ex-tyke Graham Creswick Chatham, Ontario, Canada (1166 posts) Registered: 10/25/2007 11:17AM Main British Car: 1976 MGB Ford 302 |
Re: T5 WC Ford vs GM
Quite right Carl! - an S10 shift assembly is the basis I used in both the T5/Olds and the T5/Ford (because of it's short throw and because the shifter could be bent and shortened into something functional for the MG). I also kept the shift knob from the S10.
GM & Ford shift tower assemblies can be dissassembled and rebuilt with mixed and matched GM & Ford parts (ie an S10 shifter can work in a Mustang shift tower). However, do not mix if the throws are not the same (mismatched throws will not interchange!). |
NixVegaGT Nicolas Wiederhold Minneapolis, MN (659 posts) Registered: 10/16/2007 05:30AM Main British Car: '73 Vega GT 4.9L Rover/Buick Stroker |
Re: T5 WC Ford vs GM
Hellyeah! I like the way you guys think! That's what I'm going to do. Good thinking.
So would this one work? [cgi.ebay.com] Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2008 06:16PM by NixVegaGT. |
ex-tyke Graham Creswick Chatham, Ontario, Canada (1166 posts) Registered: 10/25/2007 11:17AM Main British Car: 1976 MGB Ford 302 |
Re: T5 WC Ford vs GM
Nicolas,
That ebay item looks like a later S10 shifter (judging by the shape of the knob) but if it is for a T5 then you should have the basics to fabricate a shift lever for a Ford application. The S10 shifter comes as a 2 piece screw-together unit - you will discard the upper extension (thicker piece) and use the bottom as the part to configure as the shift lever. After straightening/bending/cutting to shape you will have to machine the correct metric thread to accept the original shift knob or find another knob to fit the original lower lever thread (upper and lower lever threads are different). Then of course, you have to dissassemble the Ford housing and instal your new lower lever. Your local wrecking yard could be a valuable resource to view different years and models of shifters and they may be cheaper- the last shift assembly that I bought at a yard was $25. One last point on a Ford shifter for a T5/Mustang application: The Ford also comes as a 2-piece shift but the bottom is really a convenient stub shaft that attaches the upper lever with two bolts sandwiched by a rubber isolator. This design provides some better options for designing and attaching an upper shift lever and may be less work overall.....food for thought! |