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GForce and 5Speeds part company and I'm left without a trans...


Mikelly

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So I get a call this evening from Paul and Fivespeed Transmissions/ MetatroniX this afternoon. Seems Paul has had trouble with delivery from Bubba at Gforce for quite a while now and today it came to a head... Paul is no longer going to make transmissions using Gforce parts and this included the trans I was in line for... I'm high and dry, and I'm reluctant at calling up Bubba himself to get a trans from... Paul was doing some custom work to the parts once he got them from Bubba and company, and this has left me without a source for the trans as this time...

 

So guys, I need recommendations... I have a bellhousing for a T5 and I really don't want to have to send it back...

 

Damn!

Mike

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Mike,

That sucks! I am not sure I mentioned it before (I think I did for others to know), and I am not trying to rub salt in the wound, but I specifically did not go with G-Force because of my conversation with Bubba. I was NOT confident in him and company.

With that said, I am not sure what you are looking for. A T-5? Just any other 5 speed that will work with your bellhousing? Maybe you remember, but I got a TKO-600 from Keisler Engineering. Just a thought, although I do know they are supposedly notchy (I don't know yet since my car is down to the shell).

Good Luck,

Joshua

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Yup, and the reason I went with Paul Cangialosi. His reputation was far superior and he was more concerned with the quality of the product. He was taking the G Force parts and further refining them to better, tighter tolerances. The transmission he was building was far superior to that of G Force. Unfortunately he was on the bottom of their supply list and owed them Zero, as he always paid on COD, rather than billed later... Guy bought $30,000 worth of G Force parts last year, only to be low on their list... I ordered my transmission back in September of last year, when we ordered mine and Jim's. Now we have Jim's and I have to find something else... Looks like I may end up with a TKO600...

 

Not real happy, since I've already purchased my Lakewood Bellhousing and I'll need to return it. Also need to find the receipt so I CAN return it... this really sucks...

 

Mike

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Mike,

Why do you need to return your bellhousing? I thought the T-5 and the TKO600 used the same bellhousing, a 4-bolt Muncie pattern? You should be fine on the bellhousing, unless you have one that is drilled rotated.

There must be someone out there building G-Force T-5's who you can use. Even if they deal with Mustang's every day, there shouldn't be a problem building it into a Chevy case, right?

Good Luck in any case, what a hassle if nothing more!

Joshua

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I am not sure what you are looking for. A T-5? Just any other 5 speed that will work with your bellhousing? Maybe you remember' date=' but I got a TKO-600 from Keisler Engineering.[/quote']

 

I'm looking for a 5 speed that will go behind my L6 and handle 400hp/450ft lbs in a 2900 lb car for under $2000 delivered.

 

I was looking at the thread from Jersey about a conversation he had with Bubba about hybrid-izing the Nissan NWC T5 for $1600 + my core and shipping.

 

After reading this, I'm not too sure I want to drop that kind of money on a 'test' case, but I don't think I've got any other options at this point.

 

Anyone else have any suggestions? I'm going to cal D&D Performance and see if they're willing to try the conversion.

 

If I go anymore over budget on this project, I'll definitely be eating TV dinners alone for the rest of my life...

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Look at this... They posted it officially on their website

 

http://www.5speeds.com/t5/gforce.html

 

Looks like we've lost that option!

 

Ken

 

I'm not so sure, but it's possible. I read it as "We will no longer sell assembled transmissions with G-Force gearsets and we will no longer sell G-Force gearsets."

 

I don't read into it "We won't assemble your transmission if you give us the G-Force gearset."

 

What I read, and granted I generally hear things the way I want to hear them, but, it doesn't seem to preclude them assembling a tranny for you if you supply the parts.

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Mike,

 

Is the T5 bellhousing special to the T5, or is it generic to 60’s-70’s GM 4-speeds? If the latter, then another option is the Richmond gear transmissions. But you probably didn’t want to hear that....

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Who says that G-force has a corner on how to build gearsets!!!

 

If I were Paul, I'd do this:

1) Find out who is supplying G-force with their gear sets. Start up a business arrangement to get supplied directly. I'd be REALLY surprised if G-force is making these parts themselves!

 

2) If that doesn't work, get a G-force gear set, see what's good about the gear geometry, and design a better one (since Paul is tweaking the G-Force sets anyway). Then get a mechanical engineer who's good at this stuff to help with the final design, material selection, heat treatment, etc. Then go find someone willing to work with you on making some gear sets. Sure, this takes startup money.

 

It's just a gear set design, not nuclear physics.

 

BTW, I've heard good things about the Liberty T-5s.

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The only problem with that is Pete, how many of these specific trans's are going to sell? Believe me, i've thought about doing it myself but it would be a big investment for possible small return. I guess a good risk-taking businessman, not looking to make a real "business" out of it, could go a little further then break-even.

 

I've got the ford T5 figured out except for one small problem... the stick comes up short of the tunnel opening by about 3 inches. And i think since the tranny sits so close to the bottom of the tunnel, there wont be much room for a custom stick. Still trying to figure this WC T5 option out.

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I was just putting that out for an option that I hope Paul at 5speeds.com might consider (if he hasn't already).

 

John Coffey put his L6 aft in the engine compartment 4 inches. Can you do something like that to get the shifter where you need it? It'd help with handling too (half kidding - don't want to start another PMOI, setback, handling war!!!)

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The only problem with that is Pete' date=' how many of these specific trans's are going to sell? Believe me, i've thought about doing it myself but it would be a big investment for possible small return. I guess a good risk-taking businessman, not looking to make a real "business" out of it, could go a little further then break-even.

 

I've got the ford T5 figured out except for one small problem... the stick comes up short of the tunnel opening by about 3 inches. And i think since the tranny sits so close to the bottom of the tunnel, there wont be much room for a custom stick. Still trying to figure this WC T5 option out.[/quote']

 

This is the same for me with my L28/5 speed in a 70 body. What I did was to take the stick, cut it just above the pivot, then weld it back on facing straight back, then heat with a torch and bend so it comes up in the right spot. Not sure if you can do that with the T5 shifter, but it worked for me. I do seem to remember the shaft on the T5 being ~1 thick and hollow vs 5/8" and solid.

 

Lower PMOI would be SWEET...

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I believe that a G-Force alternative could not only be manufactured, but would also sell well! Think about it, lots of Mustangs and F-bodies used them, not to mention the Z and other hybrid possibilities. At 75 lbs. dry weight, it's hard to beat weight wise and as G-Force proved, bullet-proof gear sets can be made!

 

p.s. I'd buy one in a "Cocaine Heart-beat"!

 

Mark

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I believe that a G-Force alternative could not only be manufactured' date=' but would also sell well!

 

p.s. I'd buy one in a "Cocaine Heart-beat"! Mark[/quote']

 

Ok, that's ONE order. Now all you need is about 99 more to justify even the startup costs...

 

How much would you be willing to pay? $3500? $2500? $2000? $1500? $1000?

 

Unless you want to bear the risk entirely yourself, you'll need to get significant deposits to gauge 'practical' interest in the part. Let's face it, there are a lot of people in this arena that claim they'll buy one until it comes time to pony up the duckets. Then they evaporate.

 

And then, who's going to drop several thousand on something from someone new with no track record and therefore no credibility...?

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