I was in the same place last year and did a T56.

A5 is a great choice but parts are hard to come by.

TKO for the same money you can have a T56. TKO will not shift as good as either but want cost you as many hp as the T56.

T56 will cost you HP. But shift like glass and can handle more RPMs and HP.

For me it was simple I didn't want to ever need to upgrade and didn't want my car down due to parts. Also I didn't care about max HP.

Standard is way more fun when shifting is fun to me the T5 and T56 shift way better and I've had all 3.

 

For what it’s worth I had a regular t5 in a 90 hatch I had. Heads cam intake motor 4.10 gears and slicks. Care was light 2900 with me in it but I would launch 4500-5000 at the track lift the wheels and had probably 100 passes on it and never had an issue. Maybe it was a freak but it held up good. I think they are a little better then they are made out to be. Trans had 120,000 miles on it to when I started racing it

 

I like the lightweight, smooth shifting a5.

If you build it and down the road decide to bring more power, you can sell the trans and damn near get what you have into it back out. Gear sets are tough to find so they’re pretty desirable.

IMO it makes sense to get the 575hp version. I believe it’s just a bit more than the step below.

 

went 11.70s with a stock T5 back in my na days (332rwhp/332rwtq)... and beat the living hell out of it. clutch has LOT to do with how long the trans lasts. https://forums.corral.net/forums/dr.../forums/drag-racing/1074786-*new*-50-fastest-stock-shortblock-n-5-0s-*new*.html

then added a novi2000 on that same motor and switched to a 3550 which shifted like s**t, and eventually twisted the main shaft as main case was flexing like a mofo, and so switched to astro T5 which shifted pretty close to stock (i ran an after market case with mine, and never ran at the track but care made 550rwhp/500rwtq. went 11.01 @ 130 with the 3550 before the shaft twisted.

then went to the T56 (viper T56 from d&d as this is before the magnum days), but also dart motor and turbo and much more power. T56 shifts good but not like a stock or astro t5 plus tony's service is among the best in the industry. my astro was built by chris aka blackout50 who posts on here, and is the T5 god.

i also installed a TKO500 in friend's car and yup... shifts like s**t.

$0.02

 

clutch has LOT to do with how long the trans lasts.

I'd like to add that how you shift has a large bearing on it's longevity as well. As does not over shifting the things. You can shift like a a ham handed neanderthal, or you can shift with some thought and care. One way prolongs transmission service life. One way can eat up a transmission in a few race days.

And I'd agree that the T5 is tougher than it gets credit for, so long as you don't abuse it.

 

Get the A5 parts on order, it's going to take a while. When you get the parts, build the A5 into one of your cores. When/if you break the stocker, install the Astro. I just built a 485 ft./lb. version, the Astro parts are very beefy, fit and finish is top shelf. Hard to make a better choice for a street car IMHO. Shifts like a stock T5, way lighter than a T56, less parasitic loss than even a stock T5, how can you beat that?

Quote: "You can shift like a a ham handed neanderthal". And how do we know they were ham handed? Just messin'!

Jay

 

I think that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

 

I now have a tko500 and I think it shifts great never had any issues shifting it felt like the old t5

 

I have an old D&D T56 and can confirm it shifts like a truck compared to the silky smooth T5. In your position the Astro T5 seems like a no brainer

 

Just so you’re aware; the a5 gear sets are out till winter....2020

 

I saw that....but I was assuming that meant Jan-Mar of 2020?

 

I’d just keep throwing cheap t-5’s at it. Rebuild one of those cores you have now, so if/when your current t-5 goes, you’re ready to go. Save the $$.

 

x2 especially if he's not gonna run slicks on regular basis

 

Tony sponsored my car at one time. We had a good relationship. I've seen his dyno. I don't think it is capable of measuring lost or gained power unless it is the operators gut feeling. I really didn't ever see a difference in power with his transmissions till he did a REM surface enhancement to my gearsets. His gearsets more than anything increased my reliability and put me to more final rounds than any other trannys I had. I'm currently running a faceplated TKO during the racing season and that tranny is good. My other tranny I use in the off season is a TKO with the Liberty shift enhancements and not to be crude, that tranny sucks, and I don't think I could race with it if I had to. I'll take the Astro over that one any day. Those transmission actually helped me make money at my hobby.

 

I am basically in the same boat and will be swapping in a T56 this winter

 

I've got a magnum in my 92.

