Author Topic: Stranded clutchless in San jose (Read 765 times)

KBMWRS · « **on:** February, 05, 2012, 09:19:42 AM »

So yesterday I take the '67 out to go get a 5guys burger in San Jose. Got my new oil gauge, rechromed bumper, new gasket on the thermostat housing. All seems good. Get of the highway and my clutch peddle has a stop/clunk to it. mmm that doesn't feel right. Go down the street, waiting to turn left, green light, start to move and the steering wheel is locked. Won't budge. Now I'm heading for opposing traffic with no steering. Clutch in pull out of gear, try to put in gear nothing. Stop right in the middle of the intersection. Traffic buzzing all around. Open hood, nothing obvious. Then a couple of good samaritans offer to push. Reach in and the steering wheel moves the wheels. Ok....we push it to the side street.

Call Mankini-911 (Craig). He's in the area and will come by. I get a cal from Jeff next. He's on his way over too. Luckily Jeff lives about 4 miles from where I am. Upon inspection of what we can see and feel it seems the cluctch z-bar is off its pivot points. AA flat beds the '67 to Jeff's and we start to work on it.

After removal of the Z-bar (in one piece), Craig gets the bracket out. Ah-ha....

So its I'm heading down near NPD next weekend. I'll get theparts needed and then back to Jeff's the next weekend to fix the brackets up. So I just hope Jeff doesn't sell the '67 in the mean time.

silverblueBP · « **Reply #1 on:** February, 05, 2012, 10:07:23 AM »

I think I remember Jeff mentioning something about needing some walk'n around money.

guruatbol · « **Reply #2 on:** February, 05, 2012, 10:23:43 AM »

Seriously Mike, you need a flatbed with a manual trans and no clutch? I mean you can still drive it without a clutch, just have to turn it off on a red light....

I am happy you found the issue and are able to fix it easy!

Um, I ditched the Z bar in the 67 in favor of a hydraulic unit....Kinda goes along with the T5 too....

Mel

B67FSTB · « **Reply #3 on:** February, 05, 2012, 11:25:15 AM »

Hee Mikey
Glad it isn't anything serious.
But are your motormounts OK ? It looks that the brackets suddenly broke off.!? Or am I mistaken ??
I think you have to investigate what causes this failure.
MANKINI 911 has good experience with Z-bars

SAC69 · « **Reply #4 on:** February, 05, 2012, 11:40:21 AM »

Check up under the dash too & make sure the pedal pivot is not elongated/tearing the pedal support , a problem I had on a '65. If so, it'll change the geometry & stress the system components.

JeffTepper · « **Reply #5 on:** February, 05, 2012, 01:22:05 PM »

What isn't apparent from the pics of the fractured mount is that the wear pattern on the mounting pin points to the probability that the mount was in failure mode for some time and finally failed in grand fashion two blocks from the burger joint Mikey was headed to.

I'm grateful that he isn't running headers on his 390 or the Z-bar extraction would have been a real PITA. I did suggest that removing th engine would make the bracket extraction real easy!!!!!!!

crustycurmudgeon · « **Reply #6 on:** February, 05, 2012, 02:13:07 PM »

Don't be surprised Mike if you find a brown coupe in place of your fastback next weekend.

Frank

FordDude · « **Reply #7 on:** February, 05, 2012, 02:25:28 PM »

I would say that you are damn lucky Mikey. That is it happened close to friends and not after fueling up in Coalinga on your way to Knott's.

But the question that I have is your clutch pressure plate heavier than stock? Even with my small block I started having issues due to the heavy duty pressure plate that I installed many years ago.

fd

KBMWRS · « **Reply #8 on:** February, 05, 2012, 03:21:06 PM »

I think the pressure plate is stock. Never put anything different in.
This is why I'm driving it now so the trip to Knotts is just a trip.

Really? Frank, you could replace mine with a bronze beauty? wow...

cmayna · « **Reply #9 on:** February, 05, 2012, 05:58:45 PM »

What if he left this bronze beauty?

AzPete · « **Reply #10 on:** February, 05, 2012, 06:00:29 PM »

More expense there than a complete rebuild on a fully rusted body........

FordDude · « **Reply #11 on:** February, 05, 2012, 07:09:26 PM »

DEL65 · « **Reply #12 on:** February, 05, 2012, 07:54:12 PM »

Sorry about your troubles, Mike. I hope the bracket is a simple fix.

I you take the time to return my missing "A", I'm sure your luck will improve.

KBMWRS · « **Reply #13 on:** February, 05, 2012, 10:49:26 PM »

Just another reason for everyone to call us the 2 A-holes.

Sacbill · « **Reply #14 on:** February, 06, 2012, 08:10:44 PM »

So, the important question: What did you wind up eating for lunch?

KBMWRS · « **Reply #15 on:** February, 07, 2012, 07:12:33 AM »

Nothing.

Sacbill · « **Reply #16 on:** February, 07, 2012, 08:37:46 AM »

Quote from: KBMWRS on February, 07, 2012, 07:12:33 AM

Nothing.

I'd be surly.

KBMWRS · « **Reply #17 on:** February, 07, 2012, 10:21:07 AM »

No...I was thankful to Jeff and Craig for coming to my aid. By the time we were done everyone wanted to get back to their day....even if it was late afternoon.