Question Clutch spring

[kacey62]

Any ideas on how to install the "gorilla" clutch spring on the C1

 

[BlueCruiser]

Hi there.
Did that mother of a spring last year. Tried all shapes and sizes of pry bars and brake spring tools. I looked in the corvette servicing guide and there was not much mentioned about getting that spring on.
Try not to laugh--I took the spring off the car and clamped one ear in a vice and then took a pair of vice grips and bent the spring over until there were gaps between the coils and then stuffed steel washers into the gaps. So one side of the spring had a couple of coils with spacers--I then bent the spring the other direction and filled the gaps between the coils. It may take a few tries I think a bit of masking tape may stop fallout when you bend back the original direction and add more washers. Finally got the spring almost long enough so hooked it to the cross shaft lever. Make sure everything is done right before hooking the spring up--and watch your fingers, that spring can cause a bad bite. When everything is in just step on the clutch I think the washers fell out.
Bob

 

[kacey62]

Thanks Bob, I have heard of that method and may be the simplest way. Is a spring of that magnitude actually necessary ?
Rather hard to understand exactly what it does? Thanks Ken

 

[BlueCruiser]

Hi Ken
Well since you asked. I had the same thought while trying to install that spring. I may be crazy but I finally put it in because it showed it in the assy manual. I did not take this car apart, bought it in boxes and completely stripped and decided it was the biggest jigsaw puzzle I will ever do. I researched the spring-not too deeply--and decided the spring was to smooth out the foot pressure on depressing the clutch and limit play in the linkage. Now that I'm thinking about it I will look into it again but my mind wanders back to the older mustang-65 or so-without that helper spring and how the clutch felt like stepping on a plum, at first firm then after an inch of travel soft which is not ideal. Give me a couple of weeks and I will be removing the spring so I can change out the link from the bell crank to the t/o bearing arm I think. Are you assembling , restoring or repairing? Right now I am installing power steering so will slide under and have another look maybe it will rattle my brain. Royston near Comox?
Bob

 

[kacey62]

Hi Ken
Well since you asked. I had the same thought while trying to install that spring. I may be crazy but I finally put it in because it showed it in the assy manual. I did not take this car apart, bought it in boxes and completely stripped and decided it was the biggest jigsaw puzzle I will ever do. I researched the spring-not too deeply--and decided the spring was to smooth out the foot pressure on depressing the clutch and limit play in the linkage. Now that I'm thinking about it I will look into it again but my mind wanders back to the older mustang-65 or so-without that helper spring and how the clutch felt like stepping on a plum, at first firm then after an inch of travel soft which is not ideal. Give me a couple of weeks and I will be removing the spring so I can change out the link from the bell crank to the t/o bearing arm I think. Are you assembling , restoring or repairing? Right now I am installing power steering so will slide under and have another look maybe it will rattle my brain. Royston near Comox?
Bob

Hi Bob, Yes we are about 15km from Comox.
Same situation as you, project sitting in the back of garage for 25+ years. Had other models to drive so not a high priority until now.
It was a "basket case" when I bought it in California. This Corona virus thing finally got me going!!!
Just installing the dash pad. Chassis all done with engine installed and running. Once body ready for paint I will slide the chassis underneath
and bolt together. Now if I can just find the fawn beige paint!
Are you using the electric power steering or a hydraulic system? I will probably go the electric route as I still remember how tough it was to steer the old 58.
Any help appreciated regarding the spring. The manual refers to adjusting it to get a certain amount of pedal pressure .

 

[BlueCruiser]

Today was a great day. Took blue off the jack stands and drove it around the block, using only one hand to steer and park. Didn't even need gloves. We installed a steroids rack and pinion hydraulic kit. No cutting ,drilling or modifying. Took the old box and steering gear and bagged it up for whoever wants to replace it in the car. A friend of ours just finished hunting down colour correct enamel for his 60's Chev pick-up from a supplier in Bellingham, want me to get the name? Ours was painted silver blue metallic with Matrix paint -picked a colour that we liked. When fitting clutch pedal check out the travel from the rubber stop to the floor, 4 1/2 inches seemed to be the magic number. I had to cut off about 1/2 inch off the rubber to get enough travel on the pedal and was lucky that the brake pedal lined up sort of. The spring over centres and is supposed to help both ways. "??" Once you have the spring assy bolted on to the clutch linkage watch the fingers if you are not connected to T/O bearing. The spring is supposed to over centre about an inch from the stop and hold the T/O bearing away from the clutch diaphragm. I will send a picture if I can find it. I think the manual wants 6 - 9 lbs pressure till clutch diaphragm engagement. I had to get our digital weigh scales out to find out what 6-9 lbs pressure feels like an interesting exercise. I will be going to the women's 7 aside rugby tournament in Sept on Vancouver Island if they don't delay it again.
Bob

 

[BlueCruiser]

Found a picture of our car when buying it--please note we spent a whole day putting pieces back on to see if there were enough to work with. Still have a heater core and chrome bezels from unknown donor.

 

[kacey62]

Hi Bob, Many thanks for the info. The steroids system looks good , I put the same system on my brothers 64 last year and he is very happy.
will try with the stock steering but my memory of a 58 I had back in the 70s makes me think power is not a luxury ! Thanks for the pictures of the
spring will no doubt help when I get back to it. Installing new dash pad is the challenge at the moment. Ken

 

[BlueCruiser]

Hi
I watched every video on u tube about putting the dash on! In the end I used an assortment of clamps, straps and jigs and still ended up with a 1/8 misalignment at the speaker hole--speaker grill covered this problem. Wait till you put the windshield back in and the rubber puckers at the window post radius. Putting the dash pad in is an adventure. I am finding the steeroids kit a bit sensitive but good! The steering was hard. I have wide tires and it is a workout parallel parking without power assist. My wife will enjoy the easy steering. If you have questions just text we have done a lot of work on our car.
Bob & Gina