Which T-5 Would You Rather Shift? 1984 Chevy S-10 Blazer vs 1985 Ford Mustang

It’s not uncommon for auomakers to buy components from other companies, and there’s rarely any exclusivity agreement saying that company can’t sell that component to someone else as well. Because of this, you can find the same parts in a wide variety of cars. One component often made by a third party is the transmission, particularly if someone builds a really good one. Both of today’s cars have the same transmission, the legendary Borg-Warner T-5 five-speed manual.

Yesterday, we looked at two Chrysler products that (probably) came from the same factory. I thought that the Valian’t relatively high price might put more of you off, but considering its cool factor was off the charts, the poor green Caravan never stood a chance. It put up a good fight, but in the end, who wants a tired old Caravan when that magnificent Valiant wagon is sitting right there?

Not me, that’s for sure. I admire the early Caravans, and if I just needed a cheap car with a lot of space inside, I’d be all over that one. In fact, if I still lived in Portland, I’d probably go check it out just to see. But if it’s a choice between that and the Valiant, I’m spending the extra imaginary money.

You’ve probably heard of the T-5 transmission, and you’ve probably driven a car equipped with one, or one of its predecessors or successors. Originally introduced in 1982 in various AMC models, it became the go-to five-speed transmission for rear-wheel-drive vehicles for most of the 1980s and ’90s. It found its way into everything from the Merkur XR4Ti to the Nissan 300ZX Turbo, as well as various TVR models. But it’s best known for its applications in pony cars and small GM trucks, so today, we’re going to look at one of each of those.

1984 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer Tahoe – $8,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.8-liter OHV V6, five-speed manual, 4WD

Location: Grass Valley, CA

Odometer reading: 100,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

It’s a little frightening that I’m now old enough to have witnessed the near-extinction of cars that were absolutely everywhere when I was younger. I often don’t even realize they’re almost all gone until I see one. Case in point: the first-generation Chevy S-10 Blazer. These little two-door 4×4 wagons were on every street corner for years. I knew several people who owned them, and I changed the oil in approximately twelve zillion of them at the garage where I used to work. But it has been more than thirty years since this bodystyle graced Chevrolet showrooms, and this is the nicest one I’ve seen in at least ten.

This baby Blazer is powered by a 2.8-liter V6 with a two-barrel carburetor, making 110 horsepower – and believe it or not, this engine was optional. The standard engine was the 2.0-liter four from the Cavalier. The vast majority of buyers weren’t crazy enough to go for the four-cylinder, though; if memory serves, every S-10 Blazer I’ve seen except one has had the V6. The Borg-Warner T5 transmission sends power to an “Insta-Trac” shift-on-the-fly 4WD transfer case, equipped with a low range. This one runs and drives great, and has had a recent complete tune-up, as well as a new battery, brakes, exhaust, and more.

I can’t believe how clean this thing is inside. Most of these Blazers led really hard lives, and the interiors of almost all ended up trashed. This one isn’t quite factory fresh, but it isn’t far off. It’s the Tahoe trim level, so it has stuff like cloth upholstery and carpeting; vinyl and rubber floors were standard. I see an aftermarket stereo, but that’s no surprise; those old Delco stereos had a lifespan of about fifteen years if you were lucky.

It has recently been repainted, and it looks terrific. Seeing a Blazer this clean reminds me of one a co-worker of mine used to have. She washed and waxed it religiously; it was blindingly shiny. We actually made fun of her for it, saying a 4×4 should get dirty once in a while. She tried to take it mudding in a field once, and the mud wouldn’t stick because the paint was so heavily waxed. This Blazer probably could get dirty if you wanted it to, but that fresh new paint is so nice, I don’t see why anyone would.

1985 Ford Mustang GT – $4,500

Engine/drivetrain: 5.0-liter OHV V8, five-speed manual, RWD

Location: Torrance, CA

Odometer reading: 90,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

The third-generation Mustang, commonly known as the Fox body, was a breath of fresh air after the slow, gawky Mustang II, but it took a few years for the new Mustang to find its footing. But by 1985, when this car was built, two key elements of the Mustang formula were back, to the great relief of pony car fans everywhere: some real, legitimate horsepower – and an optional convertible top.

Just in case you never knew, or have forgotten, I need to let you in on Ford’s dirty little secret: the storied “five-point-oh” isn’t really five liters. Not quite. It displaces 4,942 cubic centimeters, which would typically be rounded down to 4.9 liters. But that didn’t look as good on a badge. Regardless, this engine finally put some muscle back under the Mustang’s hood, thanks to massaged cylinder heads, a big-ass four-barrel carb, and a hotter cam. Sometimes the old tricks are the best tricks. Power gets to the rear axle through an improved “World Class” version of the T-5 transmission. This one runs and drives great, according to the seller, and has only 90,000 miles on its odometer.

It’s not in great shape inside, I’m sorry to say. The cracked dash top is one thing, but all the badges and stickers stuck all over it don’t help. The seats and carpet generally look all right; I think a good cleaning would help a lot. Once upon a time, you probably could have hit up your nearest junkyard for a new armrest and horn button, but mid-run Fox bodies have mostly come and gone from junkyards and haven’t yet been picked up by the repro parts industry. But you could probably make an armrest cover, and there are always aftermarket steering wheels.

It looks a lot better outside, except for some scuffs on the bumpers and missing wheel center caps. The seller doesn’t mention it, but the convertible top looks new. That’s a nice bonus. Replacing a convertible top is not an easy task.

Borg-Warner sold the T-5 design to Tremec in 1998, and it remained in production until 2010. But in a way, it lives on; the T-5’s design was the basis for the T-56 six-speed, which was redesigned into the TR-6060 six-speed, which is still in production. And a lot of T-5s still find their way into hot rod projects. There’s a lot of history under the shifter boots of these two cars. Which one would you rather run through the gears?