V6 Mod

[coupe]

Well gents,
I have started down the dark path, found a capri v6 and now the questions begin. I know why a 96 or later t5.. most of the strength mods and not the longer shaftand longer bell for the shifter placement in the mustang and more of them on the market. Why the mustang bell, if the ranger or broncoII use the same 2.8 can't those houseings be used? after all the ranger had an internal slave all you have to do is hook up a line from the orig. clutch master alot of 5.0 t5's are up for sale but I think the gears stop that..... what other carb will work, edelbrock only goes down to 500 cfm as I have come to find.
Thanks coupe

 

[V6 JOSE]

Hi Coupe,

The Ranger bellhousing will only bolt up to a Ranger transmission, which is a truck transmission. It is not ideal for this application, because the gear selection isn't the best for the light Alpine, especially if you want to drive it in a sporting manner. It is noisier than the T5, because the gears aren't as beveled as a car transmission's are. If price is the main reason you are looking at the Ranger, I would suggest going with a T5 from any of the 2.3 four cylinder Mustang or Turbo Coupe applications. They are very common, cheap, and are much better than the Ranger for the V6 application. It has a pretty low first gear, as does the Ranger, but it shifts and sounds a ton better than the Ranger trnsmission, which by the way, is made by Toyo Kogyo not Ford. To be able to use the Ranger internal throw out bearing, you would need to use the Ranger master cylinder, which in it's stock application, sits sideways, requiring a custom bracket be fabricated in order to allow the master sit correctly in the Alpine. The other problem I have run into, is that the Ranger hydraulic hose has special couplings that plug into the throw out bearing, which again requires the use of the Ranger master cylinder.

You will probably get a differend opinion from some, but any of the T5's is better than the Ranger transmission. I am not a fan of automatics in a sports car, but would use an A4LD behind the V6, before I would use the Ranger transmission. I would even use the stock Mustang II four speed, even though it doesn't have an overdrive fifth gear, before I would use the Ranger transmission. The Ranger transmission will work, but if you go that way, I can assure you, you will regret spending all that time and effort to make the Ranger transmission fit your Alpine. The other day, I got to drive Dwain Cooke's Alpine V6. He is using the 2.3 four cylinder T5, and a sweeter shifting transmission, I've never found.

Unfortunately, if you want to use the T5, you will need a Mustang II bellhousing. Nothing else will adapt the T5 to the 2.8 V6. The correct bellhousing may not be abundant, but they can be found. One of the guys just went on line and began looking for Mustang II four speeds, and found several wrecking yards that not only had the four speeds, but had the bellhousing as well.

In the end, either transmission will work, but it would be like choosing between Phyllis Diller or Raquel Welch for a girlfriend. Both are women, and could serve the same function, but which would you rather have?

Jose

 

[MikeH]

Coupe

The longer input shaft is a reason to go with the later Mustang V6 T5. With the longer input shaft a pilot bearing adapter is not needed. The diameter of the pilot bearing spud of the input shaft will need to be turned down to 0.59" to fit the 2.8 pilot bearing . Also the bearing retainer needs to be shortened to the length of the 5.0 T-5. But the better plan is to buy the steel retainer for the Mustang 5.0 T-5.

 

[coupe]

Thanks again,
just trying to figure out why one unit over the other. I have a t5 96 lined up, $400.00 still trying for the bell. The offenhouser is it tow for 200.00, I've had good luck so far hope to keep this up. what is the best 8.8 to look for? I mean out of what vehicle? Will I have to go to 5 bolt on the rear and 4 on the front?
That would be rough carrying two spares around in the trunk cause I would like to have a nice set of wheels on it when done.
Again THANKS
coupe

 

[V6 JOSE]

Hi Joe,

The 8.8 isn't the ideal rear end for this application, for the following reasons. It is heavier than the Ford 8", and also larger in physical size. You would need to use a set of C clip eliminators. The axle is the inner race of the wheel bearing, which means that if the wheel bearing goes bad, so does the axle. If the axle goes bad, you would then need to replace it with another shortened one to fit the shortened axle housing needed to fit the narrow Alpine. The Ford 8" from the Mustang II, already has the same bolt pattern as your stock Alpine bolt pattern, negating the need to change the bolt pattern on your front hubs.

The 8" is so strong, you will never break it with a 2.8 V6. I recommend looking for an 8" from a Mustang II and modifying it to fit.

Jose

 

[coupe]

Hi Jose
That's what I hoped would be the best. I don't know why I typed 8.8 Just looking at notes and not really reading what was there. Is it real critical on gearing or was the mustang with the manual box fairly standard across the board? That said I can look for the mustang drive shaft too.
coupe

 

[Series6]

Will I have to go to 5 bolt on the rear and 4 on the front?
That would be rough carrying two spares around in the trunk cause I would like to have a nice set of wheels on it when done.
Again THANKS
coupe

Coupe,

FYI-I am using an 8.8 from a Navagator which has been narrowed for the Alpine. I have rear discs. I had my Alpine front hubs redrilled for the Ford 5 lug pattern. Now I'll only need one spare and will have a greater choice in wheels, which I liked.

