Thread: GM 5-speed sticks

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I'm looking at swapping the T-350 in my roadster for a 5 speed stick. Any ideas on the best 5-speed trans / clutch etc for a "moderately done" 355?

How rich are you feeling? Scoggin-Dickey has a Tremec T-56 6 speed for $6300. Richmond sells some 5 and 6 speeds that start around $1800 and should hold up fine in your application. None of them are overdriven, and I assume that is the reason you want to get the 5 speed as opposed to the 4 speed? Richmond runs lower 1-4 ratios than other manufactuers and a 1:1 5th. You could swap out your rear gear for a lower ratio and the transmission would behave like a standard overdrive transmission.

If you're feeling lucky at the junk yard, GM still puts 5 speeds in some of their trucks, they use a Getrag 5 speed in their Joe Gibbs edition Silverado and I believe a Borg-Warner 5 speed as the base transmission in the Silverado.

Okay! Thank you very large!

Whoa, straight cut teeth, don't want those on the street. You'll be the only guy on the block with a transmission that is louder than his engine.

The top loaders like the T-5s are slop boxes, side loaders like muncies and richmonds feel so much better.

whats wrong with a 6 speed out of a latemodel Corvette , Z28 or Trans Am? Why does everything have to be overkill?He said he was using a moderately done 355 in a lightweight roadster. I bought the drivetrain out of a wrecked Z28 with 31,000 miles on it. LT1 S10 has the motor in his truck, The 6 speed is going in my 64 with a 355 with 375 to 400 horsepower.I dont anticipate any problems. I am forever seeing all the high dollar recomendations in these threads,like everyone here has a million dollars to work on their project. I think we're all watching too much Hot Rod T V. Lets get back to the real world.

Originally posted by techinspector1
Geez Riverhorse, what are you and Mike eating for breakfast, Cap'n Grouch? For all we know, topster could have been thinkin' to himself "I'd like to use a T5, but I'm afraid they're too wimpy". Apparently he has a '32 roadster and a '32 coupe, so he's no stranger to finding parts, but he may not have known about G-force, so I just gave him another option.

I received an education about buying transmissions long distance, sight unseen. I responded to an ad in Hemmings when I was looking for a toploader some years ago. This was a code RUG box and it's what I was looking for to go behind a big block MEL 430. I ponied up $630 to buy it and have it shipped from Florida to Arizona. The buyer assured me that it was in tip-top shape and had been rebuilt with the best parts. Well, you can probably guess the rest of the story. When I pulled the cover to inspect it, I found 3 broken gears and the rest of it was junk. At the time I bought it, if I had known about David Kee in Texas, I would have purchased a good box from him. But I didn't know about him, so I got an education. That's the whole point of this response, that we should give the fellows who are looking for components a different way to go if they wish. Anybody who has 2 hotrods already built knows he can go fishing in a boneyard or take his chances with a private buyer.

i have not used a stright shift in 30 yrs. and dont understand why anybody would wont one, but thats none of my bus. he can use anything he wonts to, but it sounds like to me some of you are trying to send him to the moon instead around the block. if it good enough to work behind a good LT1 or LS1 then i belive it should work behind a "moderately done" 355. plus you would have the overdrive to go with it. that G-force modified trans sounds like something you would put in a 7 sec. drag car. JMO

[QUOTE]Originally posted by techinspector1
[B]Geez Riverhorse, what are you and Mike eating for breakfast, Cap'n Grouch?




Hey Tech, So You think Mike and I have been eating out of the same bowl. I was laughing when I posted this morning. Although it wasnt directed right at You I was sure You would respond in the exact manner that You have. I chuckled about it for an hour before I had to take care of some Church business. I just got back and was pleased to see your response. I told You before that I like reading your post and feel most of the time You give out some real good advice and information. I respect your knowledge. I can always see where safety and quality are important to You.The other day I read a post where You said ,YOU WERE SO TIGHT THAT YOU COULD SQUEEZE A NICKEL TILL THE BUFFALO FARTED.Why then dont You take into consideration that others here may be working with limited funds or resources? When I bought the complete Z28 driveline I bought it from a reputable used parts dealer with a warranty. Tech, I just received my Valentine, so I am much nicer now.Just reading the Club hot Rod Girls posts will give a boost to anyones day. Hope You All have a HAPPY Valentines Day!!

Man, now I really feel old. I still prefer the old style Doug Nash 5 speeds, even have one of the old comp version non synchro ones around here that needs a bit of a tune up. Might save it for the Ranchero on drag race weekends!!! I had an automatic once, people called me shiftless !!!!!

I drove a car with a Doug Nash 5-speed a little while back. It's living just fine behind a 600+ ftlb at the wheels daily driver with a 468 big block. It takes a little getting used to because the patern is so small. Transmission is very tight which can make it difficult to get into gear every once in a while when stopped. The H pattern is very tight, too, so you need to be careful about hitting the wrong gear.

Yo Techinspector! Thanks for the advice, and you other guys too! You're right, I've scrounged a lot of parts, I just heard that there were easier , less expensive, but just as good ways of doing this on a hot rod. Understandably you would need heavy duty on a race car. I remeber talking to a guy that did it in a roadster when I was at the hot rod reunion and it was fairly simple and reasonably priced, and that's what I'm afeter - not "cheap" but "resonable".

Riverhorse...............well said! That said, don't get me wrong guys! I appreciate your input and I'm sure everyone else does on their threads, but being a hot rodder from way back like everyone else I always try to look at the best and cost effective way of doing things, and I don't necessarily need overkill.