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65 Mustang Clutch Help

762 Views 35 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Nos681
All: Could use some help here. I am doing a 6 cyl to 302 conversion with T5 transmission. I am working through + and - of clutch options. I am going with the Borgeson power steering set up and do not want to limit my option of doing a power assist breaks on the 4 wheel disk set up I am using. What I understand is that I have 3 options for clutch set up. I can do the traditional linkage with the Burgeson modified Z bar; I can do a clutch cable; or I could do a hydraulic clutch set up. My concern is making sure I got the space for everything to fit and not have issues with headers and exhaust. From what I read the Burgeson Z-bar set up is somewhat tricky to get aligned/adjusted but works fine if set up properly. It also adds a bunch of moving parts in the engine bay. As to the clutch cable option I have read issues with melting cables. I have watched videos and am concerned with placement on where the clutch cable exits the fire wall and conflict with power break booster if I go in that option. As for the hydraulic clutch option, I have never done or used one of those. Seams to be best option for conserving space in the engine bay and deconflicting with headers/exhaust but you have the issue of hydraulic lines and leaks. Could really use some help from you all that have done this before. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.
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First thought....are all of the components (engine, trans, steering etc) installed now and the clutch actuation part is remaining to be solved? What type exhaust system you running? These can be a "fitment" issue too.
No, car is totally disassembled awaiting paint. Have engine and transmission are on order but have NOT decided on headers and exhaust yet. I have about 5 months to solve remaining issues. Still pretty much a blank canvas and will be able to reassemble in a way that make works.
It's Ok to "think" ahead, but, very foolish to "purchase" ahead. How many stories have you read here regarding folks buying parts and 5 years later or longer they go to install and they don't fit or some other catastrophe. The clutch actuation part can be problematic even when all is installed. When I converted my C4 to T5, available at the time (2010) was the cable, McLeod, and "Z" bar. The hydraulic slave system was still a bit new. I chose the HD rollerized "Z" bar as it was not complicated. There are a number of success stories here with the hydraulic slave system. My '67 eType runs a factory hydraulic system and is very smooth acting. Yeah, headers, in themselves, can be a challenge for clutch systems.
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BTW, I "Poo-Poo'd the cable simply because it looked too modern in a vintage ride.
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