old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-24-24 07:11 AM - Post#2875889
I have purchased a T5 from a 1985 S10 with the numbers 1352-145 along with a 55-57 chevy rear end with a 3:70 gear, plan on installing a jeep input shaft, but concerned as to wether my original bell housing on my 235 will work, I am wondering about the size of the hole in the center where the shaft sleeve fits, or do I need to buy a different bell housing? If so what should I look for? Haven't been under it for a while but I'm thinking the bell housing has the mounts on it. Just trying to get all my ducks in a row as will be using a friends hoist and don't want to tie it up waiting to find a housing. Appreciate the help guys.
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
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 Stickdude
"5th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 180
Loc: North Central Wyoming
Reg: 07-29-17
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11-26-24 09:35 AM - Post#2875924
In response to old51sedan
Don't know if this article will help but it has good info on T5 swaps.
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 usmile4
"16th Year Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 4376
Age: 77
Loc: Aurora, Illinois
Reg: 08-12-05
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11-26-24 08:01 PM - Post#2875932
In response to old51sedan
That link is what I used when I made my swap. It has a ton of good links in it. It is old so many of the pictures will not show but the info is still spot on.
That is the same T-5 as I have in my 51. I did not change the input shaft. I used an adapter from Buffalo Enterprises and when I ordered that adapter I sent the bearing retainer and input shaft to him and he machined the front so it fit using my bell housing. You will need to get a new clutch to match the spline count on your trans. I ordered my clutch and told them what trans it was for and they made the clutch with the correct spine count.
You will have to cut out the stock trans cross member and e-brake and build a new cross member to accept the trans mount on the T-5. Buffalo also makes a trans mount and it was easy to cut the old one out and weld in the new one. I think Walton also makes a trans mount for this swap.
Are you changing out the springs or putting it on bags? If you are using the stock springs, you will need to relocate the mounting holes on the spring perches on your 57 rear end. There are many posts regarding swapping in the 55-57 rear and how you have to relocate the mounting holes.
You will also need a drive shaft. After I got everything installed, I then ordered a new driveshaft. The place I ordered my shaft from had directions on how to measure and they made a custom shaft to those measurements.
Bill Gommel
49 chevy Styleline (Sold), 51 Styleline 2 dr Special, 235 (from a 61 truck) bored .060 over, Dual Carter/Webers, Fenton Headers, T5- 5 speed with a 56 rear end. |
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old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-27-24 07:59 AM - Post#2875941
In response to Stickdude
Thanks for the information, it told me just what I needed to know about the bell housing, appreciate it.
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
Fenton Headers With Smitys |
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old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-27-24 08:17 AM - Post#2875942
In response to usmile4
Bill, appreciate the information. My car only has about a thousand miles on the new clutch so after looking at the adapter plate, comparing it to the Jeep input shaft I ordered the new shaft so that I can just change that and use the original clutch. I bought this rear end from a guy who was replacing the one in his 55 with a 9" ford, in fact I got the springs with it. I put new springs in my car just a few years ago so probably will just use them. I thought we may have to cut the old perches off and weld new ones on, wasn't aware that I just needed to redrill a new hole in the original ones. It also came with the emergency brake cables which I use the ones on my car a lot. Sounds like I need a new drive shaft, getting closer. Also going to install a new master cylinder while it's on the hoist and needs the brakes bled anyway. Dis you have to get a longer speedometer cable also, what did you use, do you remember? Thanks a bunch, Donn
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
Fenton Headers With Smitys |
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usmile4
"16th Year Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 4376
Age: 77
Loc: Aurora, Illinois
Reg: 08-12-05
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11-27-24 02:43 PM - Post#2875952
In response to old51sedan
Donn,
I don't have the original gauges, so I just put a string from the gauge cluster to the speed cable hole in the trans, then measured that and got one from my local auto parts. It wasn't the exact length, but it fits real fine.
To use your stock e-brake, you will have to relocate the stock brackets as they will come out when you replace the cross member. I cut everything off and relocated it on my new cross member. I did have to lengthen the rod that connects the handle to the brackets and I had to change the length of the cable going to the rear. I just went to my local U-Pull-It and found some brake cables that were made up of several sections with clips that joined the sections together and adapted them to my cables. I believe the brake cable were on some heavy duty trucks with long beds so they needed extra length on the original cables, I just scarfed the clips that were used to join the cables together and then adapted cable for my use.
Instead of drilling the stock perches, I wanted to put some lowering blocks on my springs, so I had the blocks made with pins that used the stock holes and in effect relocated the rear as would be done with drilling.
Will the Jeep input shaft fit the pilot bushing in your crank? I ended up changing out my pilot bushing for a roller bushing as I was getting some binding using the stock bushing.
The nice thing with using the 55-57 rear is that you can find other gear sets from any 55-64 rear end. I found a 3:36 Posi at a swap meet and it fit right in with only a little work.
