Used-parts 5-speed swap - what's easiest to source?

I'm looking to do a 5-speed swap on the cheap, i.e. use as many used parts from other cars as possible.

I've tried to track down a breakdown of Buschi's AX15/Supra transmission swap but I can only find the beginnings of it. T-5s seem plentiful but apparently the bellhousing and driveline is a fabrication issue?

It'll be for my wagon, which tips about 4000 pounds empty, but I don't drag race the thing so I don't care if the trans is marginal on torque ratings and may explode on clutch drops or whatever. What should I aim for?

If you go with a T-5, be sure to get the "World Class" T-5 commonly found in the 5.0 Mustang. Two reasons why:

1) It's way stronger than the standard T-5
2) The gear ratios are better. The Mustang with the four cylinder turbo would not be advisable because the very short first and second gear.

But you still have a ton of fabrication to do. Does Quicktime make a conversion bell housing?

Apparently, but it's ha-ha-ha-no expensive: http://americanpowertrain.com/i-8412807-bell-housing-mopar-sb-new-hemi-to-ford-tko.html

What other options are there? I'm not married to the idea of a T-5, I just know they're relatively common.

NV4500, maybe? Not sure if that meets your requirements, though.

FWIW I run a non World Class T-5 in my 4200 lb '95 Chevy Astro van, and have had no issues with it behind the 4.3L, but I can understand how the lack of a Chrysler-specific BH for use with a T-5 is a significant (cost) issue.

nv4500 is a low first gear truck trans,I am swaping one into my 85 d-150

the A535 is a light duty 5 speed used in the dak and d-100 v-6 models

this is the replacment for the 833/833OD trans and will bolt to the old mech linkage bell housing or a hydro bell from the dak/d-100 trucks.

if you get this trans make sure it has a shifter with it, it is a pink elephant with gold nugget shifter. kinda pricy used when you find it. 87-91 dak v-6 and d-100 v-6

the new dak 5 speeds are the ax-15 with a v-6 bell and 9 bolts holding it to the bellhousing from inside the bell, this one will need a little trans tunnel mods to go in a car but would be ez enuff IMO.

the v6 flywheel and bell fit right to a sb 318 and the hydro clutch is a good upgrade.

here is a A535 pic

here is the light duty low gear 2x truck 5 speed from 92 d-250 5.2 v-8

you could make this fit but would not be ideal in a car.

here is the ax-15 4x4 trans which the tail housing for the 2x trans is different than whats in this pic, you still get the idea of size.

these seem to hold up good and are used in the jeeps also.

they seem to be plenty in the JY in v-6 daks having its own v-6 bellhousing for them.

still the same 130 tooth 3.9/318 flywheel used on them.


I went with the nv4500 as the a 535 I found had no shifter and none can be had for it, but I have the hydro bell/clutch from it as a spare.

the nv4500 came with the v-8 bell with hydro/slave on opposite side of bell housing(no big deal)

I plan to snag me a newer ax15 2x unit with its own v-6 bell for a A-body build converting it to a hydro clutch for a future project.

another option that would only need tunnel/mods to fit in a car is the nv3500 used in the 94 up trucks and daks

bell housing is non removable on those and have a slightly bigger main body but a very durable 5 speed for a v-8 SB.