I've had a TKO600 and for a very short time a well as a built T5. I do not know if it it was A5, G-force, whatever. Bought used, guy had no clue who built it as the tweaker I got it from also bought it used. I never opened it. It was noisier than a regular T5 though, in every gear (1-5). Reverse was "normal". TKO had shifting issues above about 5500. It was like pulling the shifter out of one gear, then into a rock. It just would NOT make the next gear, at least not with any sort of "speed shifting". It was new, bought on the used market. My brother has it now, going in his '55 Customline/351c. He had Liberty open it up & "fix" it, whatever they did, it was kinda expensive. I have not asked him what they did internally.

The magnum that is in the car now is heavier (I think about 140 lbs just for the transmission + the bellhousing). It is quiet. It handles whatever RPM I throw at it (have been 7500 a few times). It shifts 100x smoother than any T5 I've ever rowed. The only transmission I felt that was smoother shifting were dogring with clutchless shifts (Liberty, Nash, etc). One of the things I always hated about T5's was the RPM drop between 4th and 5th. 5th is useless for anything but just cruising. 4th is too short, 5th is too tall. The magnum has the same 4th and the same 6th (as a T5) but is has a 5th which splits the difference and is actually useful. I love it. Yes it's a little power hungry. For a street car that's a non-issue, particularly in my case with a 427"w which has enough torque to make the first 3 gears absolutely useless anyway with normal street tires. I had to drop from a 4.10 rear to a 3.73 to regain some traction in 3rd and that's questionable sometimes too.

 

TKO had shifting issues above about 5500. It was like pulling the shifter out of one gear, then into a rock. It just would NOT make the next gear, at least not with any sort of "speed shifting".

Yes, that's exactly my experience with the TKO... it's literally like shifting into a rock. So, I shall reserve a T56 fro my next engine build as it seems to be the perfect choice.

 

I figured I'd add this here as I'm now looking for options and the G-force gear set I believe is similar/same as the Astro. I'm making about the same power as the OP.

I broke 1st and 3rd gear of my G-Force gear set at the track Friday night. It was in a stock case. I liked the smooth shifting and small package of the T5 over the clunky TKO's. Not sure what direction I'm going to go now. I bought it used 5 years ago from a member here and made 183 passes on it. Power shifted 3rd at 6100 and it let go.

To the OP I think for a street tire cruiser you would be very happy with the Astro/G-force and probably never have to worry about it.

 

I have always hated the way the tremec transmissions shift. They are terrible. I have one in a 94 Cobra now and it is almost insufferable. I do have a T56 ready to go in it if I ever get around to it.

One transmission that is shockingly good for shifting, at least for me, is the M5r2 that was put into the trucks and the Thunderbird Supercoupes. Man it shifts absolutely great. It shifts so well on the 2-3 gear change that sometimes it seems way too easy and you think you might have missed it. I believe the supercoupe trans uses the SBF bellhousing pattern so I'm sure it could be put into a mustang. You'd need to adapt a hydraulic clutch to the car but that part of it works well too.

 

One transmission that is shockingly good for shifting, at least for me, is the M5r2 that was put into the trucks and the Thunderbird Supercoupes.

I nabbed one for $50 from a 302 truck being parted out a while back, complete with flywheel, pressure plate, shifter. Figured it wouldn't hurt to have it on hand in case another project opportunity popped up. Ended up flipping it for $200 on Facebook instead.

 

My vote is for the way more mass-produced and still stronger T56. Plus, I think having a 6-speed makes the car both cooler & worth more. Having a "special T5" just doesn't, except to a rare customer. If anything ever goes wrong with either Transmission, which is less likely from a normal T56 than a custom anything, then you can get another at the drop of a hat. There are a dozen other T56s on garage floors in your neighborhood or at the nearest junkyard.

I don't think I can change your mind though, Mike. So, I'll just point out some more details regarding your considering of the swap to 3.27s from 3.73s. Leave them in place, because a 2.95 gear is available a T5 and a 2.97 is available in a T56 for first gear. You currently have a 3.35 1st, and with 3.27s that's equivalent to keeping your 3.73s and running a 2.94:1 1st gear.

As for your final O/D gear, you currently have a .676 (it turns out) 5th gear, and that combined with a 3.27 is the same as a .593 with a 3.73. Well, .59 is available in T5 gears & in T56 gears. You can even run a taller .5:1 with the T56. .63:1 is available in T56 as well.

One thing you're not going to get away from is a 1:1 4th gear. So, how does that play into the consideration? Well, you mentioned maybe 400 hp one day. Well, the stock limiter with 3.73s already takes you to 128mph on stock sized (25.7") tires in 4th. You won't outgrow that with your power plans. You just don't need to go 142 mph through the traps like the 3.27s will take you. You don't seem like the biggest drag racer in the world, but perhaps even the thought of taking it out to one for some fun having the more slightly optimal setup is enough to persuade. Plus, you save money and have one less job to do.

