I know the turbo transmission is based on the old "ribcase" trannies from the RX-3/4/Cosmo, but do the bellhousings interchange? I had one report that the number of trans to bellhousing bolts changes, and another report that a TII trans will bolt right up to an early bellhousing.

Just trying to clear the confusion, and work up my own T5 tranny swap, which there are adapters out there but they require a pre-RX-7 bellhousing... but if a TII bellhousing also works then that's about three years of scavenger-hunting that I can avoid

 

The number of bolts have changed but they will still bolt together. I've done the conversion many times before. The only one that have the extra bolt hole are the 89 to 93 turbo tranny but it still can bolt to the earlier bellhousing by just leaving the extra bolt out. Any adapter thats made to bolt to the earlier bell housing will also fit the latter. The only difference would be one made to fit the fd tranny because it has a longer input shaft than the earlier trannies and would require a thicker adapter plate.
I hope you know that a T-5 is much weaker than any of the turbo trannies! It might be a little stronger than a Non turbo tranny so long as you don't put it behind a high reving bridge or peri ported motor. Also you'll have to granny shift if your redline is above 7K.

crispeed
87TII
9.20@150mph

 

THANK YOU very much!

Per your concerns, thanks for the heads-up. I know 3rd gear is problematic on the stock T5's, even the "world class" '89-up ones, however I was thinking more along the lines of what the Stang-bangers call a pro-shifted trans, like a Liberty. (They seem to hold up well enough to 9500rpm clutchless shifts in much heavier cars that go much quicker than I probably will!)

 

A pro-shifted tranny shifts like ice on wet pavement at any rpm's!
I'm running the pro-shift Richmond/Dough-nash 4+1 5 speed!

crispeed
87TII
9.20@150mph

 

The T-5 liberty are synchro-less trannies if I rember right. Some one correct me if I am wrong. I wouldn't want that in a street car.

The 93 and up turbo trannies also have a probles with breaking 5th gear synchro easily. I don't know if the 89-91 models have that problem, but I would stick with one of those for a tranny. Is the 89-91 tranny shorter than the 93-95? It sure looks that way, but I have never had them side by side to compare.

 

Yes they're non-synchro. Why wouldn't you want to drive it on the street? Most tractor-trailer transmissions are non-synchro...

 

Heh, non synchro trannies actually require a little skill to drive. I guess some people can't handle it

 

Yeah, it would be funny to see them have to try to drive a 50's VW Beetle or just about any pickup from the 50's-60's-70s, or ANYTHING with a 3-speed manual "What, you mean I have to rev-match to shift? I have to THINK??? NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"

FWIW a guy I know used to let his girlfriend drive his 5.0 around... he had a pro-shifted trans in it... she had no problems...

 

I would opt for a Tremec trans before i would ever get a synch-less T-5. I have broke so many of them I will never own another. I wonder if there is an adapter for the Tremec 3550 or TKO trans to a rotary? That would be worth the money.