Alright this is the story im rebulding my 88 ford mustang 5.0 and i was looking into doing a 5 speed swap. i was wondering if i put a B&M stage 2 shifter kit on the auto trans now would be better than having it 5 speed. i was wondering if it is just prefrence between an auto and manual or does it really make a difference for better shift times.
The 5 speed swap is quite easy, the hardest part is getting the clutch pedal in there. What are you looking to do with the car, and how much power does it make? I had a 92 convertible, with a fairly stock engine, and went from an automatic to a stick. The automatic was set up with a 3800 rpm stall, and I tried both 410 and 383 gears. The 410 gears with the high stall and shift kit made the car seem fast, and with the tires it launched pretty hard. I think the car was allot more fun with the 5 speed and 355 gears. I don’t have any track time, but it was probably just as fast with the manual.
I think if you are making a ton of horsepower, a properly setup automatic will be faster, but if not go with a manual.
Stay away from the shift kits on old tranny. That make a annoying drive. If you are going put money in the car, upgrade aod with one from lentech. A full manual valve body is what you want.
Its about what you like. A auto will most likely shift faster then you.
A manual gives superior feel and control and is for true “drivers”.
Dont buy shit to impress your friends/ect, buy what you like.
i have a AOD that was built up and has a fairly aggressive shift kit in it and a B&M Holeshot torque converter. I like how mine is, although at times i wish i had a 5 speed. depends what you’re going to do with the car. if you’re going to build it with the intent to race it, then id say stick with an auto. in terms of racing, the auto is a lot easier to launch, the shifts will be there every time in the right spots, and you can concentrate more on your driving rather than worrying about shifting. an auto will also always shift faster than you could shift a 5 speed.
the Ford AOD is a really good tranny and will hold up to a lot of power WHEN BUILT RIGHT. the only downsides to the AOD that i find is that you cant hold it in 1st gear to redline and the selector only goes P R N OD D 1 you cant “manually” select gears.
also, as said before, gearing is important too. stock for stock, the 5 speeds are a little better off in the gearing department, but if you stick with the auto, and want to race it, throw some 4:10s in there. if you want streetability, then 3:73s. again, it all depends what you want to do with the car. an AOD can be just as fun as a T5.
If you want to go faster…go manual. Auto’s really aren’t faster than manuals until you get into the 11 second range and faster in the quarter (generally speaking)
Here’s an example of an AOD to T5 swap we did to my friends coupe a few years back:
'91 LX, 302, TW heads, E303, built AOD, 4:10’s, Edelbrock intake, blah, blah, blah…basically a built H/C/I Mustang. This is how he bought it. Best time it could pull was a 13.4@103. Swapped the T5 in and went 12.3 @ 110 the first weekend out. After that he went crazy with the car and went to a high revving NA 306 with a G-Force T5 and has gone 11.0 @ 121mph.
As far a launching goes…with your power level even a built AOD would have a tough time pulling a better 60’ time than a manual.
[quote=“MikeRi24,post:5,topic:36109"”]
also, as said before, gearing is important too. stock for stock, the 5 speeds are a little better off in the gearing department, .
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:bloated:
lol.
dont go with a regular auto/shift kit deal…
What are your goals? If you plan on seeing the track alot, a reverse manual c4 will do the trick…I know people who have swapped out T5s for C4s, and no other changes and have dropped up to a full second in the 1/4. You still shift them, you can still blow the tires apart through the gears (if you have the power to do so) and they are deadly consistent. Sticks can be tough at the track if you do it all the time…and you never do the same thing twice…which is where they suck.
If its going to be primarily a street car, go with the 5 speed. Though a manual C4 will certainly be fun to drive, because you still have to shift, but not as streetable as a 5 sp.
we are swapping out the T45 for a C4 very soon…should be fun!
yeah my goals are to make it a fast track car but at the same time it will be a street car my goal for this car is to have a fully built supercharged 302 good both on the street and drag. im not ready to make the car strictly drag yet but i was not sure what do with sc it in all. I mean it will have good hp witha sc but i dont know if it will be enough where i need a amazing transmission. right now i am in the research phase of my project trying to figure wht i want to do and how to give this car a decent amoount of hp and for it to be fun at the same time so if you have any suggestions on my build im open to anything right now.
i have a blower for a foxbody for sale…
stock for stock the 5spd is faster
fun street car - 5spd
fast track car - AOD
id say throw a shift kit in the AOD, get a good torque converter and roll with it for a while and you can always swap it out. i plan to make my car a 5 speed someday but for now im ok with the AOD the way its set up
[quote=“02svtfocus,post:10,topic:36109"”]
i have a blower for a foxbody for sale…
stock for stock the 5spd is faster
fun street car - 5spd
fast track car - AOD
[/quote]
I was just gonna say.
Street Car= Stick
Track Car= Auto
thanks for the help i think i will just put a 5 speed in it because i have all winter to rebuild this car and i alredy put it away to start rebuilding it.
Honestly auto on a street car is fun also…If the car is gonna run 13s go stick.
Goals to go any faster then that just go auto.
^^ couldn’t have said it better myself. Im running high 11s right now and the stick will beat me every time. hence why an auto manual C4 is on the way.
[quote=“LXTASY,post:6,topic:36109"”]
If you want to go faster…go manual. Auto’s really aren’t faster than manuals until you get into the 11 second range and faster in the quarter (generally speaking)
Here’s an example of an AOD to T5 swap we did to my friends coupe a few years back:
'91 LX, 302, TW heads, E303, built AOD, 4:10’s, Edelbrock intake, blah, blah, blah…basically a built H/C/I Mustang. This is how he bought it. Best time it could pull was a 13.4@103. Swapped the T5 in and went 12.3 @ 110 the first weekend out. After that he went crazy with the car and went to a high revving NA 306 with a G-Force T5 and has gone 11.0 @ 121mph.
As far a launching goes…with your power level even a built AOD would have a tough time pulling a better 60’ time than a manual.
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Mike, I’d be willing to bet he didn’t have a stall converter in the car. Those mods with 4.10’s in the back and a 4000 rpm converter would have been pinning him to the seat.
c6>c4>AOD but then autos are just gay
Buy a Jerico. People have run 7’s on those.
[quote=“joelster,post:16,topic:36109"”]
Mike, I’d be willing to bet he didn’t have a stall converter in the car. Those mods with 4.10’s in the back and a 4000 rpm converter would have been pinning him to the seat.
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Just got off the phone with him…the car had a B&M 3000 stall in in when he got it. The car had stock heads when he bought it and that’s when it ran 13.3 @ 103mph, my bad. Then he put the Trick Flows on and went 13.6 @ 107…this is when the convertor was mismatched to the rest of the car. Before the 60’s were in the 1.8s…after they were 2.4s, the car had nothing down low but came on strong up top.
So, with the stock heads and built AOD it went low 13’s @103…which is respectable mph for a fox body Mustang. A T5 would have been a bit faster without a doubt…this is why my statement of going with a 5 speed given the modifications made then most sense, as well as the fun factor being higher. OP simply stated he would put in a shift kit, no convertor…I would be suprised if the car got out of the 14’s.
C4…that’s a different story now.