My '67 Fleetside C10 renew

[Low Elco]

Looks good! Snakey weldy time!

[jlsanborn]

I scored a chunk of round tubing to make portals in my cross members where the exhaust passes through but after cutting the rings I felt that the wall thickness was too thin so I aborted. I'm still going to do that, just have to go by the metal supplier and see what they have.....

This post is really to ask a couple questions regarding clutch. The Boy just plucked his motor and is getting ready to drop that in the Blazer. He's going to run an AT so his smoked clutch and flywheel are "available". Once I'm done with exhaust I plan on remounting the cab and sorting out clutch linkage (or hydraulic). WAAAY back I scored an OEM 403 aluminum bell housing (Camaro, Chevelle, Nova, ...). I thought that was the shiz but in trying to get it all together I realize it's a bell for 10.5" clutch and Jr's is an 11". NO WORKEY. He dropped $300 on the McLeod clutch and roasted it in a month. His flywheel looked "good" so he didn't resurface it. His driving habits might be a little different than mine too. He sure didn't follow the manufacturer's break in procedure.

1. Is that clutch a POS or is it him?

2. Can I have the pressure plate turned? Do I have to or can I disassemble the pressure plate for turning? I can snag his 163t flywheel and pressure plate for next to nuthin but I'd need the 621 bell for about $200, new disc and resurface of flywheel and PP.

3. Is there a big difference between the 10.5" and 11" clutches?

4. Any bad reviews on repop aluminum bell housings?

5. Can I use the old forged clutch fork or do I have to use one of the stamped units?

Should I just by a 10.5" clutch from Napa and move on, or should I shell out for the 621 (re-pop bellhousing) and fix the "donor" clutch?

Ugh!

[Bomp]

Well all I know, and I don't know much, I had a pressure plate turned about 20 yrs ago and it was good. Kinda like turning disc brakes.
On the bell housing you might be able to find one on eBay, craigslist, salvage yard or swap meet. Speaking of swap meet if you come to the one in Portland I'll be down at the track. Space #1140
McLeod clutchs are pretty stout but when I was the boys age I went through 3 trannys, 2 sbc's and blew a clutch to king-dom-com . One of the trannys was a M21.
What about putting a stage 2 shift kit in a turbo350?

Good luck on the left foot devices.

[Low Elco]

Daaaaang! Kid's ridin' her hard! I know the flywheel can be ground but other than that, I got nuthin.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

1. Is that clutch a POS or is it him?

2. Can I have the pressure plate turned? Do I have to or can I disassemble the pressure plate for turning? I can snag his 163t flywheel and pressure plate for next to nuthin but I'd need the 621 bell for about $200, new disc and resurface of flywheel and PP.

3. Is there a big difference between the 10.5" and 11" clutches?

4. Any bad reviews on repop aluminum bell housings?

5. Can I use the old forged clutch fork or do I have to use one of the stamped units?

6. Should I just by a 10.5" clutch from Napa and move on, or should I shell out for the 621 (re-pop bellhousing) and fix the "donor" clutch?

Ugh!

1. Breakage is part of the manual trans landscape. Don't care who makes it, someone can break it. Two of the main problems with clutch assemblies are they wear and high rpm can overpower the fingers/arms. Both scenarios lead to glazed discs caused by the resultant slippage. Once the disc glazes, it's holding power is much reduced and the increased slip quickly warps, grooves, stress cracks and just generally hoses the mating surfaces. The trick is to constantly stay on top of the adjustment and make sure the pressure plate is rated for the RPM it will see. Clutch tech has come a long way since I ran them, but physics is physics.

2. I'm not familiar with a process to resurface a pressure plate. In this day and age of computer aided machines, it might be possible to surface one on a mill or something similar. I can't envision a way to turn it in a lathe without disassembling it.

3. Leverage. Think of the larger diameter as a longer breaker bar. Downside is the increased outward force on the fingers/arms under high rpm which makes them not want to return to a position with full clamping force. To get around this, clutch manufacturers went to small, multi-disc setups to increase the aggregate surface area and reduce the effects of rpm.

4. NHRA frowns on aluminum cans. No protection if the clutch disintegrates... just ask Big Daddy. On anything hopped up, I'd pay the extra for steel. Just my $0.02 worth.

5. As long as the fulcrum placement is proper for the size clutch used, the wishbone and throwout bearing are compatible and you can adjust the air gap and/or free travel, I'd probably opt for forged. But the final decision should be made based on the geometry.

6. Unless you get a high performance setup from NAPA, you'll be repeating history at some point. Have you contacted customer support at McLeod? They might be able to give you options for rebuilding it.

Good luck, John... and as with all my ramblings, YMMV.

[jlsanborn]

YMMV... it's on the tip of my tongue but can't pin the acronym

What my gut is telling me is to drop the $200 on a good used 11" bellhousing and get a Napa Premium clutch kit. I don't anticipate a drag racing career in this thing, just a few burnouts. I'll call around about turning the McLeod PP but if it's a PITA or $$$, then forget it. I never considered the centrifugal aspect of the clutch while thinking bigger = better but in my case I'm thinking big. Z28 bellhousing going on Craigslist. Thanks for the input boys. I'm going to work on this thing and will post progress!

[Low Elco]

YMMV- Your Mileage May Vary.

