Inliners International Forums General Discussion Drive Train T5 Tranny from V8 Camaro

I got a rebuilt T5 from an '86 V8 Camaro complete with bellhousing and extra parts (SB flywheel, hydraulic clutch, etc.) After many near misses!

I was really only interested in the tranny and plan on swapping an S10 tail shaft onto it.

Can anyone comment on whether this bellhousing will work on a 292 or not?

I was planning a mechanical clutch - I do not have any experience with this particular vintage camaro setup. I wouldn't be opposed to going hydraulic for the clutch - I would have to figure out how to rig it up with a stock '51 chevy truck clutch pedal.

Any comments / suggestions welcome.

[img]http://www.hpphoto.com/servlet/LinkPhoto?GUID=1feb7673-3136-25fe-24c7-5b0a5a561579&size=lg[/img]

Your set up shown should be great behind the 292 (need the S-10 tail housing then move the speedo gear), believe the 292 uses larger bolts flywheel to crank. Other than clutch cyl, you'll need to get some good advise re. supporting the motor minus original crossmember at the old bellhousing.
Should be lots of other Inliners here to help, they'll show up.
Also search this site for a zillion prev. posts on the subject.

Ken,

Have you considered the 89MM 4 speed? It's the same one that myself, Tony, chuckthetruck (Stovebolt page) are running - that has the .73 4th gear. As you already know I have it behind my 292 and I love it. It fits perfectly and takes a good bit of torque. I have an 11 inch clutch too.

I believe that T5 will work fine. Just make sure there's room for that enormous 292 flywheel. You probably have the 3 dowel pin, 1/2 inch bolt crank. Have you checked for flywheel clearance?

-magic mike-

yeah MM (interesting name!) :p - there is actually an A833 OD on ebay right now, but looks like it has the funky Mopar bolt pattern and one ear busted off - it is also set up for a x'fer case for 4x4 app - but low and behold a standard tailshaft and housing is also on ebay for that same tranny. Bottom line, I would rather have 5 gears!

I have been chasing OD trannys all over the place, NV3500's, T5's, GM Tremec's, you name it. The few T5's I have found were for 2.8L apps and I am pretty sure I would shred the innards with the 292 I am building combined with the way I drive.

I prefer the T5 / NV3500 / Tremec designs with a shifter that has no external linkage.

If this bellhousing wont fit the big flywheel that I have I can find another bellhousing or a smaller flywheel.

I figured I would get as much info as possible from the board and see what things look like when I get it all sitting in one place together.

'83 Camaros used a mechanical clutch, but you may be able to use the '83 parts with the 84-up housing IF they were smart enough to include an opening on the side of the housing for it? They did this with the Isuzu 4spds that Chevy used in the S10, so maybe they did with the others?? a picture of the other side of the housing would help. I saw an '83 housing on Ebay a few weeks ago that didn't sell. keep looking. Of course, you could always use the stock iron V8 or L6 housing, try to find one with provisions for side mounts if possible, and clearance for the flywheel as has been said.

Check flywheel clearance first, that will make it easy to make up your mind. If your block can take either starter type, then maybe going with the smaller flywheel would be a possibility.

Brian,

I have an '83 T-5 from a Z-28 in my car and it came with a hydraulic clutch. I ended up using a 230 Bellhousing (230-292 all the same)and it worked with the stock 10 1/2" flwheel. I used a new center force clutch. If anyone needs a '83 bellhousing, clutch, and disc, I one available.
RapRap
1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Mine is also an '83 and it has a mechanical clutch. Hollander lists the '83 by itself, but doesn't say why, and the guy on ebay selling that bellhousing said '83 only also. My guess is that one of us doesn't have what we think we have, or GM made a change before the end of the '83 model year. Hollander isn't good at keeping track of these kind of changes.
Does your housing have a rectangular cover plate on the drivers side? if it does, then its a good chance you can convert it by getting the right arm and dust boot.

FYI
Keep in mind that the V8 version is the only one Chevy used with the fine input spline.

Yes, mine is from a V-8 motor and it's entirely possible the GM switched things in mid year. To go around the Hydraulic clutch system, the '64 230 bell housing worked just fine. Note: The rubber boot for the clutch arm was missing(they always are) so I searched the swap meets for a year until I finally measured the opening. There are at least 4-5 different rectangular/square openings all different. They seem to be off by a 1/4"-1/2".
I ended up calling Mid America Corvettes and asked them to measure the rubber boot. It ended up that a 1963 Corvette boot fit the 230 bellhousing. Go figure!

RapRap
1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Does your T5 housing have the rectangular hole on the side?

No, my T-5 tranny does not have the rectangular hole.

I just today posted a lot of pictures of my T-5 swap at the following URL.

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v65/DonCoatney/T-5/?PHPSESSID=ffcb121da98fdb48c9f6337a9a709daf

Engine 1953 Desoto 251CI, bellhousing and car 1948 Plymouth P-15.
Don Coatney

I'm doing a similar swap (T5 behind a 250). What I found is that the Camaro bellhousing will bolt up to the 250 block, but won't clear the flywheel. The Camaro flywheel won't fit the 6-cyl crankshaft, so I had to use a 6-cyl bellhousing. The one I'm using is a cast-iron one with mounts on the bellhousing (casting #3815891). My local GM dealer tells me it was used in 75 to 93 light trucks.
Which brings me to my current problem: I need the clip that holds the clutch release fork to the ball stud. It's a wire clip that looks like the Greek letter omega. My dealer tells me the part # is 403051, but GM doesn't sell it. Apparently, it's not expensive enough for anyone else to bother reproducing it either.
Does anyone know of a substitute (snap ring, e-clip, etc) or is this a generic part that's readily available if I just knew what to call it?

I presume you are using the straight cast iron throw-out fork in this bell housing? The part number for this "omega shape spring clip" is #838987. It was used for a lot of years in the truck application. It should still be available from your local GM dealer no problem. Hope this helps you out.

That bellhousing was used from '63to '72 on 6 clyinders. From '55 to '72 on V8s. They went to aluminum in with no mounts in '73. Joe