Jul 17, 2012 For a manual transmission that will hold up to a decent 350, you are pretty much looking at the 6 speed from the early 90's Camaro's and Corvette's. If this is a bone stock, low performance 350, then just about anything GM used in a CAR will work and hold up. Drivetrain catalog offering discounted GM 3, 4, and 5 speed manual transmission parts for cars and pickup trucks and troubleshooting help! How to identify chevrolet gmc manual transmissions - drivetrain.com. The bellhousing-to-block bolt patterns are the same on the earlier V-8s, and the bellhousing-to-transmission configuration is common to all other GM manual transmissions; so installation of a 1983-92 GM T-5 out of a V-8 should be relatively painless, if you can. Chevrolet Performance offers Manual Transmission Installation Kits and other components for your transmission build or project car. View performance parts today. Not for use with 350/290 HP (P/N 12499529) and 350/290 HP Deluxe (P/N 19244450) crate engines, which use a two-piece main seal. Sonic Hatchback with 6-speed manual transmission. Drivetrain catalog offering discounted GM 3, 4, and 5 speed manual transmission parts for cars and pickup trucks and troubleshooting help! How to identify chevrolet gmc manual transmissions.

T-5 Tranny for 47-54 6cyl trucks

from stovebolt: http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/t5tranny.htm

I see so many questions on installing S-10 T-5 transmissions into old trucks I thought I’d write down my experience and offer it as tech reference. Instructions are for installing in a Advance Design model truck (’47 to ’53) but I think would be very similar for other years. This is not a straight forward install, particularly the clutch — beginners may not want to tackle this swap.

The tricky parts of this swap are putting together a clutch package and finding the right ratio’s tranny for your purpose. These trannys don’t have a great reputation with muscle car enthusiasts who run them with V-8’s, but they seem to be adequate for a 6. Mine has worked fine for 15 K now behind a 235.

Application sources

The T-5 was used in many applications: from 5.0 Mustangs to Jeeps to Vegas. They have the poorest reputation from the first two applications. The one you want for your truck should be from a 2 WD S-10 as the shifter in these variants is located nearest the front. It’ll make you as happy as finding a great cheap car insurance deal. It will locate the shifter about seven inches behind the stock 4-speed in AD trucks. Other variants will locate the shifter in the bench seat. You can use another variant and change the shifter location by bolting the tail shaft housing from an S-10 to it. The shifter is part of this housing so it will be located in the S-10 position. This seems to be your only option if you want a close ratio box from a V-8.

Ratios

The close ratio uses a 2.95 first gear and is best if you want performance set up. 2.95 is what the stock three-speed uses for first in the ’50. The info I got from the Chevy dealer shows 2 ratios available from ’85 to ’90 in the S-10 though there may be others: ML2 code in the glove box is 4.03 first and 2.37 second; ML3 is 3.76 first and 2.18 second.

I use an S-10 box with a 4.03 first. 4.03 is great for occasional steep driveways or creeping in a field but I usually start off in 2nd gear, which is 2.37. This will require some slipping the clutch at takeoff but works good for me. However, it will not give you a great launch if you want to do stoplight competition.

Another option is a box with 3.55 first gear. To me, this seems to be in-between the two and a compromise but I have heard some say they like it with a 3.73 rear. I prefer a 3.90 rear which will cruise 65 at 2100 RPM but will also pull hills OK in OD at 50. Also watch your OD ratios. I ended up with one early model box that had a .9 OD ratio. Hardly worth shifting into OD. Most are .72 but best to mark the input and output shafts and count revolutions.

An early box with mechanical speedo is a plus. I hear it’s very expensive to change from electronic to mechanical speedo drive. I find S-10 box’s plentiful for $50 to $100 at swaps, but the V-8 variants with 2.95 first seem to run more, around $200. Junkyards are very expensive places to get these. If time is on your side, shop around. Penny Saver-type papers are also a good source.

Before you install it…

After, or preferably before you purchase, it’s good to take a peak inside before you install. You can’t just pop a cover off to inspect these, you must pull off the tail shaft housing and shifter to get the top cover off. As long as you’re doing this you may as well at least re-shim the end play off the main shaft. They use tapered roller bearings and any end play will result in sloppy bearing clearance as in sideways play. One might consider bearings and synchro’s at this time also. Instructions are in Chilton’s at your local library. Also good time to change the speedo drive gear if necessary. You might not have to do this if you’re using a 3.73 or taller rear but I did with the 3.90. The S-10 used only one drive gear (9 teeth I think) but I found the Camaro T-5 had the right gear. I used GM P/N 14071731 (7 teeth drive gear) and 14077086 (driven gear) for my ratio of 3.90 and tire size of 28.8 inches. This will vary for different applications.

