Okay, just to make things a little more clear, the trans is from an 84 Camaro with the carburated V6. A few questions arise from this:

What year car do I need to get the clutch kit (at least the disc) for? Aren't the input spline counts different between the 84 and 88 model year T-5's?

I'm assuming I need to get the flywheel from either a later 80's 2.8 or a 3.1 (trans is going on the back of a 3.1), correct?

Do I also need to nab the crossmember from the donor car?

I already know I need the VSS from a later model T-5. I can get a VSS from Advance Auto, but I need to know whether the option code for an 87 model year T-5 is D9A, D9B, or D9E.

Are there any sort of checks I should do to the T-5 before I put it in? Oil change, that sort of thing? The 84 T-5 uses a GL-5 (or similar) lube, doesn't it, instead of the ATF used in later transmissions?

I have the engine/trans combo halfway ready to come out (just have to do the stuff under the car and find a winch or something, BTW, how much does a 3.1/700R4 combo weigh? ) and just went and removed the floor shift boot, shift plate (took for the console boot), and clutch/brake pedal set. I will take digital pics the next time I go for location of the clutch mounting holes.

:edit: I would have the option codes already, except I don't seem to have an RPO code sticker...

 

correct on the flywheel.

all v6 t-5's had the same spline count afaik. you should check at autozone or someting and see if there is a different P/N for the two years.

D9E.

dont know on the lube.

are you sure you want to pull the whole thing? i just dropped the 700r4 with the car on stands and slid it out . . . the t-5 is extremely light, you can pretty much put it in and bolt it up at the same time(weighs about 80 lbs dry).

there should be perforations on your carpet padding for the clutch cylinder holes. not a perfect match, but a good start.

 

Got to pull the whole dang thing. I don't know whether the rear main seal or the oil pan gasket is leaking, but I thought I'd replace both to be safe, and throw a crank kit and timing set in for good measure.

:edit: Almost forgot the small matter of the reverse lamps. Is there another switch I need to nab from the donor car or something? I already have the clutch start switch...
I'm also hoping some trans experts can get in on this. I seemed to have a little prob shifting the trans into any other gear than 4th (IIRC) while I was at the yard. I'll see if I cant test the other one (from the backside of an Iron Duke) to see if it works any better...

 

for the reverse lights you just have to splice the wires from the auto shifter into the wires from the tranny i think it is, its in the swap tech article on this site i believe.

as far as putting it into gear in the j-yard car . . . the clutch hydraulics were probably empty, so even when you pushed the clutch pedal in it didnt release the clutch enough/any, which probably would stop you from putting it into any gear besides the one it was last in(which would be 4th in your case). if it goes into all the gears now that it is out of the car(with the input and output shafts free) i wouldnt think that would be a problem. Im no tranny expert though, so dont take my word for it.

 

Ohhhh.. forgot about the phlucking clutch, of which the j/y car didn't have... All the pedal had attached was the pushrod for the M/C...

 

What year car do I need to get the clutch kit (at least the disc) for? Aren't the input spline counts different between the 84 and 88 model year T-5's?

All the T5's (early/late, Fbody/S10) have the same spline counts. 84 had a larger clutch disk (diameter). There really isn't any benefit to the early disk. I'm running a late fbody/S10 size disk on my 84 2.8 with the stock flywheel and pressure plate, works fine. If you're using a 3.1L engine, order a clutch kit for the 3.1 and you can be sure it will all bolt up.

I'm assuming I need to get the flywheel from either a later 80's 2.8 or a 3.1 (trans is going on the back of a 3.1), correct?

With a 3.1 you need a 3.1 or 3.4 flywheel, 2.8's are externally balanced, if you use a 2.8 flywheel it'll shake itself apart.

Do I also need to nab the crossmember from the donor car?

Not necessarily. Some of the V6 T5's used a funny mount, some don't. My 84 uses a standard Chevy transmission mount.

I already know I need the VSS from a later model T-5. I can get a VSS from Advance Auto, but I need to know whether the option code for an 87 model year T-5 is D9A, D9B, or D9E.

Best bet is to find a car that's equipped exactly like what you're building and use the code from that vehicle. Gear ratio might play into it also.

Are there any sort of checks I should do to the T-5 before I put it in? Oil change, that sort of thing? The 84 T-5 uses a GL-5 (or similar) lube, doesn't it, instead of the ATF used in later transmissions?

Worry about the oil after its in, if its not empty already drain it before install or you'll have a mess on the ground. The lube is ATF for 84, according to the owners manual. I used Mobil 1 sythetic gear oil. Seems to work fine. Being synthetic its not much different consistency then ATF but offers better protection.

The T5 will be notchy and won't want to shift easily from gear to gear unless its moving. The synchro's aren't going to do anything when the input shaft isn't turning and getting it into a different gear will require more force.

 

Finally, some decent info. I plan on swapping speedo gears from my existing VSS to the T-5 one, so I don't need to worry there, I hope. ATF I have plenty of, however, I plan on using Trick Shift synthetic trans oil made by B&M.

BTW, if anyone can get me a pic of exactly how the clutch start switch mounts in a later Firebird, I'd appreciate the help. It almost looks as though I'm missing a bracket or something. I can easily swap over the pigtails from the 84 (if that switch actually works), but it almost seems as though I don't have any place to mount the switch.

 

Also, I have one more question:

With regards to the center console, do I need to replace the whole thing (the front bracket bolts to the rear of the auto shifter ***'y and I dunno if it may or may not be in the way) or just the hard-to-find shift plate?