# t-5 trans adapter?



## mattnsac (Jan 15, 2003)

Hey guys, wondering if anyone knew of an off the shelf adapter for a tremec t5 transmission? 
I have come up with a solution but it requires 2 yes 2 seperate adapters to do it. More or less its an ACME adapter kit to convert a vw to a toyota and then an adapter to adapt a Toyota to a GM. 
This is a lot of adapters for one engine and has me concerned about the added length of the drivetrain and any potential issues with having multple adapters from different companies.
I saw an adapter someone made where he milled a VW bellhousing and tig'd a plate onto it for the t5 trans. 
Im hoping there's a single adapter that allows me to bolt a t5 based manual to a 4 cyl. As a side note there was a little kitcar style company from europe that I swore held a nurburgring recod that was powered by a 18t and had a t5 based trans. Cant remember who they are though and I definitely have no idea if this was an off the shelf product. 
If anyone has some info on mating these together, even a VR6, please lemme know. I have a project planned to use a 18t or a 2.0 with a tko500 (not a stock t5). If you have any ideas or links send them my way, thanks


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## polov8 (Apr 14, 2004)

*Re: t-5 trans adapter? (mattnsac)*

Can't really help much, but I recall the kitcar was a German built Lotus 7 looking thing.....


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## MikkiJayne (Jan 1, 2007)

*FV-QR*

I don't know of anything that will fit the T5 directly, but.....
There is also a Lotus 7 rep in the UK using a VW TDI motor on a Toyota supra transmission.That uses an adapter available from a company who puts VW TDIs in Suzuki jeeps and Toyotas, although I can't remember their name right now. I guess that is part of your 2-adapter setup?
The bellhousing from the Porsche 925 Turbo (with the 'snail' transmission) fits the VAG I5 and V6 / V8. That _might _fit the I4 as well, but obviously would need adapting to fit the T5. Might be worth investigating tho?

_Quote, originally posted by *mattnsac* »_
I saw an adapter someone made where he milled a VW bellhousing and tig'd a plate onto it for the t5 trans. 


I am working on an RWD project at the moment and am making the bellhousing in the same way, by cutting the front off an Audi FWD transmission and tigging on an adapter for the trans I am using. This is a fairly straightforward way to do it if you can make up a dowel type of tool to make sure that your tigged on plate is properly centred on the crank.
Hth http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## 88vwFox (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (MikkiJayne)*

I have been looking for a vr6 to t-5 for a little while now and only one person i know how has ever made one. the guy with the RWD vr6T rado. 
good luck please post anything you find.


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## mattnsac (Jan 15, 2003)

*Re: FV-QR (MikkiJayne)*

yeah the adapter is from ACMEADAPTERS. Fairly generic name but they are the ones that have an adapter for tdis into the sidekicks. They also have a tdi to yota adapter as well. My thinking was get the yota adapter and then get a yota to gm adapter. Like I said though that is a helluva lot of adapters for a single motor. 
And the kitcar company I was referring to was the one that made the lotus 7 looking car. Its not Caterham but I think a dutch company and I know for a fact that they uses a t5 style trans because it was listed in their specs. 
I really dont want to weld an adapter onto a bellhousing. Theres a lot more to something like that then make it flat and weld it. You have to be dead nuts accurate to ensure run out is nill and everything stays concentric. Last thing you need is bocken parts or at the very least a ton of leaks because things arent lined up. 
Ive given alot of thought to having the machine shop I use actually CNC me something. This guy is really good and although he is weird he doesnt charge anything. Mel, the owner, actually lives in his shop with his 4 cats so his cost of living isnt what youd call very high lol. Regardless he has made me some trick parts for easily 10% of what Ive been qouted for other things. Id still expect to pay an easy grand for something like this though. 
Hopefully Ill be able to come up with an answer for you guys. I may be giving some of the drag racing shops a call like the Esserinis. Theyhave succesfully adapted VR's to GM automatics so there may be some light at the end of the tunnel on this one.


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## MikkiJayne (Jan 1, 2007)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *mattnsac* »_
I really dont want to weld an adapter onto a bellhousing. Theres a lot more to something like that then make it flat and weld it. You have to be dead nuts accurate to ensure run out is nill and everything stays concentric. Last thing you need is bocken parts or at the very least a ton of leaks because things arent lined up. 


This is my concern too http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif What I am doing is having a dowel turned on a lathe to center up all the components. It will be a tight clearance fit in the crank nose (in place of the pilot bearing) and a similar fit in the mounting plate for the transmission. That way I'm happy that everything will be concentric.
I did consider having the mounting plate precision cut with laser or waterjet (or CNC would work too), but the problem with that was measuring all the pieces accurately would be extremely difficult, especially getting the exact dead-center of the bellhousing / crank. I figured just building it with the dowel would be much more accurate.
You could use the original bellhousing output shaft hole as a reference point with a dowel http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif
There are a couple of 16VT drag racing Corrados on youtube which must have adapters to suitable RWD transmissions, so someone knows how to do this. Drag racing shops is a good idea


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## BlackTie+ (Oct 17, 2003)

*Re: FV-QR (MikkiJayne)*

Just call ACME. They have the experience and know-how and templates to make what you want. It seriously is likely very simple for them. 
IF I was them, to me it would be as simple as taking the two templates in a CAD file and lining up the drivetrain centerline and taking into account the proper face mounting distance and exporting it from CAD to CAM and mounting the block of billet onto the bed of my CNC machine and calling it a day. 
Don't make this too hard, call the experts.
Edit: spelling


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## MikkiJayne (Jan 1, 2007)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *BlackTie+* »_ 
IF I was them, to me it would be as simple as taking the two templates in a CAD file and lining up the drivetrain centerline


_If_ you have the templates









Worth a call http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## BlackTie+ (Oct 17, 2003)

*Re: FV-QR (MikkiJayne)*

Oh they have the templates.


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## hardhatz (Jun 22, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (BlackTie+)*

I recently asked Acme about the TDI to Chevy V8 adaptor that I need & they said no. I would be happy with TDI to Ford SB as well, but so far no luck. All I want is a modern non computer-controlled RWD overdrive automatic behind a TDI. If anybody has any bright ideas, speak. I am about to whittle my own & offer them for sale.


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## 88vwFox (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: FV-QR (hardhatz)*

make one for a vr6 to t-5 and i'd be game for one.
lol vr6 in a fox body stang.... HAHAHAHAHA or miata


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## XJGPN (Feb 6, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (88vwFox)*

Sorry for getting into this thread so late, but I've been looking as well. At SEMA I spoke to these guys:
http://www.quicktimeinc.com/
and they said they already had all the dimensions they needed for the tranny sides of things, so if someone was able to get a VR6 over to them (needs crank too) they would digitize it and add it to their applications. (Once they have the back of the block digitized they could make adapters to any of the transmissions they make adapters for). The bellhousings were really nice. It would be great if someone on these boards was local and had a VR6 sitting around that they could drop off to them for a few days so they could take the necessary measurements.


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## slowgti (Jul 15, 2003)

please pm me, i have some good news for you


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