Also remove the C-clip from the rear of the output shaft. I don’t know the purpose of it but found it interfered when I used a particular drive shaft; could not slide it far enough forward to install. Some simple mods will need to be done to the tranny. Ream or drill the 4 mounting holes to open them up from the metric size to half inch. You will notice the input shaft, the pilot part of the shaft and the front bearing retainer are longer than the stock tranny’s. I cut about 1/4 of an inch off the pilot to match the stock one. This still leaves the overall length of the shaft a little long but was not a problem. You can drive the pilot bushing in further if it does interfere. I also cut the bearing retainer to match one from a stock tranny.

And now, the Tricky Part…

I found the tricky part was putting a clutch package together. Notice the splines are shorter than your stock tranny. They are also different size and number. S-10’s are likely 1-inch, 14 teeth, V-8 boxes are fine spline. Mine was 1-inch 14 so I used a 11-inch flywheel and an ’85 Astro Van 11- inch disc with a pressure plate from a small block. Used a throw out bearing from an SB but for a cast iron fork. Use the stock fork and clutch linkage. This setup put me within about .100 of running out of clutch splines on the input shaft. Enough to dis-engage but barely. I think if I ran out of splines I would have ground down the clutch disc hub a little. This is a gray area and I recommend setting everything up without a pressure plate installed so you can see what’s going on for clearance. I found some Astro Van discs very different from others. Any other make disc could work as long as it matches your input shaft and is the right thickness.

The gearbox is a couple inches longer than the stock one so you will need a shorter drive shaft. For my ’50 with the ’55 rear I found an Astro Van shaft fit perfectly with a Napa 348 cross over U joint for the rear. Again, this may vary for your application. Also needed a longer speedo cable. I’ve run the T-5’s and Saginaws with no trans mount several thousand miles with no problems, the trucks mount on the bell housing. It did however make me nervous with aluminum case sticking so far out in space so I fabricated a cross member from the original truck’s cross member. I cut and welded a recessed pocket in it, also cut and welded in tubes where the bolts pass through the vertical part of the cross. I bolted the mount to the tranny first and then slid the cross under it and bolted it on. Again perhaps not necessary but makes me feel better.

Fools the best of ’em

Most people at shows think I have a stock 4 speed. I used a 4-speed shifter welded onto the S-10 shifter. This does make for a long throw but I’ve heard of people reoperating the shifter pivot to address this. I acquired a Hurst after-market shifter with a short throw I plan on installing.

With the T-5 I can cruise 65 mph at 2100 rpm and still pull hills at 50mph without having to shift out of OD. I don’t hesitate to drive to a show or vacation hundreds of miles away. 65 to 70 is about all I feel comfortable doing in the truck and I still prefer a state highway to the interstate. Ratios are a gray area of this article. I make recommendations based on what I like and others may prefer different ratios depending on geographic location, engine, cam, how you plan on driving, towing, importance of gas mileage vs. performance.

What transmission is right for me?

Your transmission and engine combination is very important. Your vehicles weight and how you drive it are also a major factor. Transmissions come in two basic types, Automatic and Manual:

5 Speed Manual Transmission For Chevy 350

Automatic

TH350

Best transmission choice, hands down.

The Turbo Hydra-matic 350 was first used in 1969 model cars. It was developed jointly by Buick and Chevrolet to replace the two-speed Super Turbine 300 and aluminum case Powerglide transmissions. So, although it carries the Turbo Hydra-matic name, the Hydra-matic Division of General Motors had little, if anything, to do with its design. The 350 and its 250, 250c, 350c and 375b derivatives have been manufactured by Buick in its Flint, Michigan, plant and by Chevrolet in Toledo and Parma, Ohio, and Windsor, Ontario. Both Chevrolet and Buick divisions produced the TH350. For the 1981 model year, a lock-up torque converter was introduced which coincided with the new EMC control of most GM cars; This version is the THM350-C, this transmission was phased out in 1984 in GM passenger cars for the 700R4. Chevrolet/GMC trucks and vans used the THM350-C until 1986. The lock-up torque converter was unpopular with transmission builders B&M Racing once marketed a conversion kit for THM350-Cs during the early 1980s until the advent of high stall lock-up torque converters when its overdrive counterpart (THM700R4/4L60) were modified.

Intel 865g graphics chip accelerated vga bios. Pros

• Excellent gear spread between all three gears.
• Very low cost to build up to various levels of power handling.
• Can be built up to extreme power handling capabilities.
• Most all transmission shops are capable of building these to at least level 1 or 2.
• No TV cable to deal with.
• Stall converters are low in cost, and the selection is broad.
• Very reliable and simple to repair if needed.

