SN95 95 Mustang Gt Convertible Transmission Mount/cross Member ??

[webslinger67]

Ok guys, I am back, after getting rid of my 90 GT years ago (long story, not enough alcohol to cover it) I have bought a 95 SN95 GT Convertible project ...welll, its drivable...just been douchbagged out..

I have a list of questions and either you guys can answer them or point me to the right forum posts for the answers..

1) Is the T45 transmission shorter than the T5 transmission? reason i ask, it seems the shifter in the tunnel is too far forward for me to get to the forward bolts on the shifter to change it out to short shifter, and i want to know whether they changed the T5 for a T45, if that is even possible.

2) can the 2 piece rear seat backs from a hard top coupe be bolted into the the convertible? I have already found out the bottom seat piece is different, most likely do to the actuation cylinders for the top and the interior panels.

3) the 245/45 x 17 tires on this thing look too small, although stock size... has anyone run 245/50 x 17 or 245/55 x 17 's to give it a little more meat look?

I look forward to everyones response.

Webslinger

 

[95BlueStallion]

Welcome back to the crack snorting, sir. Here are my thoughts.

1. You may have a fox body T5. They are shorter than the SN95 varients by 2" I believe. A T45 wont bolt up to a 302.

2. I am 99% sure the convertible seats are narrower, and hardtop seats will not interchange.

3. Either of those bigger tire sizes will fit fine. Most people that buy aftermarket wheels move up to 18" wheels with similar sized sidewalls as stock. SN's have a good amount of room.

Good luck with your project, and post up some pictures for us to see.

 

[webslinger67]

Ok, I got more questions...

1) If i wanted to start a "Project Thread" where would I post that at? This would include pics and be updated on a regular basis so I am not adding new threads each time.

2) on my 95, as @95BlueStallion put it, I probably have a fox body T5 installed in the thing, but, I think they may have used the incorrect transmission mount, or cross member, as the shifter mount almost hits the tunnel and it looks like it may have because the forward portion of the opening is actually bent up (going to include a pic) , so I question the pinion angle being too high also. What mount and cross member could possibly do this? What mount and cross member could drop the pinion angle, in turn dropping the tranny to actually fit correctly in retrospect to the tunnel?

3) is the shifter opening on the tunnel, different between an automatic car and a stick car?
I have a feeling this 95 was an automatic car , and they converted it. I dont find the necessary holes to bolt up the shifter boot for the stick.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Your shifter actually looks to be sitting right where it should be, as far as front to back placement. Get under the car and look to see if someone added washers/spacers between the trans mount and crossmember, or between the mount and the transmission itself. Its possible the crossmember is fine and correct, and the trans mount is either incorrect for the car, or installed incorrectly. I feel pretty confident that you have the right transmission for the car after seeing that pic though.

 

[webslinger67]

I only have the experience from my 90, and I know I could get to the front bolts pretty easy on that one, this one is impossible....

as for the up and down (i think you mean distance between tunnel and transmission itself? ) I will check for any spacers, or something between mount and crossmember.

You dont think the cross member could be wrong?

As for transmission mount itself, is there differences in those when it comes to heights?

and is there a difference of tunnel openings for the shifters between an factory automatic car and a stick?

ugh, this makes me want to pull my hair out... lol

thanks @95BlueStallion for your help , I am currently reading over your build forum, sigh..I miss my 90.....

 

[95BlueStallion]

There is no difference in the body between auto and manual cars, just a different trim bezel in the console around the shifter. I cant say with certainty if different brand mounts have different thicknesses to be pressing the transmission against the floor of the car. That is why I said youll have to get under the car and check it out, because its definitely not normal to be touching the car. You could have a different crossmember, but I dont know why anyone would change it out unless they went to aftermarket for a high horsepower build. I guess stranger things have happened though, youll just have to check it out.

 

[90sickfox]

That car looks swapped to 5 speed. The body is different between the two in the trans tunnel. The 5 speed should have a hump spot welded over the trans tunnel allowing the shifter lower boot to bolt flat to the floor. It also gives you an extra 1/2 to 3/4 inch above the trans tunnel for shifter access.

This shows the 79-93 but I believe the 95 is very similar.

Actually, it looks like the same part. At the factory they hacked a rectangle out of the hump and spot welded this panel over it.

Basically, pull console out, trim that hole out, put the panel over the hole, weight it down, drill 3/16th holes for rivets, pick the panel back up, seam seal it, and install rivets... DONE.

Or ....plug weld that bastard and seam seal the edges.

 

[webslinger67]

un-freaking believable..... well, that does explain it, although I would think Ford would have just cookie cut these out the door with the hump for the stcik already installed, like @95BlueStallion may have thought, like I did , that hump seemed odd to me, way too round...lol...

I am sure this doesn't help either (check out the pick) ....seems as though the tranny cross member has taken a serious hit to , and if i look at the transmission compared to the floor pan, it actually sits twisted.

Thank you both so much for the help, this explains everything, and im off to either get a stock double hump or aftermarket one , and a shifter tunnel cap.

 

[95BlueStallion]

Man, you could also just bend the edges of your trans tunnel versus spending the money on that hump. I bet once you replace the crossmember your tunnel problem wont be as big of a deal. Might as well save the $$$ for other mods.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I agree that this car was likely an AODE and has been swapped. Unsure if that's a fox or SN95 t-5 though.

Can you measure the bellhousing length from the face where the engine bolts to the bell to the face where the trans bolts to it. The fox bell is 3/4" shorter, so it should be easy to compare lengths and see. I have a fox bell at home I can measure later and post up for comparison.

Usually there is a difference between the mount locations for the AODE and T5. The mount is different for the two trans, but on the fox cars, you can simply grind the welds on the end where the mount bolts to the body and shift the mount to where you need it. Unsure if the SN95's can do this as well.