Cheapest 5 speed conversion for my Duster?

I want a 5 speed!

I have a 72 Duster, 318 with a 904 right now.
What is the cheapest option?

I thought it would be a T5 but after hours searching it doesn't seem like anyone is running them.

What are the options without spending 3k?
Thanks Jeff

cheapest would be a 5 spd out of a mustang GT in the junk yard. grab everything off it that you can. I think they run the T-5 right? all you need is a mopar bell, flywheel and clutch set up.

what's a junkyard T-5 going for anyway? $500? $800? it's gotta be cheap, since a brand new TKO gearbox can be ordered from Jegs or Summitt for around 1800.

if the 318 is not built up very much the T-5 should handle it ok, but the reason most people don't like the T5 is if you look at the torque rating, it's only good to like 300 ft lbs, and most of our Mopar engines are built up enough taht they far exceed that and require the beef of the TKO500 or 600.

oh, I forgot about Dakota/Ram transmissions! they are already set up for a mopar small block, the NV3500 might be good. the AX15 from dakota V6s is a small transmission but would be questionable behind the 318.

The down sides to the Ram/Van 5-speeds like the 3500 and AX-5 & AX-15 are that they have nice truck gear ratios (3.8-4.x:1 first gears), and they're physically large boxes in spite of relatively low torque capacities. Major floor and t-bar X-member surgery WILL be required with those transmissions. However, the architecture of those transmissions is shared across a wide range of other Aisin/Warner boxes, including the ones used in the new Chebby Colorado trucks, and the Solstice/Sky roadster twins, among many others.

You can see how large the trans is, and track the progress that Buschi340 is making on his install of a similar Toyota Supra Turbo transmission in this thread. I'm going to install the same trans, only because I got a better deal on it than any of the T-5's in my area... that said, T-5's can be had for cheap, I've been quoted $3-400 for nice used units at local salvage yards, and some pick-n-pull yards sell them for $75 or so. I think even current V-6 mustangs still use the T-5, so it's a solid, stout, light transmission with a huge amount of aftermarket support. I think there will still be some cutting involved on the t-bar X-member, though. Seems that there just isn't much you can do about hacking up an A-body.

Clair

I thought I read in another thread that the T5s shifter would line up with the cross member on an a-body?

I would recommend evaluating the true horsepower and torque of your car and start from there. Be honest and choose wisely. You may perform the best swap imaginable, but the first time you hammer the car and blow the transmission, is it worth it doing it over and over again. The T5 is rated at approx. 270 lbs.ft. of torque, which a warmed up 318 can approach easily these days. My advise would be a TKO-500. One thing to remember is to identify the weak link, if it's not the transmission, does it become the u-joints, the drive shaft, the rear end (center section, axles), etc.

It might... I think OzHemi had to notch a wee bit out of his t-bar x-member to fit the T-5 behind his Hemi6. There may also be some potential to swap tailhousings with something from an S-10 truck or something that pulls the shifter tower forward. Maybe too far forward, but it's something to check. I know the guys over on slant6.org have done a lot of work swapping T-5's in to early A's, so it might be worth a look over there to see what they did.

Clair

http://www.fortesparts.com/tremecMountT5.htm

doesn`t a stock late 60`s/early 70`s 318 make 320ft.lbs. of torque?

Quote:

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It might... I think OzHemi had to notch a wee bit out of his t-bar x-member to fit the T-5 behind his Hemi6. There may also be some potential to swap tailhousings with something from an S-10 truck or something that pulls the shifter tower forward. Maybe too far forward, but it's something to check. I know the guys over on slant6.org have done a lot of work swapping T-5's in to early A's, so it might be worth a look over there to see what they did.

Clair

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Yep, I had to trim the upper part of the torsion bar crossmember abit, but other then that was not too big a deal, and made the car a ton better to drive versus the old 4 speed (original borq warner Aussie box)
I used a WC T-5 from a Mustang GT...












The cross member I made, along with a stock one for comparison..