Bill Gommel
49 chevy Styleline (Sold), 51 Styleline 2 dr Special, 235 (from a 61 truck) bored .060 over, Dual Carter/Webers, Fenton Headers, T5- 5 speed with a 56 rear end. |
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old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-28-24 08:05 AM - Post#2875971
In response to usmile4
Bill, thanks again, this is going to take a while, I don't like this cold weather and I'm at the mercy of the guy who owns the hoist, but will keep you posted. I will have to check on the pilot bearing when we get to that point. Anxious to get it in motion, but I've got other things going on right now, biggest is taking care of my wife who has gotten dementia, this is all new to me, it happens to so many people, they need to find a cure for this.
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
Fenton Headers With Smitys |
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usmile4
"16th Year Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 4376
Age: 77
Loc: Aurora, Illinois
Reg: 08-12-05
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11-28-24 09:47 AM - Post#2875977
In response to old51sedan
Sorry to hear of your situation. My sister-in-law is dealing with this so I know what you are dealing with.
I wish I had a lift...I did all of my work in a 1-car unheated garage with the car on jack stands so it can be done. I told my wife that I was going to do this and she was concerned that I didn't really know what I was doing, so I made her a promise that anything life dependent (frame, steering, etc) I would farm out to qualified people. So when I did the swap, I did all of the deconstruction of the crossmember and clamped all the pieces for the new crossmember in place using C-clamps. I loaded the car on a trailer and took it to a hot rod shop and had a master welder put it together. I got my blocks on and the rear end bolted in and then measured for the new drive shaft. It would have been sooo easy with a lift!
I know you want to have everything done when you have access to the lift, but go in stages. I pulled the old trans, put on the adapter and fit the T-5 laying on my back under the car. Since that time I have moved the engine, trans and all when I got my 51...again no lift. But this time around I did have my son help when putting some of the parts together and 4 hands were better than my 2 alone!
Bill Gommel
49 chevy Styleline (Sold), 51 Styleline 2 dr Special, 235 (from a 61 truck) bored .060 over, Dual Carter/Webers, Fenton Headers, T5- 5 speed with a 56 rear end. |
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Stickdude
"5th Year" Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 180
Loc: North Central Wyoming
Reg: 07-29-17
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11-29-24 04:46 AM - Post#2875986
In response to old51sedan
51, you mentioned about a pilot bushing, here is a link to the pilot bushing I had to use to replace the one in my 292 crankshaft to get my T5 to fit:
https://www.advanceadapters.com/5318
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old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-29-24 08:50 AM - Post#2875991
In response to Stickdude
Thanks for the information, I have that saved for later. Never have removed one, some say it's hard and others say nothing to it.
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
Fenton Headers With Smitys |
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old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-29-24 09:01 AM - Post#2875992
In response to usmile4
Your right a hoist would be so nice. We were at our grand daughters yesterday for Thanksgiving, her husband died 2 years ago this Monday, nice guy, loved cars. He was in the process of installing a new hoist when he died, he had the roof raised on his building, hoist is up, but was never wired up. Just sits there, it's 100 round trip from here, just sounds like a hassle, I could use it, but no equipment and I know I would get over there and would forget to bring something. I changed the rear end in mine to a power glide rear end about 25 years ago, buy will be 82 my next birthday and gravity is just not my best friend anymore. Besides that I have to take the wife everywhere I go or hire a babysitter, I might as well hire a mechanic with a hoist.
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
Fenton Headers With Smitys |
Edited by old51sedan on 11-29-24 09:03 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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usmile4
"16th Year Silver Supporting Member
Posts: 4376
Age: 77
Loc: Aurora, Illinois
Reg: 08-12-05
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11-29-24 11:21 AM - Post#2875996
In response to old51sedan
Easy Peasy to remove the pilot bushing. I got a bolt that would slip into the hole in the bushing, wrapped it with a few turns of duct tape so it needed to be "helped" into the hole. Then filled the hole with grease. Put taped bolt into hole and hit end of bolt with hammer. Kept adding grease until the bushing was out.
Here is a YouTube using this method. Only difference is that in the video he uses the head end of the bolt ground it to fit and put an o-ring on it. I just used duct tape on the bolt to make it fit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vACt8lenqM
You are going to have it all torn apart, might as well do as much as you can...and again, I did this with car on jack stands!
Bill Gommel
49 chevy Styleline (Sold), 51 Styleline 2 dr Special, 235 (from a 61 truck) bored .060 over, Dual Carter/Webers, Fenton Headers, T5- 5 speed with a 56 rear end. |
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old51sedan
Contributor
Posts: 849
Loc: Michigan
Reg: 10-11-09
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11-30-24 07:25 AM - Post#2876022
In response to usmile4
That's how I changed the rear end in mine many years ago was on jack stands, it may come back to that. I received the new jeep input shaft yesterday but hate to install into T5 without having access to the pilot bearing first, I guess I could measure that and deal with it later. I wonder if the outside diameter of all pilot bearing are the same, just a thought. Just thinking I don't believe that I removed the pilot bearing from the crank on my 292 before I installed it into my pickup, just bolted the 200-4R up to it and slide the whole works in.
1951 styleline 2dr deluxe
Original 51 plate, Dealer Tag, Documents
58,000 original miles, second owner
1954 PG 235, rear axle, Power Steering
Fenton Headers With Smitys |
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