T-5 and Tremec Manuals

[Jack21]

Tremec is a Mexican truck transmission. Trans strength and low first gear was great for mid '80's Mustangs running 2.73 gears in back, non-World class T-5's rated for only 260 FPTQ, and breaking a lot.

On of these days, Tremec, or an aftermarket supplier (Richmond?) will make a close ratio gearset for a Tramec like the 2.95 low in the T-5Z.

When sourcing the trans, posed the same question to Liberty Transmissions. T-5Z or Tremec for a street driven Cobra, tweaked 351W motor. And why. (Liberty makes a blueprinted version of the T-5Z, and it shifts like a Honda.)

T-5 made for cars, Tremec made for trucks. T-5 smoother shifting, and better suited to 3.23 - 3.73 rear gears. Tremec offers a better margin of safety for abuse near it's strength limits. T-5, although marginally not as strong, is smoother for street use. Major weak point in T-5 are shifter forks. Protect with positive stop aftermarket shifter. Street tires largely what protects trans. They'll spin, particularly in a light car, before trans is overstressed.

Bottom line, for drag racing, running slicks, pushing the trans to it's strength limit, the Tremec will last longer but either will eventially break. With the philosophy of, build the car the way you intend to drive it, picked the blueprinted T-5Z.

Other thoughts were, If the car was pushed to the extent I risked breaking the trans, I would be spending substantially more money on legal fees defending my drivers license, than repairing or replacing the transmission.