T5 compatibility on a 81 notch
- Thread starter lench23
- Start date
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.
!!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.
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.,,
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.
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.
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:
