@Ford Guys

[Clinical]

So I've had Imports(If you want to call DSM's that), I've had f-bodies, and too many other cars.
I just like to try different things, I thought about buying some parts for the talon but honestly I've been there done that and I'd rather just keep it what it is, a nice DD.

I'm looking to do a 'budget' 5.0 build.
Goals would be mid 12's -> high 11's

I'm thinking about picking up a foxbody but with as common as they are in the racing scene, I haven't been around them a whole lot. Just wondering, how solid are the t5's for the power I'd like to make? I'd love to stay manual but I wouldn't be willing to dump a bunch of money in a swap if it'd be cheaper to just do something cheaper with an auto.

Now I'd like to just stick with the 5.0. I'd love to be able to say, put down mid 12's on motor and spray into the 11's.

Just wanting some insight from you guys because I know there are a lot of guys here that have been in the foxbody world.

[86svo9L]

T5 life really depends on how you take care of them. If you are powershifting every pass with those times be prepared to rebuild it every couple years or more. They will last quite a while if not abused badly, but the problem being that its hard to not abuse them.

[AutoMods]

you may have wised up. cheapest way to go quick.

[allgo]

third gear is the only problem gear on t5s

[85XR7Project]

79-84 carb with the pussy 7.5 rear non roller cam
85 carb hyd roller (IIRC) 7.5
86-88 EFI speed density hyd roller 8.8
89-93 EFI Mass air hyd roller 8.8

Choose well! My facts may not be 100% correct but its about the gist of what you get to work with. If aiming for budget use a late explorer 5.0 and change out cam and valve springs and you have a decent start. Stock Exploder heads were GT40P Cast Iron heads and the intake was an uglier GT40.

[Drifte]

mamy you homo, give me the awd then if your doin a foxbody.

[Scott]

My buddy Zack has blown out 3rd gear a few times when he had a fox, my brother knocked the entire cluster out of his T-5 launching it in 1st gear. Both were done on the street. Im not a huge fan, but if they arent blowing chunks T-5's seem to shift great.

If you want a Fox you can get one built up pretty good for a really cheap price right now "compared to building it", look on yellowbullet or racingjunk

[Clinical]

mamy you homo, give me the awd then if your doin a foxbody.
Haha I'd think you'd of had enough of DSM's by now!


Thanks for all the info guys, sounds like I'd be okay with a t5. I loved the way mine shifted in my mustang even thought it wasn't the same.
I'd prefer to just go carb setup, tired of playing around so much with efi tuning from all the DSM's / Hondas / F-Bodies I've dealt with.

[Scott]

Haha I'd think you'd of had enough of DSM's by now!


Thanks for all the info guys, sounds like I'd be okay with a t5. I loved the way mine shifted in my mustang even thought it wasn't the same.
I'd prefer to just go carb setup, tired of playing around so much with efi tuning from all the DSM's / Hondas / F-Bodies I've dealt with.

Now your talking my language, hard to beat simplicity!! Now get yourself a nitrous kit and your set

[black88gt]

If you do find something EFI or whatever I've got a Holley 600 DP and a Torker II(IIRC on the manifold)

On the T5s its like Allgo said, that 2-3 shift is what does it usually.

[Clinical]

I haven't searched at all until now, on the first search locally I came up with this which may be a possibility
http://cedarrapids.craigslist.org/cto/2734959774.html

I still haven't looked further out, and I'm usually willing to go up to 5 hours out for the right deal

I'd like to think I'd be okay with the T5 from the way you guys are talking.
I'm used to slow/smooth shifts from DSM's so I figure I could be easy on the 2-3 and go a bit harder on the rest.
I was definitely not nice to the T56 in my firebird though, never did WOT shifting but I slammed gears like hell in that car and it loved it.

[85XR7Project]

Keep an eye on the rear quarters in front of the rear tires and behind. Also keep an eye on the shock towers, those are the main spots for rust. If you see it on the outside its 20x worse underneath.

[Clinical]

Will do, this helps a lot cause I really don't know the common rust / body spots to look at on foxbodies.

[sparkles]

Like previously stated, the 2-3 shift under WOT will pretty much destroy it. Not sure on the Mustangs, but in the F Bodys, they're rated to 300hp. Don't know if it's as simple as a bell swap, but if you find an auto you wanna swap, or a manual that's broke, I'd make you a deal on my T-5. I just swapped to a T56 in my 91.

