Starting 1966 Factory Short Bed Build, Bagged, 383 Stroker and Muncie M20 4-Speed

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

You want the most out of the motor? You need the headers sized accordingly (within reason). A 383 w/any decent cam & heads can move some air. 1.5" primary tubes will work but a 1 5/8 primary is better suited.

Beyond that, 2.5" true duals w/a H-pipe or X- crossover would be a decent set-up. Summit has a aluminized universal kit as well as a SS version.

Thank you sir. It funny you post this and i have been doing some research into how to pick header size and length, x vs h pipe and full size of exhaust. I came to the conclusion you show also. The negative with the larger headers are the issues with plugs and burning wires, that is basically the only neg. that i found. I am going with the 2.5" exhaust, even looking at kit Captainfab posted.
Thanks again Scoti.

[88Stanger]

So i have not done much to the "66 recently. I have a complete rebuilt "69 C10 with an LS and i have had some issues with the damn ebay bought hydroboost system i bought. By the way, DO NOT DO THIS unless its from a good company!! Mine was from some joe blow and that is exactly what happened to to it, it just blows. LOL I was also dumb and did not get Captainfab's mount, that was also stupid of me!! So, today is install the complete new hydroboost kit bought from POL.
With that said, i did get the axle limiting strap and mount in yesterday. I think the idea I have will work great. Simple but effective. I will get that one once i have the "69 done, hopefully today.
Note: i bought two sets of the harbor freight 1000lb car dollies. Amazingly they work rather good.

[88Stanger]

Well i got a new shop buddy or should i say girl buddy....
Just had to post ... sorry...
Boston Terrier - 6 weeks and 2 days old.... Zoey

[0ldSoul]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

Well i got a new shop buddy or should i say girl buddy....
Just had to post ... sorry...
Boston Terrier - 6 weeks and 2 days old.... Zoey

Cool looking dog!

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by 0ldSoul

Cool looking dog!

thank you sir, she is a sweety

[88Stanger]

Ok, need some help here. I have a rebuilt 383 stoker with brand new 11" flywheel, im trying to install a hydraulic throw out bearing with a bran new McLeod 11" Street/pro clutch. I have installed the flywheel - no issue. Get the clutch disc in with alignment tool and install the actual clutch, tighten all the bolts down 1/4 turn until tight, then to 35lbs as directed in 3 equal torque settings. Then i install the brand new bell housing, no issue. After all this i go to measure the distance from several of the clutch teeth to the front top surface of the bell housing and i am getting some differences, up to .030. I plan to measure all of them tomorrow and see what all differences area. They say to have .100 to .150 total difference for the throwout bearing, but to what measurement? Average of all the fingers or ?? Is there possible differences to be expected in the teeth? Anyone have any experience with this?!?!
Thanks so much for all the help.

[88Stanger]

UPDATE:
So, its been a bit since i last got to update on here, so here is what i have been up to on this project.
As i stated in my previous post, i have been trying to install the brand new Mcleod Clutch onto the brand new flywheel. With that said i then try to set it up for the new Hydraulic Throw out bearing and well found some interesting things with the Fingers on the clutch, they are not uniform. Even out of the box they are not. Difference from highest to lowest = .043" So with this said, where do i set the bearing clearance to? Recommended to have .100 to .150, so do i set it at the lowest so that it fits in between the .100 to .150?
I have done a bunch of research and it seems that many say if this is the case that the fingers are not even, do not install, it is defective.
Pics attached:

[88Stanger]

So, now after i install it, following every example of how to install a clutch correctly, by going in a star pattern, slowing tightening 1/4 turn at a time to finally 35lbs torqued and re-measure the heights and now the difference is .083 and you can see the difference.
I have unbolted and re-bolted it up several times, even just bolted up to where the clutch housing is just touching the flywheel and the bolts are tight, still off. Pics att

[88Stanger]

more pics:

[88Stanger]

So, that is downer #1. i decide that i will need to talk with Mcleod on Monday and if needed return to Summit and get a different one. not sure but i am not going to install this clutch.
I take the clutch out and mount the Muncie up and want to get it all installed into the frame and see how it looks, bolts up and such. I get it ready and install into the frame and notice something is just not right. So i look closely and notice the Harmonic balance 8" is hitting the new Powered Rack n Pinion i installed!!! NO!!! DAMNIT now i need to buy a 6" balancer ..... Not my weekend, but the motor looks good in the frame at least...

[88Stanger]

pics - This is with the motor raised up off the balancer

[88Stanger]

pics2

[88Stanger]

a few post back i noted how i was not happy with the air bags being the only thing that held the rearend up when i lifted the frame up, besides the shocks, but that the shocks had more room in them, so the bags took all the load. Well i installed a frame limiting strap typically used on off road trucks, worked out really good i think.

