@Vee_Que makes an adapter plate here in Australia. A revised version is in the works. Bolts on.
[6] What type of input shaft will I need to make these kits easily work in my car?
Firstly, you must remove the input shaft from the box you've chosen, and do a tooth count. It will be either 23 or 24 teeth.
You'll also need to note if it's a needle roller type or tapered pocket type bearing shaft.
Then once you've done that, you'll need to order a 10-spline input shaft which has a total length of 9.25 inches (including the gear which fits into the box) and a shaft length of 7.18 inches.
Some call it the "Fox body Mustang shaft" which is a bit vague. Fox body, dog's body.... meh - I prefer actual part numbers.
For an original needle bearing input shaft with 24 teeth: 1352-085-020
For an original needle bearing input shaft with 23 teeth: 1352-085-025
For an original tapered bearing input shaft with 23 teeth: 1352-085-050
For an original tapered bearing input shaft with 24 teeth: 1352-085-060
See also [8] below.
[7] What's the difference between a needle roller input shaft bearing type input shaft, and a tapered input bearing type input shaft?
Pictures speak louder than words, so.....
Below is a needle-roller type input shaft. Note the ledge on the inside of the shaft.
Below is a tapered bearing type input shaft. Note how this version doesn't have a ledge, and how there's a bearing cup deep inside the input shaft.
This pic just shows the tapered input shaft bearing just peeking out after the input shaft's been removed, and sitting in the gearbox.
The tapered input bearing type boxes are more desirable, since they're somewhat stronger.
[8] Why should I look for a Ford V8 box, and not a Ford 6 cylinder box, or a Holden V8 box?
The later versions of Australian Ford 6 cylinder T5s with the tapered input shaft bearing used a cluster set which is not compatible with US-type input shafts.
So the tooth count might match with the list of 4 shafts above, but the helix angle of the gear on the input shaft and the angle of the gear on the cluster won't match, and so it won't fit in your 6 cylinder Ford gearbox.
The 6-cylinder Ford input shafts are too short to work with the kits listed above. That said, one person had his Ford 6 input shaft modified and lengthened by a specialist machine shop to work with an adapter kit, so it can be done, however this type of modification is a specialist job and isn't something that can be done easily with basic tools.
If you're got a Ford 6-pot box and you want to keep it, don't buy a shaft - getting the input shaft lengthened is your only solution if you want to use one of the off-the-shelf kits.
As at 2022-09-03, the search is on for a shop who will lengthen Ford 6 cylinder input shafts to work with the Yoshifab kit; a workshop in Sydney who did perform this operation in the past isn't in business any more.
The exception to Ford 6 cylinder T5 boxes having strange innards is the BA turbo box, tag number 3R23-7003-CB or 0557-008. This gearbox has a tapered bearing input shaft, the strong V8 cluster set and V8 gears, but has a fine spline input shaft as standard to fit the Barra 6. Since this box uses the '070' V8 cluster, it's compatible with a US-type input shaft. If you find one, bear in mind you'll have to change the extension housing and top cover to make it fit nicely, but it will look a bit funny at the back, since the BA box has a looong mainshaft. See?
As for why you don't want a V8 Commodore box, well....
There are two basic types of T5 maincases: GM, and Ford, The Holden V8 T5 gearboxes use a "GM" pattern maincase, which is like a Muncie pattern at the bellhousing end.
All other T5s fitted to Australian cars use a Ford pattern maincase (yes, even the V6 Commodores). The commonly available adapter plates listed above all require a Ford pattern maincase. See the picture below for the difference.
You could always strip out a V8 Commodore box and rehouse the guts in a Ford maincase to get the whole shebang to work, but.... yeah.
[8a] What's the difference between Borg Warner, BTR Engineering, and Tremec T5s?
None.
Borg-Warner Australia become BTR Engineering, and Borg-Warner USA sold the T5 design to Tremec Corp. The Australian made BW/BTR/Tremec boxes however have some unique parts to fit Commodores and Falcons; e.g. input shafts, and the Ford 6 boxes as already discussed.
[9] What's the difference between Non World Class (NWC) and World Class (WC) T5 boxes?
Three big ones.
Firstly, the countershaft bearing visible in the front of the box is the different between NWC and WC boxes. A NWC will have a groove around the bearing; a WC box won't, and will likely be labeled Timken and sit flush with the case. See pic below - WC on the left, NWC maincase on the right. Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that these two transmissions below are GM pattern maincases, but the bearings in Ford maincases also share these differences.
Secondly, the NWC uses brass synchos inside; the WC uses fibre-lined synchos. This also means you don't use ordinary gear oil in a WC box - you should be using Dexron II ATF or similar because fibre-lined synchros.
Thirdly, WC boxes have better and stronger internal components from factory than NWC units.
[10] Is this all I need to know about doing a T5 swap?
No, of course not.
This FAQ is meant as the first stage of your research, not the end of it.
You'll need to think about other things like tailshaft balancing, runout checks (Tremec specifies 0.005 inch runout max), reverse light wiring, speedo drive, etc. The DeeWorks kit has a very good installation guide, which includes how to shim up your input shaft for end float. ENDThe usual disclaimers apply; E&OE, etc.
This FAQ will updated / corrected as necessary and when more knowledge becomes available.
2022-03-24: Updated [8] [and [6]
2022-09-03: Updated [1] with speedo cable and speedo drive info; updated [8] re input shafts.
2023-11-27: (finally) reformatted line breaks, etc, in post after server change created a dog's breakfast
