Has anyone converted the old mechanical clutch to a hydraulic? We are about to undertake this due to the linkage failing and firewall flexing. We could use some advice! Thanks for everyone's help and input. Great forums!

-Mike and Zack

 

A few thoughts more:

I think some 4th gens received a second sheetmetal patch spotwelded in around the master cylinder mount area. This would be easiest to do while the car is apart, obviously.

The 84-87(?) pedals had a neutral switch that should be the same as yours. 88(?)-02 had the later style, a minor wiring update if you get later pedals.

The brake rod clip is my preferred way of holding the clutch master cylinder rod to the clutch pedal. Some OEM mastes got a click-in plastic bushing, which is more fail prone.

The reason an 84-92 pedal set is nice is the support rods are sturdy, and should help also with firewall flex, using triangulation.

Check your starter; the L98 starters have a bigger pinion cone. And some people choose to swap a "stronger better starter" in. An LT1 Camaro, 88-96 Vette, or the heavy stock 305 starter will work with the T5 bellhousing.

I believe you'll find the brake and cruise switches you have will swap over easily.

Start your shopping list!

 

Yup, did it to my 83 in about 85 or 86; the VERY FIRST TIME I saw a 84 V8 car in the buzzard nest. I vulched all that stuff right off of it. My little step-bro got the 3.73 rear out of that car as well. (I think somebody might have died in that wreck... it was horrible to look at in the moment, I had to not look at the car body above the "frame" while working, to keep from hurling)

You need the BH, fork, hydraulics, the COMPLETE pedal assembly including the main bracket, pivot rod, clutch pedal and all; and to cut the hole out just a little bit where the push rod goes through the firewall now, and to add the holes for the U-bolt thing. (which, regular bolts work fine, if you have a 2nd person to help tighten them)

Make sure you get the 2 little rod sort of braces that go from the pivot rod down to the U-bolt ends!!! That's what keeps the firewall from flexing in the hyd setup.

The clutch proper - disc, pressure plate, throwout, pilot bushing/bearing - is totally interchangeable. If your all that stuff is in good shape, keep it. If it's got problems or lots of miles or otherwise needs attention, go ahead and renew it ALL all at once.

To add to jmd's comments, I believe you'll find the ENTIRE thing will swap over easily; not just the electric parts. It's really much simpler and eeeeeezier than it at first might appear. And you'll LOVE the results. This was the 2nd significant mod I did to my 83; the first being, a Hurst Comp Plus shifter. For which I had to make a bushing myself to adapt 3/8"-24 to some ginormous metric bolt thing, so I could keep my nice beautiful "leather" covered stock shift **** instead of having to suffer the hideous chinesium plastic POS that came with the Hurst.

And also, LOTS of the "mini-starters", both the stock ones like LT1 ones and aftermarket, will work just fine in that BH (I still have an old CVR one I bought in the mid 90s, a Nippondenso-based unit), but many other stock starters from that day and time will NOT work, as jmd pointed out, because their nosepiece is different and will interfere with the T-5 BH.

 

At the very least, the later 3rd gens also got the extra sheet metal welded to the firewall to reinforce everything. I got this panel for my manual transmission conversions too

 

Hello, I appreciate the replies! This is Zack (son), and We just finished removing the engine and transmission yesterday. Decided to go *****-to-the-wall with it as a last second decision, yet I'm looking forward to getting my hands dirty and making this old daytona roadworthy again. Next is to remove the booster (again, because I just put a new one in lmao), petal assembly and come up with a nice (and long) parts list for the project. As for the LG4, any suggestions on a decent heads/cam combo? I've been looking into world S/R torquer 305 heads and a summit k1103 hydraulic flat tappet cam. Also wondering if the stock Q jet woud be okay to use with it, or if it would run too lean... Any better ideas would be appreciated, Just looking for some better low/mid range power and torque to make it a blast to drive (also have to beat my father's 87 vette for bragging rights...LOL).

Thanks! and again, we really appreciate any knowledge we recieve!

-Zack

 

 

The old mechanical stuff is kinda rare someone might want it post in the classified.

 

 

how would I tune it? Can it be re jetted? Or is it electronically tuned (electronic carburetor)

 

 

I will definitely do some research on it.

Thank you for your tips! hope I get it right, feel like it will wake this old bird up like never before.