I was reading on the FE3X site that the car came from the factory with a 5 speed on the 307. Anyone got anymore information on that? I'd like to know how it was done and pics if anyone can come across any.
FE3X 5-speed?
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I think it was a T-56 5-speed trans...
I know it also had special anti reversion tuned headers, but aside from that the drive line was a basic VIN 9 with a 5-speed. The suspension was rear brakes from an Iroc with cooling vents and tubes, rear air bags, 16x8 three piece rims, negative camber on the front spindles and a 1.5" front sway bar going off the top of my head.... oh and the rear spoiler was mechanically adjustable for optimal downforce. Basically Bill Porterfield engineered a cornering machine.
There are a few articles in Car Craft Aug. 1987 and Hot Rod March 1986 that have more specifics, I have them somewhere.
I'm sure Angelo can weigh in on more specifics.
What I want to know is why did that VIN 9 engine get a 7000 RPM tach :lol:
I know it also had special anti reversion tuned headers, but aside from that the drive line was a basic VIN 9 with a 5-speed. The suspension was rear brakes from an Iroc with cooling vents and tubes, rear air bags, 16x8 three piece rims, negative camber on the front spindles and a 1.5" front sway bar going off the top of my head.... oh and the rear spoiler was mechanically adjustable for optimal downforce. Basically Bill Porterfield engineered a cornering machine.
There are a few articles in Car Craft Aug. 1987 and Hot Rod March 1986 that have more specifics, I have them somewhere.
I'm sure Angelo can weigh in on more specifics.
What I want to know is why did that VIN 9 engine get a 7000 RPM tach :lol:
The T56 is a 6 speed trans and wasn't in use until the early '90s. I believe it was first used by Chrysler on the Vipers, then by GM on the 4th generation F bodies (Camaro & Firebird). The T5 is the 5 speed trans that was widely use in GM vehicles in the '80s, and PROBABLY the transmission that was used on the car that you're referring to.
So that's a T5 from an F-body. So wonder what else they had to do to make it fit? Bellhousing is no issue, I know where to get that as well as a transmission brace, but I guess my question is what do you have to do to get the transmission input shaft to mount to the engine/flywheel/clutch and all that stuff?
Honestly this sounds like it should be easy, but everyone keeps telling me that it's hard and expensive on an Olds motor. Am I overlooking something?
Honestly this sounds like it should be easy, but everyone keeps telling me that it's hard and expensive on an Olds motor. Am I overlooking something?
jonnyslick said:
It was not a factory car, but a custom built one off prototype/show car, and as such probably had a custom bellhousing made in house at GM for it. As for how to do a T-5 into a G body, it has been done plenty of times. It is easier to do with a Chevy engine as it is a bolt in with (rare) stock parts, but I can envision a way it could be done on an Olds engine too.
GM used the T-50 transmission from Borg Warner on some Olds 260 powered G bodies in the early days of the series. Now if you could source the bellhousing and shift linkage from one of those cars, it is conceivable that the T-50 bell could fit the T-5 with little to no modification, much like a SR-4 bell works with a T-5 in an AMC application (but it is multi-drilled). Just be aware that manual anything G bodies are EXTRAORDINARILY rare. Finding a 260 powered car these days is also getting difficult. The T-50 was also not known for being a good transmission. Add all this together and you are looking for a needle in a haystack the size of the Great Pyramid. It can be done though...theoretically. Now if only I could find a 1983 Z-28 T-5 bellhousing and a G body Chevy clutch linkage...
Doober said:
This is true of Chevy motors (heck, my crate motor even had a pilot bushing in it already!), but for whatever reason Oldsmobile did NOT do this.
85 Cutlass Brougham - if you want to use an '83 F-body bellhousing/fork, the only g-body parts you would need is the factory mechanical clutch/brake pedals and the Z-bar/bracket. A set of pedals just sold on here for $25... I posted a link at mcss.com, but should have bought them myself to go with my 606 bell/fork. The rods can be replaced with speed direct rods with spherical ends - much better than stock.
Also, I'm not familiar with the T50 transmission, but I would assume it has a straight up mounting pattern. If you mated an F-body T5 to it, you would have to modify the shifter and crossmember mount as they would be rotated to the PS. This is the same scenario as using a 606 G-body housing for a Chevy with a T5.
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