Cons

• Select a final gear that will allow you the best overall performance and one that allows a decent off the line acceleration, and one that will be in a tolerable rpm range at highway speed. You must have the correct stall converter for optimal performance. This can make a huge difference in the way your vehicle accelerates.
• One THM350 weak point was excessive end-play between the pump and center support and resulting wobble of the direct clutch drum due to both the end play and use of a relatively narrow bushing in the drum. Add an extra thrust washer between the planetary gear and direct clutch to remove the end play and using a wider aftermarket bushing in the direct clutch drum.
• The relatively thin center support and lightweight matching splines in the case cause some people to beef up the case with an aftermarket case saver kit.
• These are becoming scarce, but there are still plenty of them around, and high performance parts are easily obtained.
• You may have to go through this long story to your less than knowledgeable friends as to why you didn't choose a 700R4, and when you explain it to them, they may still think you don't know what you’re talking about.

TH400

Better than a stock TH350, more expensive to build compared to TH350.

Pros

• Excellent gear spread. Very similar to a TH350.
• Strong internal parts.
• Reliable.
• Simple to build or repair to stock buildup levels.

Cons

• Very expensive to build up to higher power handling levels, as compared to a TH350. The TH350 has far more high performance parts available at reasonable costs. The 400 trans. is not a practical choice.
• Internal rotating parts (cast iron drum) are very heavy and create a huge drag compared to most any other trans., and this is not a subtle amount of drag. The TH400 is well known to be a heavier duty trans. than a TH350 but this heavy duty factor was designed more for heavy vehicles that may encounter pulling heavy loads. Only the largest of the GM cars weighing around 5000 lbs had these trans. in them, along with heavy duty pickups, usually 3/4 ton or larger trucks. Even the half ton Chevy trucks didn't come with these in them.
• They will certainly hold up better than a stock built TH350, but they are not a desirable trans. for a street rod. You can build a TH350 to level two that would be superior to any stock TH400 in every way for about the same cost. Building a TH400 to a high hp handling level will cost a great deal of money.
• You will never see this trans in a true Pro-Street car.

Powerglide

Only two gears, best suited for very light vehicles, under 1800 lbs. The Powerglide is a two-speed automatic transmission designed by General Motors. It was available primarily on Chevrolet from January 1950 through 1973, although some Pontiac models also used this automatic transmission after the fire at the Hydra-Matic factory in 1953.

Office 2003 basic iso. Pros

• Excellent transmission to build up to just about any power handling level.
• Most trans. shops are able to build this trans with ease.
• Very reliable, and simple to work on. Not much to go wrong.
• Decent first to second gear spread.
• Rotational drag is very low with this trans., moreso than any automatic on the market. Very efficient trans.
• Stall converters are not expensive and many choices available.

Cons

• Two gears, that's the problem. This trans. can only be run in cars that have a very high hp to weight ratio. It would be fair to say a vehicle weighing approx. 3400 lbs would require an engine output of 1000 hp or more to make it a rational choice, and even then, you would still need a decent final gear to get things moving off the line. The first gear in these is somewhat tall. Those running a T-Bucket roadster weighing around 1800 lbs. with a 500 hp or higher engine could make great use of a Powerglide trans.
• Having only two gears limits having the best of both worlds when it comes to off the line acceleration and cruising at highway speed.

700R4

Worst possible transmission choice.

Pros

• None, other than there are plenty of them around for a cheap price, and for good reason.
• Fuel injection does make this trans. more tolerable.
• It will get you from point A to point B period!

