T5 5 speed into TC Cortina!

[Anonymous]

Ok everybody I am pretty much hanging to get a 5 speed in my precrossflow 250, currently auto, tc cortina. I'm so bored with driving an auto, everytime I drive my chicks 5 speed I'm so happy I feel like I've done a few hot laps in an f1 car or something.

Anyway, a main consideration is doing it on the cheap.

So I've been thinking a t5 from an xf would be good.

I am pretty sure I will run into difficulties with the shifter hole. The t5 will sit further back and may foul the handbrake, is that correct? Is there an easy fix?

What else will have to be done to get one working in my cortina? I know I will need a pedalbox.

The bellhousing should bolt right up to the precrossflow right?

Is there a better or different 5 speed I should be looking at instead. But remember cost is a big factor here.

Also anyone know the ratios of the t5?

What does a t5 shift like? Smooth, crap etc....

Thanks

 

[xctasy]

We'll have to pool our resources here.

Unlike the Top Loader and Big Ford BW Single Rail and little BW single rails, the T5 has one common shifter type which is positioned via different depth bellhousings. If you check addos posts, a T5 has a raft of varying bellhousings from GM Holden (GM 3800 and Holden 304's differ), Ford I6 and Mustang V8, AMC Jeep/Eagle, Nissan 280 and 300 ZX, and even the wacky 10 degree laid over S10/Skylark/F-body set -up. There is a rare Sierra Cosworth/Merkur XR4 version which should fit perfectly.

All you have to do is adjust that gearshift postion so it fits the original Cortina hole. From memory, using the stock Toploader TC Cortina Bellhousing was what MustangSix used on mustangsix2's 65 Mustang X-flow EFI. He used the right adaptor to fit the T5 to it. I seem to remember all AMC and Ford manual transmissions ran a 4.8" deep bellhousing. The gearshift in early Mustangs comes out quite far forward, so that would be your best option. The World Class Mustang T5, from Mal Wood, would bolt right in. Since the park brake is very close, though, any shifter to hole missmatch, even a few inches, might as well be a mile!

The stock BW single rail or toploader Cortina shifter is 5" further forward than a stock single rail in a Falcon.

 

[Anonymous]

I grafted a T5 into my TE cortina.

I had to cut the hole in the floor back further and had to notch and replate the crossmember which the seats mounts onto. This took me half a day to do. I also had to redrill the handbrake holes about 50mm further back. This also meant welding up some of the slot on the floor because the new bolt holes ended up needing to be where the old slot for the linkage was.

I used a late model XR6 gearbox because they are stronger than the XF ones The XF T5's are very weak and have poor ratios, 3.5:1 first gear from memory. The ratios are all over the place depending on what model the box is out of. First gears can be 3.5, 3.25, 3.00. I have a table of gearbox model numbers and the matching ratios somewhere at home which I might be able to post if I ever remember to dig it out.

You will still need the bellhousing and clutch fork from the XF falcon box. I'd suggest going to Ford and buying the brand new cable for $70 because the old ones use the poxy circlip adjustment but Ford released and update cable which now has a thread and nut to adjust with. While your at it I also suggest having your flywheel redrilled so you can fit a 6 bolt (three dowel) clutch off the later model OHC engines. These can be modified upto 2800 lbs of clamping force. My clutch has survived 850 Nm of torque and 420 rwhp so far from a turbo engine.

The shifter location will not be easy to change as it would require a different rear extension housing and the pushrod into the box would probably have to change also which would mean strippng the whole box.

You can easily use the holden T5 either because the input shaft in longer and won’t work with the XF falcon bellhousing.

I took all the counterweights and junk off the box and used the standard Cortina gearbox rubber mount. I had to slot the holes slightly on the mount and on the crossmember. I had to notch the front out of the crossmember and weld a little gusset plate back in there because the T5 has a bulge in the extension housing which clashes with the crossmember when using the back set of holes.