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When you’ve been dreaming of a do-over for decades, you want to get it right. So, when Melissa Lawrence picked up the Fox Mustang of her dreams, there was one thing that wasn’t part of the fantasy — an automatic transmission. So, we turned to Silver Sport Transmission for a complete swap kit to turn this 5.0-liter Mustang into a five-speed manual machine.
Silver Sport Transmissions’ in-house engineering team spends weeks and sometimes months developing our kits so installation is quick and easy for our customers… — Jeff Kauffman, Silver Sport Transmissions
This is the launch of our Fox Dreams project. It has its roots in a familiar tale — the car that got away. At 17, her first car was a 1993 Limited Edition Mustang convertible, and it was the love of her life. After a crash cut that story short, the desire to own one never left her heart. On her 45th birthday, she finally got her second chance, a clean, Canary Yellow 1993 Mustang LX Feature Car convertible ready for a rebirth.
Melissa Lawrence once owned a limited-edition 1993 Ford Mustang LX when she was 17. The Canary Yellow Feature Car convertible was her favorite car. Sadly, she crashed it, so she always wanted to build another one. Fox Dreams is her second chance to build the Fox she always imagined, and a major step in that direction was a five-speed manual conversion. (Photo Credit: Seth Ward)
Now we’re building it her way. This isn’t just a nostalgia restoration, it’s a full-on Fox build that can drop the kids off one minute and lay down rubber with more than 600 horsepower the next. The endgame is a Vortech-blown, 347 stroker-powered street machine, but before the boost hits, we needed to replace the weakest link, the factory automatic transmission.
Step one was ditching the AOD and making the jump to a robust five-speed manual. That’s where Silver Sport Transmissions’ Automatic-to-Manual TKX Five-Speed Conversion Kit came in. With everything designed to work together, this swap turned out to be as smooth as the shifts we were about to enjoy.
Silver Sport Transmission’s TKX 5-Speed Conversion Kit includes the TREMEC TKX, bellhousing, McLeod clutch, McLeod flywheel, cable, pedals, and everything needed to take a Fox Mustang from automatic to manual. Of course, the company offers a range of upgrades for other vehicles as well. “In addition to the entire Fox-body family, we offer kits for the Torino, Fairlane, Ranchero, Galaxie, Falcon, F-Series pickup trucks, Bronco, four-wheel-drive trucks, 1940s and ’50s era cars and trucks, street rods, and more.” Jeff Kauffman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Silver Sport Transmissions, said. “If you don't see your specific vehicle on this extensive list, just ask. We’re constantly expanding our offerings to help more enthusiasts get the transmission they need.”
Complete System
“We get our hands dirty in our shop. By doing this work ourselves, we can simplify the installation process, and every job is an opportunity to improve and find new efficiencies,” Jeff Kauffman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Silver Sport Transmissions, said. “When we discover improvements, we revise past kits and update our installation manuals accordingly. We also incorporate customer feedback to refine the wording and photos in our manuals. Our goal is to make the entire experience so straightforward that you’ll enthusiastically recommend our kits and our tech experts to your friends.”
Instead of scouring the internet and swap meets for factory manual-trans parts, we went with the Silver Sport package. It came packed with the TREMEC TKX transmission, bellhousing, McLeod billet steel flywheel, McLeod clutch, pilot bearing, pedal assembly, and all the right hardware to bolt it up. We also opted for a hydraulic clutch conversion. There is no guesswork and no mystery, just one complete solution made specifically for the Fox Mustang. The TKX is perfect for this project, as it’s ready to handle 600 lb-ft of torque while delivering smooth, modern shifting.
First, remove the factory exhaust, driveline parts, and AOD transmission, clearing the way for the modern TKX upgrade. With the automatic shifter, cable, flexplate, and transmission removed, the Fox was finally ready for its manual transformation makeover.
“There is a risk when sourcing from multiple vendors that not all the components will work together, and some parts may not be available at all. Even if you’re capable of fabricating parts, this will add time and frustration to your installation. Silver Sport Transmissions’ in-house engineering team spends weeks and sometimes months developing our kits so installation is quick and easy for our customers; many can complete the job in a single weekend thanks to our meticulous research, design, and illustrated instructions,” Kauffman explained. “The Silver Sport Transmissions Fox Body kit was designed after bringing in a Ford Mustang and extensively researching the variations between other Fox-body models and trim levels. We installed the kit in our facility and documented the installation well with photographs for our instruction manual. Some components needed to be designed and fabricated and are now proprietary parts available from Silver Sport Transmissions and our distributors.”
While the kit includes all the necessary driveline hardware, Fox Dreams’ factory transmission tunnel still needed some massaging. To that end, we utilized a CJ Pony Parts Manual Transmission Tunnel Hump Kit (P/N MTTHK1) that is part of the SST kit. This stamped steel panel mimics the tunnel design of the factory manual-transmission cars, which delivered the clearance we needed while maintaining a factory-like appearance. Once it was installed, the shifter landed right where it should, and the TKX fit like it belonged there all along.
Rugged & Smooth
If you’re planning serious upgrades, including a Vortech-supercharged 347 stroker, in a Fox Mustang like we are, your drivetrain needs to be just as tough as your engine. That’s where the TREMEC TKX five-speed manual transmission comes in, well, clutch. Designed with street and strip performance in mind, the TKX is built to handle up to 600 lb-ft of torque and 7,500 rpm shift points, offering plenty of overhead for a high-winding small-block with boost. Whether you’re ripping through the gears at a roll race or just cruising to a Cars & Coffee, the TKX offers the kind of confidence you need behind the shifter.