[88Stanger]

Well that was an interesting conversation with a Fred at Mcleod Clutches. He explains to me that they have a .050 variance allowed in the fingers when installed. What they do is install each clutch onto a test machine and operate the fingers a few times as this will allow the stress in the fingers to equalize themselves and then as long as they are with-in a .050" of each other, they are good.
He also explained that on a hydraulic clutch system the throw out bearing is always touching the fingers and that the .100" to .150" is to allow the piston to move back as the disc wears and the fingers move.
His suggestion is to just mount it, take the middle of the fingers number and set the clearance to .150, that should keep me in between the .100 to .150 or there about. He stated that getting it dead on at .100 or even .150 is almost impossible and the the extra clearance rings they send are .150 thick anyways.
Very interesting conversation with him. Nice guy, makes some really good points on how these none race applications are. The fingers being heat treated will have some slight differences but all in all should be fine.
My issue now is i got a clutch for up to 400HP and i think the 383 will be over that a bit, so i am now sending this one back and getting the step up clutch, which by the way is only the disc, yes that is it, same clutch pressure plate but different disc, up to 550HP. Yes getting the disc would be typically be best, but that disc alone is $220.00 and the the complete kit is only $300.00, so i figure hell, just get a complete new kit and return the other one. Be interesting to do the finger height test before mounting on new kit and see how it measures out.

[The Rocknrod]

Some great work on this build. Thanks for the updates.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

Some great work on this build. Thanks for the updates.

Thank you, i appreciate it.
If i can help anyone i am happy to. Many on here over the years have helped me, so i am more than happy to try to help others.

[88Stanger]

So i got notice from Summit that the next up clutch kit from Mcleod will not ship out until late this year, so i decided on the next up from that one, or two up from my original. It will hold up to 700hp, so this should work.

McLeod Street Extreme Clutch Kits 75324

Now it is time to install the new 6 3/4" Harmonic balancer I had to get due to the 8" i have hitting the newly installed direct bolt in Rack-n-pinion piston.

I swear, if it is not one thing it is another. LOL

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

So i got notice from Summit that the next up clutch kit from Mcleod will not ship out until late this year, so i decided on the next up from that one, or two up from my original. It will hold up to 700hp, so this should work.

McLeod Street Extreme Clutch Kits 75324

Now it is time to install the new 6 3/4" Harmonic balancer I had to get due to the 8" i have hitting the newly installed direct bolt in Rack-n-pinion piston.

I swear, if it is not one thing it is another. LOL

Did they mention you might need to change the balancer to a small OD unit to clear their 'bolt-in' R&P set-up?

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Did they mention you might need to change the balancer to a small OD unit to clear their 'bolt-in' R&P set-up?

Well actually no they did not, so i plan to let them know this.

[88Stanger]

Ok, so i am getting the new harmonic balancer painted today, then install Friday along with the new Mcleod clutch, also i had a set of Tri-y stainless headers for my "69 i bought some time ago but then went with LS so i thought what are the odds they fit the "66, and they seem to just fine, so now i need to get an exhaust kit. The headers have this wierd ball or partial ball end where you mount up to exhaust, so i need to find out what that is called and get the connector for that.
Then i will be checking the engine and tranny angle mount along with the differential angle. I have read all kinds of articals on this and if i am not mistaken, the engine/tranny can be pointed down up to 3 degrees and the rear diff up at 3 degrees, or less for both, as long as they are not a direct line to each other, so that the u-joints must work, correct? I assume i would want to measure at some point where i think the airbags would be at ride height or ?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

Ok, so i am getting the new harmonic balancer painted today, then install Friday along with the new Mcleod clutch, also i had a set of Tri-y stainless headers for my "69 i bought some time ago but then went with LS so i thought what are the odds they fit the "66, and they seem to just fine, so now i need to get an exhaust kit. The headers have this wierd ball or partial ball end where you mount up to exhaust, so i need to find out what that is called and get the connector for that.
Then i will be checking the engine and tranny angle mount along with the differential angle. I have read all kinds of articals on this and if i am not mistaken, the engine/tranny can be pointed down up to 3 degrees and the rear diff up at 3 degrees, or less for both, as long as they are not a direct line to each other, so that the u-joints must work, correct? I assume i would want to measure at some point where i think the airbags would be at ride height or ?

Ball & Socket collector.

Driveline angles need to be set w/weight compressing the chassis @ ride/alignment height.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Ball & Socket collector.

Driveline angles need to be set w/weight compressing the chassis @ ride/alignment height.

thank you sir!!

[roll_the_dice]

Just went through your entire thread...very nice work and very detailed! Can't wait to see more as you progress.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

Just went through your entire thread...very nice work and very detailed! Can't wait to see more as you progress.

Thank you! Its been a great time and this is my 2nd full build but by far a better build. The first was a "69 C10 with an LS. IT is a good solid build but not with as high of quality parts or aftermarket parts as i have on this one. Plus on this one i actually have a lift now in the shop, and DAMN what a HUGE benefit that was!! That is the best $2800.00 i have ever spent hands down.
I should have an update on the Clutch install and harmonic balancer after Friday.

[88Stanger]

UPDATE: Well i have been up all night with the little girl (see post earlier with pic). She is very sick, puking, shakes, cannot get comfortable, she is just miserable and of course this just kills me. I have no kids of my own (not by my choice) so her and her 6 year old Olde English Bulldogg big brother, they are like my kids. I am a big guy, tattooed almost head to toe, look like some big ugly scary guy and having to watch this little Angel suffer just kills me.
Anyways, trying to get through that, i was able to get the new McLeod clutch in and test the finger height right out of the box, not mounted or anything. I have a variance of .025", and after talking with them i know that they have a .050" allowance from the factory, so will work with this. Hoping to get this or maybe to .050" variance when mounted. I will then set the Hydraulic clutch to have .100" for clearance from the mid point of what i get. This way i am in the middle