I am putting a 5.0 302 engine in my 60 Ford. The tranny set up that is in the truck if for a hydraulic clutch. What year or what tranny (4 or 5 speed) can I use so i can keep the same set up? The tranny that came of of the mustang is a cable lever

 

labrouse,
Which tranny are you trying to use?
Adios,
brett

 

I have the T4 that came out of a 86 mustang. If I use that tranny I will need to convert the pedal assembly to be compatiable with a clutch cable system on that tranny. What I am wondering is, if I want to use the hydro system that is presently in the truck. what tranny would I need to use (ie Ford truck, Ford car etc) or would it be cheaper to just convert the pedal assembly to run with a cable.

 

labrouse,
Stick with the hydraulic setup, this will be MUCH easier. Easiest thing I can think of is a bellhousing swap. Is this the tranny pattern your current mustang bellhousing has (t5 also)?

What you need is a bellhousing that will bolt up to your T4 and can use a hydraulic setup. Mid 80's pickups are like this. Saw a picture of one on Ebay the other day, now can't find it. Anyway here's another one, but is lacking a picture: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33733
Bad news is it has this tranny pattern (standard Ford 'butterfly'):

Good news it that I think you could re-drill the T4 pattern on it. Two more variables are index hole diameter and bellhousing depth. Is the index hole 4.85" in diameter? If less than that, they sell index adapter rings. Next lay bellhousing face down on a table and measure from tranny mounting surface down to the table. Is it 6.5"? If more, then you'll need another spacer.
Other options include stuffing an annular hydraulic throwout bearing (like in a ranger or 90's F150's) in your existing bellhousing, but they may take some research.
Good Luck!
Brett

 

Labrouise, I have heard of a hydraulic throwout bearing, but don't know where to get it. That would allow you to use your present clutch master cylinder. Maybe someone else knows more.

 

Thanks for all of your help guys. You have given me some research to do

 

Stay away from the hydraulic throwout bearing. They're expensive pains in the butt. I used the cable setup in my 61 took some bracket making and I had to fabricate an adjustable connector for the cable to the rod on the pedal. You may have to change your pedal. If you must have the hydraulic clutch you can make a bracket that bolts up with the bellhousing bolts then mount your slave cylinder on that and make a longer release rod.

 

I saw a picture in a book once that showed an installation where they used the stock pedal, but did away with the stock bracket and pivot that originally bolts on the tranny. They just added a homemade arm to the end of the shaft and had a rod with adjustable ends that connected to release arm.

 

labrouse,
If you are good at metal fab you might be able to adapt the mustang cable to the F100 clutch pedal. I took a look at my Jeepster's cable clutch setup for example. The cable comes straight up through the floor, runs parallel to the firewall, and attaches to an arm jutting forward off the clutch pedal. There is a reinforcing anchor plate on the floor. It looks just like the emergency brake anchor on a backing plate on a rear axle. You could cut a piece out of a backing plate and bolt it under the floor pan to strengthen it . The F100 clutch pedal already has an arm sticking forward for the return spring that could be modded or reinforced to attach to the cable. Don't know how close this would be to the proper mechanical leverage to operate the clutch.
Another possibility might be to adapt the mechanical clutch setup out of a '61-64.
Stuff to ponder.
Adios,
Brett

 

Oops, I guess I should pay more attention. The post I made was for '53/'56.

 

Something else that I have been pondering is to modify a bracket that will hold the existing slave cylinder from the truck and mount it on to the transmission where the bell housing mounts to the tranny. There are two bolts here, and by mounting it so it pushes towards the front of the vehicle (replicating the pulling action from the cable) I think that this might work. What do you all think?

 

You have to use the release arm that comes with the bellhousing. If it goes forward to release the clutch the slave cylinder has to go to the rear and push forward and vise versa. I built a bracket for another application like this. I used some heavy angle iron and mounted it on the tranny side of the bellhousing using longer tranny bolts. I drilled and tapped mounting holes for the slave cylinder in the bracket and had to make a rod to push the release arm. I also had to make a pocket for the rod to sit in at the end of the release arm. I welded a 1/8 pipe cap to the arm, it worked perfect. One other thing to watch for is if flip your slave cylinder it puts the bleeder on the bottom.

 

labrouse,
That would work too. I know of a 59 F100 w/SBC that the owner fabbed a slave cylinder mount bracket out of angle iron. If you can come up with some sort of mount off the T4 that might be the easiest.
Good Luck!
Brett

 

Thanks to all of you for your input. I will be sure and let everyone know on my progress

 

Finally found a picture of one of those mid-80's hydraulic clutch bellhousings:


He said he'd sell it cheap, bidding started at $25, no hits. Email him directly and I bet he'd dump it:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=33733
That's a deal for anybody looking for one of these.
Adios,
Brett