The TKX doesn’t just bring strength to the table; it delivers modern drivability, too. Triple-cone synchronizers on its first three gears ensure smooth, fast shifts at high RPM, while the improved shift-fork geometry and internal rail design give the gearbox a refined, mechanical feel. That matters in a car like our Fox Dreams project, where we’re aiming for big horsepower but still want streetable driveability. We chose the close-ratio unit with .68:1 overdrive fifth gear, which also helps tame highway RPM, so we’re not buzzing down the 405 at more than 3,000 rpm after we upgrade the rearend.
Fitment is another area where the TKX shines on projects like this one. Compared with the prior TKO models, the TKX features a sleeker case design and multiple shifter positions, making it much easier to install in a wide range of vehicles. For a car like ours, where the goal is performance without compromise, the TKX delivers the right balance of strength, refinement, and bolt-in simplicity.
Built For Power
“The TKX is built for power. It can handle a continuous 600 lb-ft of torque and 7,500 rpm shifts, so you know it’s tough,” Kauffman said. “Plus, with both wide and close ratio gearing options, you can fine-tune your performance. If you’re heading to Mustang Week and plan on hitting the drag strip with your street-performance Fox Body, the TKX is more than ready for the challenge!”
Swapping from an automatic to manual means more than just bolting in a new gearbox. The Fox’s floorpan lacked the clearance for a proper TKX fit, so it was time to make some precise sheetmetal changes. CJ Pony Parts offers this stamped steel tunnel hump kit that replicates the factory manual car’s shape. We marked and trimmed the floor to fit the new hump, setting the stage for correct shifter placement and transmission clearance.
To secure the transmission under the car, we deployed a Stifflers Transmission Crossmember (P/N TCB-M06), built specifically for Fox Mustangs swapping to a TKX. Its slotted mounting points made dialing in the driveline angle easy, and it bolted up clean. We paired it with the Stifflers TKX Install Kit (P/N TCB-TKO), which includes a poly mount and all the right hardware to keep the trans securely in place.
After installing the fresh pilot bearing from the Silver Sport kit in the crankshaft, we installed the McLeod billet steel flywheel and clutch before bolting up the TKX into place behind the 5.0 using the supplied bellhousing. “The McLeod RST clutch and billet flywheel package is an exceptional choice for your street-performance Fox-body Mustang project due to its superior engineering, incredible value, and longevity. McLeod's renowned engineering delivers a twin-disc organic clutch system designed to handle up to 800 horsepower while maintaining a smooth, stock-like pedal feel, making it perfectly suited for spirited street driving,” Kauffman said. “This clever design distributes the load across two friction surfaces, reducing wear and heat buildup compared to a single-disc setup, significantly enhancing the clutch's lifespan. Furthermore, the billet flywheel contributes to a package that not only offers excellent performance at a competitive price but also promises durable, reliable operation for years to come.”
With the pedals swapped, the clutch cable routed, and the shifter bolted down, it was time for the moment of truth. We fired it up, dropped it into first, and let the clutch out—and just like that, our Fox was reborn. The shift action was tight, crisp, and confident. No more lazy gear changes or vague throttle feel, just raw connection that brought those waves of nostalgia rushing back.
The car shifts the way we wanted it to now, and it’s ready for the next chapter. With a solid drivetrain in place, we can focus on enhancing the powerplant, but even as it sits, Fox Dreams is way more fun to drive than it was with the clunky factory AOD in the tunnel. There is no better way to live your Fox dreams than stabbing the throttle and grabbing gears. However, we are just getting started on this project, so stay tuned.
Trimming The Tunnel
With the foundation in place, we turned our attention to the centerpiece of the swap: Silver Sport’s TKX 5-Speed Conversion Kit. We bolted up the new five-speed transmission using the bellhousing supplied in the kit. The modern five-speed slid into position with ease, thanks to the improved tunnel clearance and well-thought-out installation kit.
After trimming the tunnel, the hump was riveted into place, creating an OE-style opening for the TKX shifter. This step not only improves clearance, but it also ensures the shifter sits where it should without interference from the transmission tunnel. “The STX Shifter pushes the fun factor to the max with the short, crisp throws that will feel intensely satisfying when you row through the gears,” Kauffman said. “We’ve engineered the STX Shifter for TKX to minimize travel, reducing the front-to-back travel by 12 percent and the side-to-side by 7 percent. This precise and positive feel boosts your confidence with every shift.”
Bolt-In Installation
To support the new transmission, we installed Stifflers’ bolt-in crossmember, built specifically for the Fox chassis with a TKX. Its modular design and slotted mounts made driveline angle adjustments easy and ensured smooth, vibration-free operation with the new transmission. The Stifflers TKX Install Kit finished off the mounting system with a polyurethane transmission mount and all the necessary hardware. The result is a solid, vibration-resistant setup that can withstand street and strip abuse.
With the transmission mounted, we installed a custom Inland Empire driveshaft using the correct yoke for the TKX five-speed supplied by Silver Sport, which was instrumental in helping us secure the proper measurements. Everything bolted up without a hitch.
With the added tunnel hump and new crossmember, there were no clearance issues with the stock exhaust layout as the factory H-pipe bolted back into place with room to spare. We wired up the neutral-safety switch, and this swap was nearing the finish line.
With the final bolts torqued and the clutch cable adjusted, Fox Dreams was transformed. With crisp shifts, confident engagement, and the unmistakable feel of a proper manual, this convertible now drives like we always wanted it to. We finished off the installation with a new center console from LMR, so the fresh transmission looks like it belongs, and those cupholders will make daily driving more enjoyable.