Be advised-I'm going way out into the world of weird on this car. Stick with Jose's recommendations.

 

[Jim E]

THe stock Alpine rear end is a good choice IMO.You got one, the gear ratio is good, like the 4.22 over the 3.89 but either will work. You just need to do the ring gear bolts and replace the woodruff keys in the hubs. and last of all it is lots cheaper the only draw back is you more or less cannot get a locker for it. Oh and another thing you use the stock drive shaft with a different end on it and no worries about the shaft hitting the tunnel wall

 

[Alpine 1789]

Why the mustang bell, if the ranger or broncoII use the same 2.8 can't those houseings be used?

There is one on eBay right now, with a $40 buy it now price: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0474980564&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWAX:IT One caution though: it doesn't look like it has the clutch fork. I don't know how hard they are to find.

 

[MikeH]

One caution though: it doesn't look like it has the clutch fork. I don't know how hard they are to find.

I would imagine the fork is as hard to find as the bell housing, although you could go with an internal slave cylinder for the clutch and wouldn't need the Mustang II style fork, but I think I would keep looking for a complete unit.

 

[V6 JOSE]

Sorry guys,

This is not a V6 bellhousing. It has the starter bump on the passenger's side, and the V6 bellhousing has it on the driver's side. If you used this bellhousing, you wouldn't be able to put the oil filter on it. This one has to come from a four cylinder application.

Jose

 

[MikeH]

Good call Jose. I didn't catch that, nor did I catch the rectangular opening where the lever style throw out fork would pass through the bell housing. Also there is a boss on the side for the clutch cable that's not on the MII V6 housing.

 

[Bill Blue]

Well gents,
I have started down the dark path, found a capri v6 and now the questions begin. I know why a 96 or later t5.. most of the strength mods and not the longer shaftand longer bell for the shifter placement in the mustang and more of them on the market. Why the mustang bell, if the ranger or broncoII use the same 2.8 can't those houseings be used? after all the ranger had an internal slave all you have to do is hook up a line from the orig. clutch master alot of 5.0 t5's are up for sale but I think the gears stop that..... what other carb will work, edelbrock only goes down to 500 cfm as I have come to find.
Thanks coupe

The post 1988 Ranger transmission (M5R1) has the bell housing and transmission in one casting. It uses the internal slave and is a decent transmission but presents other problems that are not supported here. Most notable issues are different transmission mount and shifter locations.

The early Ranger transmission (TK) used a separate bell housing that can be adapted to a T5. Early ones used an external slave, later ones use internal slaves. This is the transmission Jose is talking about when he slams the Ranger transmissions and he is right, it is not a good choice even though it would be an easy installation.

Bill

 

[coupe]

I have recieved a wealth of info from you gents. Thanks alot for the help so far, I'm not looking to go off the beaten path with this mod, just had to ask abt the parts that were handy here from some of the people I know. Some parts I figured hard to get for a good price proved me wrong, just drove an hr. and picked up the offenhauser for a good price, and the 96 t5 is in the works for tomorrow. After that trip I will have to start pulling the 4 banger out and order the kit from Jose. Then the fun begins, hope not to pester to much.
THANKS AGAIN
coupe

 

[coupe]

Jose, I think that is a german v6 bell, but all my info states it is actually a v6 171. I don't know if it would work in this mod. I have another question..... If I can't locate a 4 lug rear and have to get a 5 lug 8" how hard is it to put 5 lug on the front? or is it more trouble than it's worth?
coupe.

 

[V6 JOSE]

Hi Joe,

Unless there is a different German 2.8 V6 that I have never seen or heard of, that bellhousing can't be for the Cologne (German) 2.8 V6. The Cologne 2.8 has the oil filter on the passenger side, where this bellhousing has the bump for the starter. The starter would sit where the oil filter would normally go, making it impossible to put a filter on it. All the Cologne 2.8 V6s I have dealt with, have the starter on the driver's side for that reason.

The 2.3 I4s have the starter on the passenger side, like this bellhousing does.

It isn't hard to have your front hubs redrilled to the Ford 5 bolt pattern. I had it done and it cost me $100.

Jose

Jose, I think that is a german v6 bell, but all my info states it is actually a v6 171. I don't know if it would work in this mod. I have another question..... If I can't locate a 4 lug rear and have to get a 5 lug 8" how hard is it to put 5 lug on the front? or is it more trouble than it's worth?
coupe.

 

[coupe]

I never thought of welding and redrilling the hubs A Super save!! And again you have more knowledge than I can garner from other sources on the parts, good to know, but I'll prob still ask just to make sure I don't goof up.
coupe