I found a mechanical clutch linkage on a firebird. I am Planning on using this on my Iroc. Any body else use this or does everyone use hydraulic?

 

you found some or you got a mechanical setup do you have all of it?
it was a 82 or 83 bird 4 or 5 spd right i got a 83 camaro wit it all stock on a t-5

 

I have two of these setups in my garage. I plan on installing one of them on my firebird this summer if time permits. Worked great in the cars they were in, as long as you don't mind a stiff clutch pedal heh. -Bob

 

Yep ol bird dead in a field. I do have all the parts, pedal assembly bell crank and ball to the enigine block. I opted for the hydraulic set for now, (header clearance issue) this winter I will try some different headers. I think the clutch pedal pressure should not much different from all the old camaros and such that I have had. the car was a automatic car and I converted it to manual set up.
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it is a 5.0 or v-6 model?

 

Don't waste your time - if you already have the hydraulic linkage, keep that... its much better. I've had nothing but problems with the mechanical linkage in my '83.. The Z-bars always break right on the welds, or just above. Thats why GM was so quick to replace it with the hydraulic stuff. Plus, the pedal is MUCH stiffer with the mechanical linkage, to the point where its a workout just to drive to work.

 

Yea I was wondering aboout that,(pedal pressure) but I will not be driving on the street much I am preparing for autocross and road course racing. getting close too! I guess I need to update photo's soon.

 

On the street its a pain, but its actually worse for racing IMO (I've drag raced with mine for a few years now)... reason being, theres a 'stiff point' in the linkage where the Z-bar kinda loses its leverage over the clutch fork, and it just happens to be right where the clutch starts to engage. So basically what happens, is it makes it very difficult to smoothly engage the clutch, because it REALLY wants wants to kick back hard right at the engagement point. Its a big pain at the strip, because it makes it very hard to start w/o spinning the tires. I would imagine it would cause all kinds of problems on an autox track too.

 

You took the words right out of my mouth. That's EXACTLY what mine does. I HATE IT. I drove around looking like an idiot learning to drive a stickshift. My friends cars are MUCH easier to drive. D'argh.
I upgraded to a hydraulic throw out bearing, and i'll see how that works here.

 

do you still have that mechanical linkage? I need the bellcrank for my 83 camaro.

 

Who are you talking to Sirhcz? I know not me, since you already PM'ed me and asked and I told you I didn't.
Are you thinking about following my advice about the hydraulic TO bearing?

 

I would like to change it to hydraulic, but I don't have the money to do that right now. I don't work on my own cars. My mechanic said he would empty my wallet if he did change it to hydraulic. He said it was a lot of work. I'm just going to change the bellcrank for now and when I do have the money, I'll change it to hydraulic. Thanks for your help though.

 

My mechanical clutch works great. You got to keep the z-bar greased good so that it does not bind.

 

how often do u grease it? do you pump grease in until it seeps out of the sides?

 

A few corvette guys went to the hydraulic TOB option. I think LD85 had some success briefly, but others had leaks. screw that.

-- Joe