Inliners International Forums General Discussion Drive Train borg warner t-5 to 57 stovebolt

i just picked up a 94 s10 BW 5spd cheap and working. i want to keep my original 57 chevy pickup bellhousing. went to go align the housing to trans and the bolt holes dont line up. is there an adapter plate that will make the two compatible or do i have to find an older Chevy t-5 BW that will fit correctly?

Here is a good LINK that tells which T5s to use. Yours is a newer one with a different pattern. I put one of the newer type in my '53 pickup. I made a 3/8" adapter but still had to play with the mounting bolts as one or two were close to the original ones. It works well and has been there for several years and many thousands of miles but I wouldn't do it that way again. Here are some PICTURES . It is behind a '57 270 GMC.

would you happen to still have your adapter plate template? i started drawing out the bell housing bolt location and trans inlet hole. going to start drawing out the new trans bolt location and inlet hole. and see where that leads me.

I have one behind a 216, 261 and a 292. All are fine. Remember there are two of those transmissions. Each has its own specific ratio's in first through fifth. Make sure you get the correct match-up and rear end ratio too. Correct, all is good. Not correct and fuel performance will suffer plus some performance issues too.
Normbc9

No, I don't My template was a 3/8" plate that got bolted between the trans and the bell housing. I think it was the upper right bolt that caused the trouble. I think I used allen heads for both top bolts and on the top right I had to modify the trans tab. It's been a few years. The first gear is very low. If I didn't live half way up a mountain I would change it. The rear end is 3.54-1. Also the ODs in these are not as high as the V8-V6 units. But I can cruse at 70-80 all day without excessive RPMs. My 270 loves to run at 3000 rpm but I don't have to go there. I did thousands of miles there with the Saganaw. When I build the 302 it may get a T85 OD with 3 on the tree.

i plan to make my templet out of wood for correct hole alignment. i think you are right about the one top bolt. if your looking at the front of the trans the right top bolt will come fairly close to the bell housing top bolt. i have a 96 s10 rear with the 3.42 i think. so having this set up should be fine since the truck wont be for daily travel. the 235 going in the truck had some work done to it with performance and the intake will just be double single barrels and headers. i will be taking a walk around a local junk yard scoping out late 80's s10's and astros. maybe i might find something left behind.

well im holding off the t-5. i found my 66 borg warner 3spd in the back of the garage. ill bolt that up to the old 235 at least i can have some fun driving the truck with that trans on it. at least i know the 3spd can handle a heavy beating.

That may be a good short term plan just so you can enjoy the truck. Meanwhile look around for your dream tranny.

I beat the snot out of my T5 and have had no problems. Because of a sloppy shifter, both on the trans and the driver seat, I have missed 3rd and shifted back into 1st more than once. Shifting down from 5th to 4th I have found 2nd. These have not been easy shifts at low rpms. The 270 GMC is stout and the T5 has handled it.

is this your daily driver?

when my truck is done it will just be for cruise in's and short distances and car shows. i want to locate a bigger stronger inliner that will drop right into the truck some time later on.

I've had this pickup since '75 and for years it was our only truck. I built the 270 in '78. It sat for a couple of years but other than that its a driver. It changes from time to time. The longest trip was from here to Austin, Texas and back via Southern Cal. both ways. The GMCs almost fit. You have to move the radiator.