[bizzle]

On the T5s its like Allgo said, that 2-3 shift is what does it usually. ill have to remember to baby that shift ... just put a 94 t5 in my 67

[Jacobey]

Will do, this helps a lot cause I really don't know the common rust / body spots to look at on foxbodies.

Watch the frame under the battery and the frame rail by the master cylinder. That was the worst on one of mine. Heard that it rusts around the torque boxes too.

I haven't really decided, but I have an '86 notchback Ive been thinking about selling. It has a v6 but is pretty much rust free (different car than the rust i was saying above lol) and would make a perfect candiate for a v8 swap

[Xjeffs]

Read through this T5 site for some history and which year to buy. If I remember correctly, the 93 was the best balance of gear ratios vs. torque capacity (300 ft-lbs). There are some beefier aftermarket builds, too.

http://www.moderndriveline.com/Technical_Bits/t5_history.htm

and this one

http://www.ttcautomotive.com/English/products/T-5.asp

Brett (85xr7project) is right on about the 5.0L's. The late Explorer is the way to go if you change the cam and get some fox headers that fit the GT40P head. You'll have to transfer your accesory drive and distributor/wires, etc. You can even swap to aluminum heads for some good weight loss too. Then buy a cheap aluminum driveshaft off a crown vic intercepter for more weight savings. The list is exhaustive and almost endless.

[AutoMods]

Brett (85xr7project) is right on about the 5.0L's.

Yes, it is well known that of the all the ford v8 non-owners on this site, he is the most knowledgeable of them. his vast knowledge comes from either the fords he's owned in the past OR his expansive internet reading on them. I can't tell you which :)

:nutkick:

[bizzle]

Read through this T5 site for some history and which year to buy. If I remember correctly, the 93 was the best balance of gear ratios vs. torque capacity (300 ft-lbs).

i like the taller od in the 94-95 ... lets me run 70mph at 2000rpm with 3.73 gears

[Xjeffs]

i like the taller od in the 94-95 ... lets me run 70mph at 2000rpm with 3.73 gears

Yeah it looks like the 92-95 were the same. Not sure why I had 93 stuck in my head as the best option a few years back.

Here's another detailed list of gear ratios, torque etc of most of the Ford T5 options that were made.

http://www.coolcats.net/modifying/t5_data.html

[bizzle]

thanks for that last link i have been looking for a speedo drive gear listing for my trans for a while now :biggthumpup:

[85XR7Project]

Yes, it is well known that of the all the ford v8 non-owners on this site, he is the most knowledgeable of them. his vast knowledge comes from either the fords he's owned in the past OR his expansive internet reading on them. I can't tell you which :)

:nutkick:

Ahh yes, sarcasm. I know ye well.

Nice to see you on here Jeff!

[K-ville]

Pay really close attention to the torque boxs in stick cars especially. From what I have seen the have a tendency to be torn and cracked from abuse and build up alot of rust where they are damaged. Ive never had to replace torque bixs but ive heard its a nightmare to do.

[AutoMods]

just messing with ya brett. coolcats.net ... hehe, would take a pretty fast cougar for me to consider it a cool cat.

[Xjeffs]

There's a reason it's not called fastcats.net although there is a blown 351 87 Cougar out there.

Nice to be here, Brett, thanks for the hookup. Now get a Ford to build and break.

[BGjohnson]

As much as these cars are abused, ragged on and flex. I'd find a nice clean 4cyl and do a swap.

Most v8's are going from 5-7k for a nice one, most nice 4cyl are going for 1-3k with low miles. Yeah it's a little bit of a headache to do a swap, but you are starting out with a chasis that's not thrashed and twisted. 351W swap is easy and you start with a better platform.

84-86 DO NOT have valve reliefs on the pistons, so they can't take a cam swap. 86-88 are a speed density, so you can't swap cams unless you do a tuning system. 89-93 are MAF cars, so you can do a decent amount of mods without touching a tuning system.

[85XR7Project]

There's a reason it's not called fastcats.net although there is a blown 351 87 Cougar out there.

Nice to be here, Brett, thanks for the hookup. Now get a Ford to build and break.

Maybe someday. always seems so far away. been hitting the firearms pretty hard in the meantime. i gotta get mom's Checker done first before i get my own.

[Xjeffs]

And here you go...

http://waterloo.craigslist.org/pts/3124649708.html

[Caleb]

Build a 302 with the package I have on my car (edelbrock performer rpm top end kit), I run 12.5's on very mild launch/when the tires grab, throw 3.73's and a 100 shot and I'll bet it can do high 11's easily.