 

M5R2's are weak. They'll hold up a "while" but not forever. BTDT, '83 F100 with a 351w used to pull the race car before the 514/C6 went in. And it shifts like a TKO. Smooth as long as you're not trying to shift it quickly. When you do, with RPM, I always hit a rock-and that was with a 18" long shift lever (truck application). Expensive to fix too in comparison to a T5; at least when considering new parts. They were somewhat problematic in stock form; though I rarely had any issue out of the one I had in my '95 F150. Just leaks, lots of them. It was stuck in 4th gear the day I traded it off, was unintended, it happened on the way to the dealership.

I'd like to know who's got all those T56's laying in their garages. I sure ain't found them.

 

I was just sweeping my garage out and came across this one in a corner... lol

I have 2 foxes with T56 pushing some pretty decent power and wanted a spare, because sooner or later, one will break.

But yeah man, they're out there. T56s came in so many cars.
Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, 1999–2003
Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, 2001–2006
Chevrolet Corvette, 1997–2007
Chevrolet Camaro, 1993–2002
Dodge Ram SRT10, 2004–2006
Dodge Viper, 1992–2007
Ford Mustang Cobra, 2003–2004
Ford Mustang Cobra R, 2000
Ford Falcon XR6, XR6T, XR8
FPV F6 Tornado/Typhoon, GT/GT-P 2004–2008
General Motors GM F platform V8 cars, 1993–2002
Holden Commodore 1994–2008
Holden Monaro, 2001–2006
GM M12
2001–2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
2004–2006 Pontiac GTO
2004–2007 Cadillac CTS-V
GM MN6
2004–2007 Chevrolet Corvette
GM M10
2005–2006 Chevrolet SSR
2006–2008 Holden VE Commodore
GM MZ6
2005–2007 Chevrolet Corvette Z51
Pontiac Firebird/Trans Am, 1993–2002

You can definitely find them, junkyards, boards, facebook, craigslist.

 

I was just sweeping my garage out and came across this one in a corner... lol

I popped my trunk and found a GT500 TR-6060 just sitting there?

 

I know. Sometimes they just show up in the strangest places. :-D

 

Nice list for T56's.

Unfortunately quite a few of them require more work to make them fit a SBF

 

the Viper, Ford and GM T56 will bolt up to the same bellhousings meaning the trans to bellhousing bolt patterns are the same.
Quick Time Performance Products has both sbf to Cobra T56 bell, and Viper T56 bell.
QT also makes a spacer plate if the input shaft is less than 1/4" too long, which is a problem I had when converting to a McLeod twin disk.

Gotta be careful on the various output shafts. The yokes for the 30 & 31 spline outputs will slide on, but will grind if the output shaft isn't right. It will be obvious that you screwed something up, though (as I did).

I personally wouldn't use the Ford Cobra 10 spline inputs. If I'm getting a T56, only a 26 spline input will do. I didn't upgrade the transmission to a T56 for a compromise, after all. I also recommend an adjustable pivot bolt to maintain proper clutch fork alignment.

All said and done, I don't get the complaints about rough shifting. I think they shift like butter. Sometimes fluid can make a big difference, and clutch setup/adjustment is also everything. I use pretty high end fluid in my g-force geared T56 that requires the trans to warm up before it shifts smoothly, though.

 

I had a TKO600 in my last coupe that shifted OK under 6000 rpms.. Sometimes it didnt like a fast shift over 6k and would almost lock you out..

Now i have a TKO500 in my Cobra that has been properly indexed, and it shifts like butter.. Smooth as i can ask for..

 

Hi I know this is out of the blue but I seen your marketplace listing. I tried to send a private message along with reply but it doesn’t work. If the summer edition is still available could you text me at (510) 706-0821 thank you

 

Can you explain how a transmission is indexed? Sounds plausible that things would shift better if they lined up closely.

Jay

 

I wouldn't leave your phone number out like this, scammers will pick it up claiming to be the guy you're trying to reach. It happened to me a while back on this forum for a set of main studs. If someone does respond, make sure you ask them to send you a message on the forum.

Also, never pay with friends and family paypal unless they're a friend of family. Or zelle. Or Cashapp. Venmo and Paypal are the only apps with buyer protection and they both work.

I've been spending the last few weeks scrubbing all my ads going back to 2010 of my phone number.