Just got a 87 Firebird with a 305 and 5 speed. What kind of power will the trans take?Werent the later T5s built a little stronger?Only paid $300 for the whole running car.

Originally posted by 67 Plum:
Just got a 87 Firebird with a 305 and 5 speed. What kind of power will the trans take?Werent the later T5s built a little stronger?Only paid $300 for the whole running car. Not much. The stock 350's of that era only got the auto trannies because they would break the 5 speeds. And they didn't make but about 200 HP or so.

Jody

That transmission is NOT a strong unit. The above post is absolutely correct in HP projections, imho.

Thanks guys.Drove the car today engine and trans work good thinking of putting the 305 and 5speed in a 23 T bucket.With no weight and little horsepower should last a long time.Maybe a crane 274HO6 cam for sound.

It should be fine behind a 195hp or 220hp/283 motor!!

Just don't dump and cram too hard...

pdq67

The old T5s had a bad rap for breaking easy but I ran one in an 84 Camaro with a 355 down into the 13.3's @ 104 MPH without ever hurting the trans. I did break the rear end once and blew a pressure plate once, but the trans was running strong when I sold the car with 130k miles.

The key to making a T5 live is NO POWER SHIFTING and NO SLICKS!! ;)

Have fun and don't worry about it . . .