Tim Wescott wrote:
On Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:16:24 -0400, Steve W. wrote:

Tim Wescott wrote:
I'll ask my _second_ question _first_, so you can think about it while
you read my first question: What's a good newsgroup to post this sort
of question? I hate fora, so if there's an active newsgroup that'd be
vastly preferred.

My _first_ question is: are all clutch master cylinders created equal?

I'm putting a 2.8L V-6 into a Vega (to be followed by a 3.4L V-6 from
GM Performance Parts, if they survive the bankruptcy). I'm doing this
instead of a small block V-8 because I'm crazy, because the 2.8 block
lets be get at the spark plugs without jacking the motor up, and
because it'll help retain a halfway decent balance fore and aft (I
hope).

Because I'm crazy I'm retaining the stick shift of the original, so I
need a clutch linkage. The transmission that fits well is from an '87
Camero (with 2.8L V-6), but it wants a hydraulic clutch instead of the
cable clutch which came on the Vega and the S-10 that donated the
engine.

For a variety of reasons (mostly having to do with the advisability of
welding on unknown alloy cast aluminum) I don't want to modify the
Camero bellhousing. The S-10 bellhousing won't fit.

So I'm planning on finding the correct Camero clutch slave cylinder
parts that'll just bolt onto the bellhousing, but that leaves me with
needing to get the master cylinder mounted onto the firewall. I
already know it'll be a bitch; I'm planning on getting all of the
Camero parts I can (both pushrods, both cylinders, even bolts and
tubing if I can). But if the Camero master cylinder just won't fit,
how much leeway do I have in finding something that will? Do I get
just any old thing? Is there an interchange book that's accessible?
Are different master cylinders with different bores readily available,
and how much can I compensate for differing pedal-to-pushrod mechanical
advantages by changing the master cylinder bore? Are there any other
differences I need to know (surely there are some valving issues --
anything else?).

TIA.


The Camaro set-up should fit without much work. I used the set-up from
an S-Series on the 4.3 in a Vega I had a few years ago. Plenty of room.

Do you have a picture or ten? One thing I didn't mention is that it
looks like the push rod from the pedal needs to go right through the fuse
panel.

Or did you just move/replace the fuses as a matter of course?


Wasn't hard. Just made a simple plate out of 1/8". Welded it in place
and used that plate to mount the clutch master. I did alter the push rod
length so that the mounting flange was inside the firewall and remote
mounted the reservoir. I have also seen one mounted out in the air duct,
that one had a long bell crank shaft to reach it.

Moved the fuse box on mine because I built my own wiring harness anyway.
Used a painless box and universal kit.

The last built rig I had went down the road a few weeks ago. That was an
Olds Starfire GT (Monza clone) that I stuck a well tuned 3.8 turbo in.
That car had a 5 speed behind it and could really stick to the road.

Current project beast is a 70 Nova. It will end up with a perimeter
frame, 'vette rear suspension, tubular A arm front suspension (current
plan is coil overs but may use torsion bars instead)
Current power plant idea is an injected big block. Might make it a green
mobile and burn alcohol!

--
Steve W.