On Thu, 25 Sep 1997
Susan Hensley <susan@grotecon.com> wrote:
Subject: Performance clutch wanted
Hi all!
Just wanted to see if anyone has a "performance" clutch sitting around
gathering dust... I am having clutch problems with the Spit racer and
want to replace the standard clutch with a "beefier" one. The car
suffered from a cracked pressure plate (broke in two like a donut!) just
before I got it, and that disk was a higher performance application
disk. The one the PO put in it was a standard one, with the 4 springs,
and I would just like to put a better one in it so I don't have to do
this again!
The car is a late summer 1967 Mk3 (thanks Odd and Andy!) and has a 1300
engine in it. Not sure exactly about the gearbox yet, but it has the
coarse splines. My budget is not up to getting a retail performance
clutch in yet (after buying a race car!) and I was hoping someone out
there may have one they weren't going to use, at a kinder, gentler
price. I also need the throw-out bearing, but not absolutely necessary
- -- I can get them anywhere.
Thank you for your time!
(as Andy says...)
Keep TRY-umphing,
Susan Hensley %)
Susan,After years of messing around with various clutches in my Herald
1200,which used to put out 95-100bhp in various guises,ie:8-port 1200
cylinder head & twin dual choke webers the supercharged,and after lots of
money throwing,trial and error and getting rather expert at changing clutches
out in the street,I finally found one that works!
The receipe is as follows:
Ingredients:
one good condition Spitfire Mk.3 flywheel.
one new Clutch Cover/Pressure Plate:
Unipart part # GCC148 or Borg & Beck #HE2490
(this is,I am told,a Ford Escort Mexico,(1973ish),Clutch Cover,it is exactly
the same size as the Spitfire 1500,but is designed to work on the
flat,(non-recessed),and much lighter Spitfire Mk.3 flywheel).
one new Clutch Friction Plate:
The best,(strongest & most inexpensive),I have found are by HDR/PECO # C2004
and are made specifically for the MG Midget 1500 race boys.
However,if you cannot obtain an HDR/PECO item,then the only alternative,(that
I know of),is the standard Spitfire 1500 fitment,
ie:Unipart # GCP230 or Borg & Beck # D87234
In order to fit this bigger,stronger,longer lasting clutch to your Spitfire
Mk.3 flywheel,
you will have to remove the flywheel,and have it re-drilled to accept the new
clutch cover instead of the original smaller diameter cover.Obviously new
holes for the mounting bolts will have to be drilled,and the dowlling pins
must be re-positioned.
the old holes may be filled with old bolts ground down.
While the flywheel is off,it might be as well to have it re-faced and
lightened,especially towards the outer edge of the flywheel where weight loss
will be most beneficial for race use. Don't take off too much though!
DO NOT use the clutch cover sold by Triumph Tune/Moss Europe as TT2402
I have had two of those fail on me after only about 7500 miles each,what
happens is that as the friction material begins to wear down,the metal rivets
at the outer edge of the centre of the friction plate begin to make contact
with the inside edge of the clutch cover/pressure plate...TT refused to admit
there was anything wrong with their clutches,Kingston Sportscars,(defunct
Triumph tuning coy)told me they don't use them,and Kipping told me they were
incorrect for Triumphs.
That's one of several reasons messrs TT lost my business!
Good luck with your racecar
Leon F Guyot
|