Tranny choice for 351W 89 Fox

[tnuce10]

My room mate just picked up an 89 GT to be his project car.

It was "built" by some rednecks and basically everything needs redone or gone through. And the first and foremost is the tranny. It currently has a C4 which supposedly has a manual valve body, but it doesn't and the tranny is totally gone.

Motor is a 351W, MSD ignition, aftermarket radiator, BBK shorties, and a Holley carb (guessing 650 but not sure).

He's tossed up on what to do with the tranny. Either buy a rebuilt T5 or have the C4 rebuilt and put a true manual valvebody in it. This is going to be a budget build so price will be an important factor.

If it were your car, what would you do and why?


Mods...wasn't sure where to put this thread. If this is the wrong forum please move. Thanks.

 

[Stanley]

If it is going to be street driven more than track I would go T-5, if not rebuild the c4.

 

[tnuce10]

His plan is to have a fun street car that can be taken to the track on the weekends.

I saw that AMP Performance (I think) has rebuilt T5's for $795.

But will a T5 hold up to the torque of the 351 when he starts making more power?

 

[chrisheltra]

Powerglide

 

[Stanley]

His plan is to have a fun street car that can be taken to the track on the weekends.

I saw that AMP Performance (I think) has rebuilt T5's for $795.

But will a T5 hold up to the torque of the 351 when he starts making more power?

That I don't know. I will be faced with the same decision one day when I get my '69 back on the road. A three speed above 40mph sucks and I only have 3.73 gear.

Do they make built AOD's? I was thinking about that, it would let me keep the factory console. Might be kind of pricey though.

 

[My94GT]

tko 500

 

[Explosive]

T-5 is a piece of shit. I'd say get a nice C4 which is what I'd love to toss into my fox. However money was an issue so I settled for a used tremec 3550 for now.

I like auto cars more. But on average it seems manual trannys cost less.

 

[wrksnfx]

I would go w/ either a C6 of the FMX (3 speed Overdrive transmission which can handle up to a 351C motor) I have one stock in my 1979 Ranchero 500 and it is also Fords stronger transmissions and is the same length as the AOD 4 speed transmission so when money is more plentiful you can always upgrade without having to get the drive shaft lengthen again.

REMEMBER REMEMBER REMEMBER if you get the FMX transmission also get the kick down linkage or you'll only have a 2 speed transmission and don't worry about the specialty clips that hold it on you just need a couple of snap rings.

 

[KingBlack]

that t-5 will NOT hold up

 

[xXGadfly09Xx]

Why not the man trans from the s197 3550 or whatever it is. Hell see if you score a t56 bc they are known to be good and the second overdrive can help with fuel economy

 

[05slvrgt]

Why not the man trans from the s197 3550 or whatever it is. Hell see if you score a t56 bc they are known to be good and the second overdrive can help with fuel economy

S197 cars use a tremec 3650. Personally, I think it is junk. The second gear synchronizer is known to go out, which calls for a rebuild. Also, a lot of the s197 guys who go built switch to a 6060 from the gt500.

If you have a t5 built the right way, it will be fine I think. My buddy's nitrous 347 hatch went 9.25s with a t5. Granted he is a hell of a driver but a built transmission will take the beatings.

 

[Jroc]

A GM auto tranny like a TH400 is suppose to be better than a Ford auto tranny like a C4.

 

[65fastback2+2]

I would go w/ either a C6 of the FMX (3 speed Overdrive transmission which can handle up to a 351C motor) I have one stock in my 1979 Ranchero 500 and it is also Fords stronger transmissions and is the same length as the AOD 4 speed transmission so when money is more plentiful you can always upgrade without having to get the drive shaft lengthen again.

REMEMBER REMEMBER REMEMBER if you get the FMX transmission also get the kick down linkage or you'll only have a 2 speed transmission and don't worry about the specialty clips that hold it on you just need a couple of snap rings.

did you just call an fmx trans strong?????????? lol. they were the biggest pieces of junk ever in their time

 

[65fastback2+2]

if you need an auto, built aod or aod-e

if you want a manual, tremec tko or 3550

 

[65fastback2+2]

S197 cars use a tremec 3650. Personally, I think it is junk. The second gear synchronizer is known to go out, which calls for a rebuild. Also, a lot of the s197 guys who go built switch to a 6060 from the gt500.

If you have a t5 built the right way, it will be fine I think. My buddy's nitrous 347 hatch went 9.25s with a t5. Granted he is a hell of a driver but a built transmission will take the beatings.

t5's are hit an miss

a buddy of mine had a 600cfm carb'd stock 5.0 in his 1966 coupe and went through 2 t5's and a t5z in like 12 months. nothing would hold up

 

[clean93]

t5's are definitely hit and miss. i still run a hanlon performance t5 in my fox since i did the blower install 3 years ago. But the t5 shifts like butter especially for the city driving i do here in DC. he can always do a tko trans also

 

[tnuce10]

Another thing I was wondering is about the shifter...

His C4 currently has a B&M shifter that seems like it was pretty rigged. It's back, next to the handbrake and seems like it was pretty rigged. Is this where a C4 shifter is normally mounted in these cars?

The factory shifter opening was filled with expanding foam and rattle canned...:nonono:

 

[Stanley]

did you just call an fmx trans strong?????????? lol. they were the biggest pieces of junk ever in their time

My '69 came with one. I agree with you.

 

[RCM90]

My '69 came with one. I agree with you.

+1!:beer:

 

[cobra=trouble]

Im building a possibly hoping a low 9.second drag car or possibly a high8 maybe ? My old school tko non 500 series is hoding up ight now runing 10.09 @138.7..going ligther car now tubbed notch
iam not sure if i should use my tko or..get a built c4 to handle 1000 or 750 hp.will need a trans beake if go auto.rifht now am going through clutch disc. I got a pro motion right now i havent tried it yet..
But for bugeat you think a buget c6 will handle my needs cause i got a c6 sitting not in use
running Goodyear slicks 31x14x15s with 9in rear with 4.30 might be to much gear? But has spool ans 33 splines.motor pulls.to.8200 rpms but likes 7200/7800 shift point with the tko and 3.73s rifht now in mt gt.
Wtd.?.... Is D5 compound good for a 3000 lbs car