Cons

• Very wide first to second gear spread. First gear is a 3.06 ratio Second is a 1.62 ratio. This nearly equates to skipping from first to third gear with a manual trans. This kills acceleration when these trans go into second gear on a carbureted engine with a healthy cam and large runner intake manifold. Compare this to a TH350. First gear at 2.52 ratio and second gear is 1.52 do the math.
• The 3.06 first gear is so low that any final gear of above 3.55 or numerically higher will have you right at the max rpm at around 35 mph, only to then have your car fall on its face when it hits second gear, feeling like it skipped a gear. Wheel spin is uncontrollable upon hard launches, unless you have a very tall final gear, and then you can for sure count on going nowhere quickly when second gear comes in. Overdrive would be totally useless at highway speed regardless of detuning with a tall final gear, unless you were cruising at around 100 mph.
• Huge cost to build up to a decent street rod level. Don't even consider a stock rebuild to handle 500 hp or more. Under hard use, the 700R4 will fail quickly.
• Limited as to what level these can be built up to. High performance transmission builders and parts suppliers don't even recognize this as a serious transmission.
• More complex to build than a TH350 and far more expensive, especially when built up to handle high hp numbers.
• Having to run a cumbersome throttle value cable to the carb. linkage. This feature actually serves a good purpose, but if not set properly, it can destroy your transmission quickly. Very critical adjustment, and often overlooked.
• The overdrive is actually useless with engines running decent size cams relative to the cubic inch, especially with large runner dual plane intakes, and single plane intakes are out of the question with this trans.
• Stall converters are double the cost of the one run in a TH350.
• This is not a reliable transmission in a street rod.
• Lowers the value of your vehicle to some degree, especially on high hp builds. These transmissions do not belong in most carbureted street rods. You must detune an engine considerably to operate the overdrive and be able to tolerate the first to second gear drop.
• Could be classified as the worst mismatch of parts known on a true street rod.
• As a side note, I would like to mention that most of us have owned a regular stock street car with a 700R4 trans, or its electronic likeness, a 4L60E, and didn't find much of an issue with the way they operated, especially if the vehicle was fuel injected. This is because stock car engines are designed to operate totally different in the very low rpm range. They have huge amounts of off idle torque compared to the average carbureted street rod that makes 400 hp or more. This off idle instant torque allows the vehicle to keep its speed up decently when the 700R4 drops into second gear, and the same low rpm also allows the overdrive gear to operate normally at very low rpm. There are other factors that also allow these trans. to operate at low rpm, especially on fuel injected computer driven engines.

GM200

Most all the cons you see for the 700R4 exist within the GM200

Pros

• Has a better gear spread than the 700R4 but not as optimal as the TH350.
• Not much good to say about this trans. It certainly has a place in some special late model applications, but old school Chevy engines is not one of them.

Cons

• This transmission can cost up to three times more to build up to a decent power handling level compared to a built up TH350.
• Cannot hold up to high torque engine builds unless an enormous amount of money is spent on this trans.
• This trans is not a reliable trans. compared to any of the early GM trans.

4L60-E

Electronically controlled trans. Most of the same issues as the 700R4. Terrible choice to run in an old school carbureted engine.

Pros

• No TV cable to deal with or shifting linkage. It has pump pressure control and shifting via electronics.
• Not much good to say about this expensive trans. It is virtually a 700R4 with a modern twist.

5 Speed Manual Transmission For Chevy 350

Cons

Best 6 Speed Manual Transmission For Chevy 350

• Very expensive to build up to a high power handling level. Can cost up to $4,000 to build this trans up to a decent level. Computer controlled engines may require this unless you bypass the car’s computer system.
• Complex. Very complex!
• Pointless to run such a terrible transmission.
• If you insist on such a trans, the 4L80-E is a better choice, as it has a normal gear spread, and is a much stronger trans. Still pointless to use with an old school carbureted engine.

Manual

Four and Five speed Manual

Don't forget to upgrade your clutch and flywheel components.

Pros

• High quality manual transmissions can be very expensive.
• Excellent acceleration at any speed due to many selective gear ratios. Finding a gear at any cruising speed to hit it hard is easily accomplished with a manual compared to an automatic.
• More efficient delivery of horsepower to the rear wheels with a manual trans. versus an automatic. In other words, less loss of power due to slippage as encountered with an automatic transmission.
• For some people, the fun factor of shifting gears is one of the high points of owning a street rod.
• Very reliable, long lasting. Low maintenance. Simple to change out a clutch if needed.

Cons

• Can be very expensive to purchase a high quality modern manual trans. and high performance clutch and flywheel, especially the Tremec Series.
• Can be somewhat complex to change over from an auto to a manual trans.
• If you think your car is going to run faster with a manual versus an auto, you will be greatly disappointed. The automatic transmission can not only shift much faster, but off line acceleration can be controlled to a much greater degree. This is why most drag cars have automatic transmissions. All things equal, a car equipped with an auto trans will outrun one equipped with a regular street rod manual with great ease.
• Missing gears when racing can cause damage to your engine, and loss of control of your vehicle should you drop into the previous gear during an aggressive run. Been there a couple times, dropped a valve in brand new Lotus Esprit shifting out of second into first rather than third, and locked up the back wheels on a Dodge Viper shifting into second rather than fourth at high speed. Nearly lost control of the car at around 80 mph.
• If you’re deciding to run a 5 or 6 speed manual trans because of the overdrive gear, be aware that most engines built with large lopey cams, and single plane intakes running a carb will usually not allow effective use of the overdrive gear.
• Tremec T56 transmissions are very popular and highly advanced. They are expensive. They tend to be notchy to shift when new. Takes many miles before they become easy to shift. They can be difficult to install in some early model classic cars, as they are huge compared to early model transmissions. They can cost a great deal of money to rebuild if needed. Still about the best manual trans out there, and can handle very high horsepower levels.