Kind of a new guy

[randallgrunert]

I know most of you have seen some of my post but I never introduced myself. I' m randy originally from south Texas and for the past 19 years the central coast of California. My first truck was 65 Chevy long wideside, straight 6. After I sold that truck I have been looking for another. Well I found her about5 years ago. Did a little work To Her to drive around . I fell in love with the. 305 v6.i Then I hit the jackpot and found 6066 gmc. I studied All the tech tips and stored them for the future. Resently I hasd questions on Installing a t5 tranny in my 65 wideside. Many thanks to all who responded. I had to do modificAtions to my shift linkage and will be sending pictures on how I did my mods.

[Foley]

Nice comments Randy. Happy to meet you and that you are living down there in a very nice area of CA. Mostly it's nice to hear that you are enjoying that bigol 305 and your truck.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Welcome to the obsession! Cant wait to see the adapter you came up with.

[randallgrunert]

Hey everyone got a couple of pictures of the tranny shifter mod to move the shifter forward. Right now I have bucket seats in my truck but plan on reinstalling the bench after I do the leather seats. So decided to relocate the shifter now and save having to redo later. By adding a bracket at the tailshaft connection point and using a heim joint I am able to move the shifter forward 12 inches. I off set about an inch over to the left to be able to keep the flat linkage low enough to avoid having to cut out and raise the tranny tunnel. By doing this I have 5 inches from the center of the tranny up to the top of the linkage. I have right at 5 and3/4 inches fro center of tranny to bottom side of tunnel. I cut the stock shifter off at approx. 2 inches and cut out a notch. I installed Teflon washers between the parts that will be the swivel points. with this set up I am right at 11" from the bell housing to center of shifter. Well hope I was able to get the pics right will have more as time goes on.

[Funky61]

Nice work on the relocation Randy and welcome as well!

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Hey thats a pretty good looking setup! Great job

[raycow]

Randy, your shifter relocation is brilliant! You have done a great service by freeing us from having to use an S-10 tail housing.

What size stock did you use to make the long link?

Ray

[randallgrunert]

Thought I'd make up a drawing of how I made my shifter relocation. I had studied the tranny for quite a while and one day I was at my brother-in-laws boat shop and saw how he had hooked up a smaller kicker motor that steers off the larger out board I got the basic idea. I changed my design at least ten time. If any one else tries my idea and can improve let me know. Thanks for all the comments so far. Hopefully will have drive shaft back from driveshaft shop by this weekend so I can get on the road and try out the T5.

[raycow]

Thank you, Randy.

Ray

[randallgrunert]

Well I finally got the 5 speed in. One day I will have a shop with a concrete floor. Working in my drive way using a sheet of plywood for the tranny jack to roll on got it stabbed after three tries. First try got it lined up and remembered I had not drilled out the tranny holes for 1/2 inch bolts. Dropped the tranny drilled and tried again. tranny would go in all but about 3/4 inch. found that the throw out bearing was binding on the hub. Down again. Used emery cloth I polished the hub and used a brake hone to lightly polish the inside of the throw out bearing. Lined her up again and everything went together like it was supposed to. I'm taking the drive shaft to have it shortened today so hopefully I will be back on the road by this weekend. Been asking around about using Royal Purple for my tranny oil. The T5 used DexronII and by what I can find Royal Purple Max is what I should use does anyone know for sure. Will have pictures of install coming. Thanks everyone.