[CDN SS]

still trying to decide what type of clutch to go with . Mcleod reccommended 12" diaphram with with dual performance kevlar disc, however some feel I should consider stronger clutch for my occaisonal track use with slicks ..... Long style adjustable has been suggested ? Not sure if I truly understand the adjustable part .... pressure is adjustable or the amt of slip on initial launch is adjustable ....all advice welcome.

Bill

 

[Wolfplace]

Hi Bill,
It's been a long time but & used to use the long style clutch in my Vega both with a Lenco & with a Clutchflite.
I could adjust the spring pressure for launch & add counterweight to keep it hooked down track.
Never really messed with the springs once I got it set but did use different counterweight for different conditions or it would smoke the sucker going int 4th gear with the lenco & the clutchflite was especially hard on it on the 2-3 shift without a bunch of counterweight.
I can't say what is best today as this was many years ago.
We ran essentially the same thing in the TAD but with three discs instead of just one & you could control the amount of "slip" with both spring on launch & counterweight downtrack.
At the time it was the only type of clutch I could keep in the vega but like everthing else I am sure they have come a long way over the years.
I tried a long with counterweight when I ran a 4 speed but I could never get it to want to shift as the counter weight added to the clutch & pedal pressure. Ended up with very little counterweight & more spring.
Had the best luck with a diaphram,,don't even remember who's it was

Again, this is "old school" stuff

 

[CDN SS]

Thanks Mike .... I'm really old school that's why I'm struggling with the diaphram reccomendation I'm concerned it will hit so hard I will break parts and eventually the clutch will go away too ...... however when I talked to Red at McLeod he told me to "forget everything I ever knew about clutches" cause everything has changed, of course for my car no perfect clutch cause it's not a race car and not a always a street car .... so before I order the Mcleod diaphram want to really understand how the long adj would be on the street ...too old to be pushing on a monster clutch

 

[Scott_68_SS]

There was a non adjustable B&B/Long setup in my car when I bought it. It was hard on the older style linkage due to the 4-1 ratio of the fingers. The standard GM ratio is 6-1.(according to Red) My car is an early 68 so it had the shorter thinner material fork. You'll probably need to upgrade your linkage if you put the heavy stuff in there.

I also think Red likes to recommend that dual disc clutch. He's know's it will work. I'd rather run just a little to strong a clutch than a $1k plus overkill setup.

 

[CDN SS]

Just got off the phone with "RED" again and your right if I were to use the Long adj , it would require beefed up linkage and stiff pedal ...great for race car or car that is raced alot and occaisonally street driven but for a street car not over 600hp and raced occaisonally ....... again he recommended the 12" diaphram and dual perf disc tells me if I don't sidestep the clutch it will engage softer and last ...... Red felt Long would just be too much trouble for street driving

One of those times to take the advice I asked for IMO

 

[baddbob71]

you may want to consider a hydraulic clutch slave cylinder type to reduce the pedal effort.

 

[Wolfplace]

I actually ran a completly stock GM 11" raised diaphram in one of my first BB street cars for a couple of years & only replaced the disc a couple of times & sanded the plate with a disc sander.
You know, real "old school"

Not the most HP in the world but is was driven daily & ran low 12's at about 120 (hey, it was a street car) at Vacaville (how old is that

)
Most of you probably didn't know there was a dragstrip in Vacaville CA.

Now the bad part,,,,,,,it was a 1960 Ford Falcon, straight axle, no rollbar, but it did have a ladewood scattershield & seat belts
It was Rat with a 4 speed so I guess that made it a good Ford