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So, now I've got the Tremec T-5 to go with my motor, but I've got another issue: I was told that this car came with the hump for the shifter as stock. ( See photos ) Is that true? I was also told the Easter Bunny was real as a kid.. I'm going to have to do some fiddling to make this shift arrangement match the car.
Yes, that is normal. The stock floor shifter was bolted to the left side of the tranny. You're new T5 will place the shifter dead center. You will probably want to build a patch panel and weld up the bug hold in the floor and cut a new hole that lines up with the new shifter location.
I'd rather not bugger up the bodywork, if it came that way. I'm going to try something fancy with the shift linkage, then I'll surrender and cut the floor.
I'm planning on rebuilding the stock drive train, so I don't want to do anything
I can't back out of, if I can avoid it.
As usual, I'm going to try the hard way first.
The hump is removable with screws. Take it off and put it in a box for later. You can make a replacement panel out of sheet metal, aluminum, fiberglass, or whatever.
I don't think you find a way out of cutting a hole for the T5 shifter. I'm interested in seeing what you come up with.
Ed, If you go through my "Crazy" thread you'll see a picture or two of the hump and how it looks with and without it installed. And the hole you have underneath it.
You can use the hump, once removed, as a template to make a curved panel to cover the big hole that is there when the hump is removed.
You may want to just take that hump off, install the new tranny, and see where it all lines up. You may only need to make a half-moon cut-out more from the original hole to align with the new shift outlet. This will likely always be in there (during our lifetime) - so I wouldn't worry too much about hacking it up a little. Sheet metal is easy to patch.
If you don't want to change the carpet - you'll need to leave the hump and make a new hole in it for the new shifter... and use the original hole as a cup holder. [thumb]
A cup holder, or maybe a secret bombing orifice for tailgaters.
Anyway, I'm not familiar enough with T-5 linkage to give up yet. I have access to a full machine shop, a composite lab, and some time to think about it. In the end, common sense will probably prevail, and I'll just patch the floor.