Alright, i have been thinking about this for a while now, been doing lots of reading and searching, but i have a couple questions.

First, my cars a 88 NA GX (canadian model). I was thinking of doing either LS1/LT1 with either a T5 or T56, or whichever combo i can find of these cheapest/easiest.

Im thinking of going with the granny's kit, and keepign the motor fairly stock for now, maybe if i keep the car for a few years ill eventually put a blower on it. I just want a crazy, reliable, more inexpensive 7. If i had a TII car i would be building a 13BT up, but since the junkyards rarely see TII's here im going for a v8 swap. That, and there isnt any experienced rotary guys in town. The only boltons i would go with is probably a 4bbl and headers maybe. I need some suggestions on a carb, but i will have the headers taken care of already.

So my questions are: what would i exactly need to order from granny's? Should i just go with the basic kit with tran and motor mounts? I have p/s so i want to keep it, so do i just buy the 350 buck basic kit w/ the mounts added ($30) for 380 total?

Also, should i just try and find a driveshaft shop around town to build me one? also, should i just go with an S4 LSD for now and throw it in my pumpkin?


Thanks, hope some of you guys can help, i cant wait to get this project started.

 

Granny's site will outline the necessary parts.

I recommend having a professional driveline shop modify the driveshaft. Mine was done this way and cost $180 + a TII core unit. You have a lot to lose if a weld breaks and the shaft starts whipping around in the tunnel.

Get ready to have a seriously mean car!

 

sorry to jack the thread but i have simliar questions and also i have an 86 gx na will the stock rear end hold up with the power from a normal carbed 350 ?

 

get a t2 rearend.

 

It'll hold up for a while, but will obviously break under less torque stress than the TII unit. I haven't seen any data to make a claim as to what amount of torque will break the NA unit, but considering how fast FC TII's are going to junkyards these days due to rotary problems, you should be able to find a TII rear for a couple hundred bux or less.

 

dont go T5 transmission unless you dont plan on much drag strip use onslicks and keep the motor around 300hp, and even if you do plan on this, get one out of a 88+ camaro/firebird since those are the world class units and are stronger. i believe all mustangs after 86 had those units as well, so get that one if you go 5.0 ford v8 swap

T5 is weak... i'd look for the T56 for sure.

 

In the long run i dont plan on taking the motor much over 400 hp. Im going to keep it fairly stock until next summer hopefully when i can start dumping some money in to it, and even then it will only be minor fuel and air upgrades, and headers.

 

T56 weighs 50 lb more though and if the engine is going to be stock as stated it makes sense to KISS.

 

T56 is drastically stronger than the T5....50 lbs is well payed insurance on a 400hp motor. T5's have weak cases and flex alot which misaligns the gears inside and causes failure. any heavy launching at the strip or powershifting regularly will lead to failure more than likely

 

There is a reason that no third-gen fbodies came with the t-5 and a 350, they couldnt provide a warranty for it...broke way too often. If you go GM, use a T-56, if you go 5.0, use the mustang t-5 (I have heard it's much better than the unit used in fbodies).

 

^Good to learn, my T5 came from a 92 fox body. It "feels" a lot better than the NA and TII trannys I've shifted before and seems to weigh about the same as the TII unit.

 

If you really want a T5, go with a TKO or a G-force modded T5. Either should handle up to 600hp. But then again, it'll be more expensive...

 

very true, those TKO's are a mean tranny!

 

reason no 350 80s fbody came with the t-5 is cuz the 350 motor produces soo much torque. the trans is only rated to 330lbft and the 350 motor was rated at 350 lbft

ford T5 is structurally the same as GM's. the later GM's and i think 85 on fords are all world class units. so they have the same strength/internals etc..

the trans loves to break 3rd gear for some reason. with G force or astro performance rebuilt parts, the trans can be built to handle some mean power. i think hanlon motorsports has good T5 stuff too. probly around 500-600hp can be handled.

but the price of the G force stuff, you could have a used low mile T56 that can handle the same power.... so i'd go T56 anyway.