Rick, Sean, Doug, John Blair and all,
I am sorry that I did not have the time to write sooner. I also owe John an
article on my conversion....and maybe this will serve as a good starting point.
I am also glad to hear that Rick has succeeded in his quest to mount the
Mustang pedal setup. Rick I was curious about this setup when I started...but
I figured that it might be difficult to mount the bellhousing side since I
would be using an AMC bellhousing. I just never got around to trying it,
although it was in the back of my head.
Here is what I have done. Note: I did this to a 74...so we are talking AMC
here...where applicable. I also chose a hydraulic setup rather than the cable
setup from the 5.0 or the linkage setup from the old AMC's. A few advantages
are that the clutch pedal pressure required is about the same as my 4 cylinder
Altima, the linkage setup is impossible to find (and I guess it could have
tricky mounting/allignment problems), and I knew that it could be mated to the
AMC.
On the side....The T-5 IS overdrive. 5th is NOT 1:1, it is 0.67:1 I
think....I could be wrong there. It is straight from a 5.0 mustang setup.
Choose any from 87-93, but only from the 5.0 (eg. not the Turbocoupe,
Supercoupe, SVO, and definitely not the 4 banger)
Also, I do have to credit John Elle for a great writeup of the AMC T-5
conversion. I used this like a bible.
I mounted my clutch pedals with no welding and only minor adjustement to the
car itself.
First, I found another AMC brake pedal. removed some of the drivers side
and found a smaller pad so that it resembled a normal brake pedal in a manual
trans car.
Secondly, I removed the fuse panel, and here is my only real mod to the
car...moved the fuse panel as far towards the outside of the car. This bought
me about 2-3 extra inches of space on the firewall.
For a brake pedal, I found a hydraulic setup out of a newer import that had
a self contained clutch pedal/mount setup. I think that almost all imports
that have hydraulic clutches have this. Mine was from a 90's Nissan 240.
I had to make a mount for this pedal on the firewall and a mount that I
attached to the steering column. I used metal plates on both sides of the
firewall for stregnth...since it is fiberglass. I also used a torch to heat
this pedal and bend it towards the brake/gas pedals...since it would not have
correct allignment.
Then I took some advice from a local Jeep guy (these guys are used to the
AMC 360's and my guy seemed to know his stuff). I bought an AMC clucth master
cylinder, and a clutch slave cylinder (I think that these were either used on
some late AMC's or Jeeps). I mounted the clutch master cylinder to my pedal.
Then this "Jeep" guy provided me with 1/2 inch steel bracket to mount the slave
cylinder to the bellhousing. The only other thing that I needed was an
adjustable length pushrod for the slave cylinder to the clutch arm....he had
that also. (this could be made)
Obviously this is only the clutch pedal setup and mounting. I had to make
some other modications: removal of some more fiberglass in the tunnel for the
tranny, shortened driveshaft from a 80's ford (Grenada was my choice).
As for the parts not mentioned yet. The bellhousing came from a early 80's
T-4 equiped AMC (spirit and the likes). It mounts any AMC to the borg-warner
trannys. The pilot bearing is AMC and I think readily avaible...or can be
drilled out to fit the T-5. It mounts any AMC to the borg-warner trannys. The
clutch and pressure plate are AMC/Jeep. The flywheel is specific to AMC and
the size of the motor because the motor is externally balanced using the
flywheel. The flywheel seemed to be one of the hardest parts (not counting the
linkage setup) to get without paying waaaay too much. I have been lucky
because I also found one for my 401 that has since been installed..but the car
has not yet been dropped to the ground...soon though.
Also...about the stregnth. The T-5 was no problem behind the stock AMC. I
do have a 93 Z-spec T-5 which is rated at 330lb-ft....which is a little nicer
than the other T-5's. Now, I have who knows how much HP from a nicely rebuilt
401 and I dont know how much longer it will last. So...to counter this...I
bought a tremec 3550 (that needs to be rebuilt) and a bellhousing from a AMC
with T-10...which I have been told will fit.
When I get some extra time I will dry test the mounting of the T-10
bellhousing and AMC 360 and tremec 3550 while sitting outside of the car and
let everyone know how it goes....and if I am idiot and blow the T-5 before
then, I will be testing it in the car.
I live in NYC, but my car is in Northern MD near I-95. I see that some of
you guys are from NJ and the like, so you are more than welcome to stop by and
take a look at what I have. Also on the property are my fathers 75 brick (that
is still waiting on the AOD conversion) and 74 4-spd....so we have a nice
assortment of cars to compare against.
Phew....
Jamison
ps - I promise to check email more frequently.
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