Flappy Paddle Haters Rejoice! 6-Speed Manual Conversion for 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 Is Intriguing
Some claim that Ford not offering a 6-speed manual in the GT500 is a sin. HPJ Performance atones for that sin.
There is not much to complain about with the current generation Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. It is the best handling Mustang ever and packs a 760-horsepower punch. However, if there is a nit to pick it is that it lacks a 6-speed manual transmission option. Ford wanted the GT500 to be as quick as possible on a drag strip and around a road course. And if you are looking for the absolute quickest times then you need an automatic dual clutch transmission. So, Ford installed a 7-speed TREMEC dual clutch auto, and a traditional three pedal manual was sacrificed in the name of speed. The tradeoff for the additional quickness is the loss of enjoyment that comes with driving a manual. Ford doesn’t even offer it as an option. If you want a new GT500 you are getting an automatic. But things are about to change.
Ford is not changing their mind but the folks at HPJ Performance will make your 6-speed manual GT500 dream a reality. They have recently announced the release of their new 6-speed manual conversion kit for the 2020+ GT500 platform. And this kit contains a lot more than just the transmission. All the parts are included to make this look and perform like it came from the factory. So, your excuse for not buying a GT500 until it had a proper gearbox is no longer valid.
Kit Contents
The transmission is a TREMEC T56 Magnum XL with an SFI-rated bellhousing and SFI-rated flywheel. You also get a Ford factory pedal assembly and a Ford center console with a leather or suede shift boot to further enhance that factory look. New Ford hydraulics, an upgraded driveshaft, a new transmission cross-member and poly bushings are also included. Custom calibration for the new transmission, and a new factory speedometer and a TREMEC 6-speed ball shifter round out the package.
Upgrade Options
If the TREMEC ball shifter is not good enough for you an MGW shift ball is an available upgrade. There are also various clutch options that you can choose from depending on how you plan to use the car and how much power you ultimately expect to make. And while not an upgrade per se, the customer gets to retain all the original factory parts. So, you can either keep them to include with the sale to the next owner or for yourself if you ever want to switch back someday. Or you can sell your original parts and likely recover a significant portion of the expense involved with the 6-speed manual swap.
Who Wants a Slower GT500?
Sure, stock for stock a 6-speed manual GT500 is going to be slower than a 7-speed dual clutch auto. First off, who cares? Sometimes pure speed is not the sole criteria for enjoyment. Rowing your own gears in a car that will still be plenty quick can be more fun than an automatic getting you to the next light .4 seconds quicker. But here is the best part. The HPJ Performance 6-speed manual conversion kit will work with any of their other performance packages. That includes their top tier twin turbo package that puts out 1,200 horsepower at the wheels. So, you can have a manual transmission and still be faster than a stock automatic GT500. That is why the phrase win-win was invented.
Images: HPJ Performance; Joe Kucinski
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