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T5 compatibility on a 81 notch

  • Thread starter Thread starter lench23
  • Start date Start date Tuesday at 9:56 PM
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lench23

Member
Nov 10, 2026
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Lynwood
Tuesday at 9:56 PM
#1
  • Tuesday at 9:56 PM
  • #1
I dropped a 94 GT drivetrain into a 1981 notch. Which crossmember do I need for the transmission? Is there a direct fit kit or do I need to modify?
 

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
Mod Dude
Dec 6, 2005
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Corn County USA
Wednesday at 12:59 AM
#2
  • Wednesday at 12:59 AM
  • #2
Welcome to !!

The 94 and 95 T5 use a longer input shaft than the earlier Fox cars, about 5/8" if I remember correctly. I don't know as if there's a swap cross member for this combo as most people swap the input shafts and use the corresponding Fox bell housing.
 
L

lench23

Member
Nov 10, 2026
3
1
13
Lynwood
Wednesday at 1:30 AM
#3
  • Wednesday at 1:30 AM
  • #3
Dang so I'd have to switch out the bell housing and input shaft. It's missing the slot on the crossmember by an inch or two.,,
 

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
Mod Dude
Dec 6, 2005
6,633
5,663
194
Corn County USA
Wednesday at 1:52 AM
#4
  • Wednesday at 1:52 AM
  • #4
lench23 said:
Dang so I'd have to switch out the bell housing and input shaft. It's missing the slot on the crossmember by an inch or two.,,
Click to expand...


To make it easy, yes. Or, if you're good at fabricating, you can cut and weld it to accommodate. But your shifter location will also move if you've not noticed that too. The sheet metal may interfere with the shift handle once it's installed if you modify the cross member to fit. I believe that's one reason why most everyone that I'm aware of goes ahead with the input shaft and bell housing swap.
 
L

lench23

Member
Nov 10, 2026
3
1
13
Lynwood
Wednesday at 2:12 AM
#5
  • Wednesday at 2:12 AM
  • #5
LILCBRA said:
To make it easy, yes. Or, if you're good at fabricating, you can cut and weld it to accommodate. But your shifter location will also move if you've not noticed that too. The sheet metal may interfere with the shift handle once it's installed if you modify the cross member to fit. I believe that's one reason why most everyone that I'm aware of goes ahead with the input shaft and bell housing swap.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the input (no pun intended).
 
Reactions: LILCBRA

KRUISR

10 Year Member
Apr 16, 2015
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Wednesday at 8:22 AM
#6
  • Wednesday at 8:22 AM
  • #6
Your crossmember mounts on the chassis (the tubes on the ends). They are just tack welded in place. If you cut the tacks the crossmember can move forward and back. Not sure if this will give you enough movement to have the trans mount fit.

If the blurry tabs at the top of your pic are the chassis mounts then you may have enough room to fit as it looks like your crossmember is at the front of those tubes.

Something also to consider is that New Edge V6's used a bracket that moved the transmount. I have not used these when I have swapped SN T5s into foxbody's but my experience is with 89/90 models.

Between the two above ideas it may solve your issue.



Here is a pic of a 96 V6 T5 I pulled (and used). You can see the bracket at the trans mount. So here it moves the mount rearward, but why not flip it and move the mount forward. The exhaust hanger mounts can be cut off it they don't work for you.
 
Last edited: Wednesday at 8:34 AM
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