[jlsanborn]

Got my eye on a couple 11" aluminum bell housings on EBay. I'll pull the trigger here short like. Had a tough time finding stock steel in the tube/pipe size I needed for the exhaust pass-through's so went back to the scrap yard. Found a perfect diameter/wall thickness chunk x 36" or so for $15. Stopped by the metal store and had them saw four 3" slices off for $10. The balance went on my stockpile with the other piece of tube I got the other day. Silver pencil, blue-tip axe, 4-1/2" grindin' rock and I'm done with that section. I clamped a piece of flat-bar across for good measure before I cut and while I welded the sections back in. Still gotta lift it up and weld out the rest. Didn't feel like takin' hotties in the chest while on my back on the creeper I cut a couple pieces of exhaust to get me through but I'll be cutting those back when I make the bends towards the bedsides and down. I'll remount the bed when I make those pieces so it'll look just right. It sure ain't perfect but I'm SUEPR happy with the results. Still gotta get them Walker band clamps (x4). Once I'm done with all this mock-up I'll pull it all out, weld it all up and paint. Then it gets hung up on the wall with the rest of my work. I'll use the other two rings I have to do the same at the trailing arm cross member where I've already cut through. This is a big deal for me. Not many lowered trucks with pipe all the way out back! Supposed to rain tomorrow, so I'm hoping to get more done.

[sduckworth13]

That looks great John. I wish I would have made the modification you did so my exhaust wouldn't be installed below the frame rails. When I switch my cab out I'm going to fix all the crossmembers so the exhaust is above the frame rails.

[Bomp]

Lookin really good there.
The weight of the motor without the tranny isn't pulling or pushing on that exhaust is it?
Wish I was a few minutes away instead of hours. Would totally dig gettin to see it all live.

[jlsanborn]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Lookin really good there.
The weight of the motor without the tranny isn't pulling or pushing on that exhaust is it?
Wish I was a few minutes away instead of hours. Would totally dig gettin to see it all live.

It's for sure hangin' azz-low in the photos but I made up all those pipes with the trans installed, setting on the cross member I made (no flywheel or clutch). Everything is just tacked past the H-pipe with a couple slip joints in there, so I'll get it just-so before I weld it home. Good fabricator's eye there Greg!

[jlsanborn]

Just nailed this on EBay (seven second duel) for $188 and free shipping. Bead blasted, in perfect shape. 621 bad-boy for 11" clutch

[jlsanborn]

Don't know what I was smoking the other night but the day after I got those pipes welded in I realized the passenger side was WAY off. I had just transferred the centerline of the exhausts to that angled cross member and went to town. Sure wish that the exhaust was actually laying in there straight before I did that :doh:. You can see how far off I was by the silver line I scratched. I'll cut a new ring and get it where it's supposed to be tomorrow.

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

...I'll cut a new ring and get it where it's supposed to be tomorrow.

This is exactly why welders are such a handy tool. We've all been down that road!

[Low Elco]

It's just metal; it's just metal; it's just metal.....

You got this, homes.

[SierraMtns]

Just read through all 38 pages...wow what a cool build. Thanks for sharing.

Can't wait to see the 327 build.

[jlsanborn]

Originally Posted by SierraMtns

Just read through all 38 pages...wow what a cool build. Thanks for sharing.

Can't wait to see the 327 build.

Thanks for the read man! I bounced around a few threads you started. Love the vintage SBC thread and will post my mouse up there one day. You've got a cool truck too! Dig them headers of mine? That's what you need man, and a bit of block in the back. While you're at it, check the pinion angle so you can correct that at the same time!

[jlsanborn]

Pretty much finished fixin' my screw up from the other night. Still have to hoist it up in the air to weld the bottom out and finish the exhaust pipe out to the back.

[aggie91]

A little grinding and no one will ever know....except us..lol

[jlsanborn]

An awesome package arrived today. Vic Cook did an huge favor (in his spare time ) and milled those axle blocks for me to correct my pinion angle. There was a bit of a "postal shenanigan" on my part but with the help of his wife Kathy they showed up today. They're perfect, without even the slightest burr. Between my trailing arm mount flip, engine relocation, home made cross member and one-piece driveline, there was a five degree difference between crank and pinion angles. I still may end up adding a little more block but those will be simple shims. The pinion angle correction was my hang up. The U-Bolts I had made are still way long but I'll wait until the ride height is finalized before I cut those down to size.

Thanks again Vic and Kathy!

[Low Elco]

Vic is the man.

[Average Joe]

Nice work. Your exhaust is killer!!

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

...Thanks again Vic and Kathy!

Glad to be able to help, John. I still can't believe it took two weeks+ for the post office to return the package to us due to "security concerns". <sigh> Same box, same contents, different label and the security risk vanishes. Go figure. Anyway, they look good in there, and with any luck the angle will be what you need. Now... get back on that exhaust!

[jlsanborn]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Vic is the man.

Word

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Nice work. Your exhaust is killer!!

Thanks Joe! I sure hope to hear it one day

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Glad to be able to help, John. I still can't believe it took two weeks+ for the post office to return the package to us due to "security concerns". <sigh> Same box, same contents, different label and the security risk vanishes. Go figure. Anyway, they look good in there, and with any luck the angle will be what you need. Now... get back on that exhaust!

They were worth the wait!

[jlsanborn]

Doesn't look like much but I fiddled with them last offsets for half the day it seemed. Set the bed back on and will work on finishing up today.