing.

Or did i inhale too many gas fummes while I just cleaned my engine bay.

robertg

iTrader: (2)

Actually, yes. when you decude to swap from the v6 over to a vb, you can keep your v6 transmission. all you would have to do is go buy a v8 bellhousing.

The neighbor just got done swapping his 84 camaro from a carbed 2.8 over to a '69 350 making we think about 350 horsepower, a rough guesstimate. all ben did was buy a v8 bellhousing, and the t-5 bolted right up.
the car is loud, and sounds downright ANGRY, but it would considering ben is running sidepipes with no mufflers, rather, a baffle in each pipe. still sounds angry.

Keep this in mind though. a t-5 is not a very strong transmission. if you beat the **** out of it by powershifting and clutch-dropping, or other goofy stuff like that, the t-5 will not last long. we have been very careful with ben's car, as we're running a stock t-5 behind his 350. enjoy the project