Advice needed

[Tberry]

Hey all, I decided on a 5.0 swap. Engine is at machine shop for a rebuild. Looking for about 275 to wheels.

I live in a very rural/remote area so parts are harder to come by. I ended up with a C6 and a BW1345 TC. I realized after some measuring that the TC won't fit between the frame rails as it's too wide.

Is there a way people have worked with this setup?

Does anyone have a suggestion for a better TC in this setup?

There's also a C5 about 2.5 hours away in a town we frequent for groceries and the guy said he'd trade me for my C6. Will a sbf bellhousing from a C4 line up? Will a C5 hold up to a 302?

A few options, looking for simplest way to go, keeping in mind parts are hard to find and I have to travel 2 or 3 hours for anything. There are a lot of old Fords on these ranches, maybe they'd have something if I know what to look for.

Thanks

 

[Josh B]

I've had experience with those, although rather limited
One of my first cars was a used 64 Impala with a 2 speed Duraglide transmission, which had only two gears.
After wearing out the 283 I swapped engines to either a 230 or 235 6 cylinder, using the same duraglide.
That transmission was pretty slick, and also ended up in a lot of dragsters

Later in the 80s I got an Econoline E300 (one ton) with the straight 300 C.I. six, and a C6.
The one thing that stood out to me on the C6 was how low first gear was.
You could not totally floor that thing and reach the other side of a single one st crossing without it changing gears into second, which would also be a strong contender for racing IMO

 

[Josh B]

" A few options, looking for simplest way to go, keeping in mind parts are hard to find and I have to travel 2 or 3 hours for anything. There are a lot of old Fords on these ranches, maybe they'd have something if I know what to look for. "

Like rattlesnakes?

 

[Bill4]

Personal opinion keep the c6. I don't really like the c4 and c5 but they would do. Find a different tcase. In either situation an early bronco dana 20 can be adapted but would be costly and hard to find. Anyone know if a 205 will clear the frame? Those are easy to come by for ford and would bolt to a ford c6.

 

[Tberry]

" A few options, looking for simplest way to go, keeping in mind parts are hard to find and I have to travel 2 or 3 hours for anything. There are a lot of old Fords on these ranches, maybe they'd have something if I know what to look for. "

Like rattlesnakes?

Definitely those hahaha

 

[Tberry]

Personal opinion keep the c6. I don't really like the c4 and c5 but they would do. Find a different tcase. In either situation an early bronco dana 20 can be adapted but would be costly and hard to find. Anyone know if a 205 will clear the frame? Those are easy to come by for ford and would bolt to a ford c6.

Ok from what I was reading that's my best bet. Just wanted to ask the people smarter than me! Thank you

 

[Shran]

205 will fit. I have one in mine behind a 4 speed. That would be my first choice - but they are gear driven and thus not very forgiving to binding up or nice crisp shifts. Big clunky brutes.

Dana 20 is going to be very hard to find and expensive and an expensive adapter to make it work plus shifters. But it's an option.

C5 will work if you find a C4 V8 bellhousing, torque converter, flex plate & block plate. Pretty difficult to find C4 parts in general. 4x4 C4's exist but only in Early Bronco applications and they are incredibly rare these days.

 

[Tberry]

205 will fit. I have one in mine behind a 4 speed. That would be my first choice - but they are gear driven and thus not very forgiving to binding up or nice crisp shifts. Big clunky brutes.

Dana 20 is going to be very hard to find and expensive and an expensive adapter to make it work plus shifters. But it's an option.

C5 will work if you find a C4 V8 bellhousing, torque converter, flex plate & block plate. Pretty difficult to find C4 parts in general. 4x4 C4's exist but only in Early Bronco applications and they are incredibly rare these days.

I'd be ok with clunky. Rig will just be my 3 mile daily driver to work and occasional off road in the woods. We get some good snow in winter too. It won't be intended for any long trips. Thank you

 

[Tberry]

I'd be ok with clunky. Rig will just be my 3 mile daily driver to work and occasional off road in the woods. We get some good snow in winter too. It won't be intended for any long trips. Thank you

Is that an NP205 in your picture?

 

[Shran]

I'd be ok with clunky. Rig will just be my 3 mile daily driver to work and occasional off road in the woods. We get some good snow in winter too. It won't be intended for any long trips. Thank you

Yeah I'm fine with it too. It's just annoying when it gets stuck in low range, I've had several of them do that and a little rock back and forth always gets it moving. It's certainly no chain drive t-case but in many ways that's a good thing. And you can twin stick it.

Yes that is a NP205 in the pic. Hard to tell but it clears the driver frame rail by about an inch. Fits like a glove

 

[Josh B]

Man that's a machine there (I lightened it up a bit)

 

[rubydist]

The NP205 is my first choice as well. Just remember to put in the support on the frame rail so all that weight is not torquing the transmission and extension housing.

 

[Shran]

Super easy to build a side support for the 205, mine is basically just a leaf spring bushing and some tabs attached to flat plate. I tried to use the factory F150 side mount but there was no way to make it fit.

 

[Northidahotrailblazer]

Super easy to build a side support for the 205, mine is basically just a leaf spring bushing and some tabs attached to flat plate. I tried to use the factory F150 side mount but there was no way to make it fit.

did you just support the 205 on the one side? I cant remember if theres holes on the other side also?

 

[Shran]

did you just support the 205 on the one side? I cant remember if theres holes on the other side also?

Just the driver's side. There's no mounting holes on the passenger side.