To each their own....a T5 will hold up reasonably well until you start the rowing with full power shifts....and that my friends behind a healthy 350 will trash one pretty quick. Launching with the wide Sportsman tires, a decent suspension, and some horses up front makes for a good ole Doug Nash 5 speed. The T5's aren't fragile, they just won't stand up to the horses and the abuse.
Me, I love sticks, but my bad knees and all, a clutch is just grind for me. I set up all my trans automatics, then have then so I can shift manually. They have the valvebodys that will bark the tires in drive for each shift and is like a std when shifting manually. For the Die Hards....theres the full manual valvebodys.
As HR46 said, if you want the 7oo to stand up to some HorsePressure, some mods are needed inside.
With some moderation, and decent rebuilding, they are basically good transmissions. Don't try to use it as a super duper performance trans that has to contain full power shifts from a Blown 454....you will be disappointed.
Behind a fairly mild smallblock, even if driven spirited, it would hold up fine....
There are the Doug Nash 5 Speeds that can be had for cheap at the swapmeets, then theres the 4 speed rockcrushers with the external overdrive that work out well. Makes for a cramped install though.