#1  
Old 07-30-2020, 03:37 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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Default 73 Grand Am/GTO Hydraulic Clutch slave cylinder attachment

Hi All,
I'm working on installing a T56 6-speed in my 73 Grand Am project car and am trying to figure out how I'm going to attach the McLeod 64-72 Chevelle, (their tech's recommended kit), hydraulic clutch conversion kit onto the clutch pedal and to the firewall.

Has anyone here done this install, and if so, do you have any pics of your clutch pedal hookup and firewall attachment arrangement? I know it is a big ask as it's not an easy install, and anyone having done it would have put a lot of work in, but I would be VERY grateful for any guidance and and comments on how it worked out. Thanks so much in advance! Gavin.

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Old 07-30-2020, 04:51 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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I believe the kit has the correct parts to attach to the clutch pedal. I made a mount for the firewall. I put a TKO600 with a universal hydraulic throw out kit in my 75. I will post pics in a little bit.

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Old 07-30-2020, 05:08 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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Lets see if this pic works...
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  #4  
Old 07-30-2020, 05:10 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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There's a little dimple in the firewall where you drill through for the rod to the pedal.
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  #5  
Old 07-30-2020, 06:32 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdrookie View Post
There's a little dimple in the firewall where you drill through for the rod to the pedal.
Amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing those pics, very helpful. Really nice fabrication work on that. Is the material 1/8" steel plate or aluminium that you bent, cut, hole sawed, drilled, and welded?

Maybe I'm just not seeing it, but how did you mount your bracket to the firewall? Is it welded or bolted? The angle the factory stamped into the firewall where the rod/cylinder exits is truly bizarre.

Looking at your mount design, did the rod that comes out of the slave cylinder and up to the pedal, align fairly well or even perfectly? Also, did you end up drilling a hole in the pedal to mount the heim end of the rod to the pedal or did you use the existing hole for the OEM mechanical clutch rod, or, .... did you have to weld a tab on the pedal to attach the rod?

Apologies for all of the questions but I really am very grateful for your help on this.

Thanks so very much again!
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  #6  
Old 07-30-2020, 10:03 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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The bracket was a piece of 1/8" angle iron that I hole sawed and welded pieces to till it worked good enough for me. The bolts hold it all together. I will post a few more pics I found.

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Old 07-30-2020, 10:05 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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Pic
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  #8  
Old 07-30-2020, 10:07 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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Another pic
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  #9  
Old 07-30-2020, 10:11 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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1 more. I was using a smaller 9" booster with this, not sure a factory 11" would clear. I have since went with manual brakes.
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  #10  
Old 07-31-2020, 12:50 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdrookie View Post
1 more. I was using a smaller 9" booster with this, not sure a factory 11" would clear. I have since went with manual brakes.
Outstanding, and thanks so much for the pics and comments. What you've shown is exactly what I was hoping for. Based on your first couple of pics, I started mocking up a cardboard template for a similar arrangement. Early stages, but your working model is the best idea I've seen for simplicity and keeping everything in good alignment. I'll post up some pics of my finished product when I get it done. Here are a couple of pics of my "cereal box engineering" so far. 😜Just the first try, but I had to start somewhere! Thanks so much again.
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  #11  
Old 07-31-2020, 01:20 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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Keep us posted on your progress and take lots of pics. Looking back, I wish I would've done the T56 instead of the TKO. Back when I did mine, there wasn't much, if any, info out there on doing this. I wasn't happy when I realized I had to cut the tunnel out.

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Old 07-31-2020, 03:40 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdrookie View Post
Keep us posted on your progress and take lots of pics. Looking back, I wish I would've done the T56 instead of the TKO. Back when I did mine, there wasn't much, if any, info out there on doing this. I wasn't happy when I realized I had to cut the tunnel out.
I'll definitely keep my progress up to date. I previously had a TKO500 in the car behind a mild 455, and I used the factory mechanical linkage with that. I sold the TKO500 after a friend had moved from the same trans to a Magnum T56 in his project, and was super happy with the better shifting. I know what you mean about cutting the floor, and the approach I took was to just cut out the absolute minimum needed to gain clearance. That entailed a lot of test fitting. It still ended up being a sizeable hole, but regardless of body type, whether it's early A or F body, you still have to make room for that trans because it is chunky . I haven't fitted the T56 up behind the engine yet but I am hoping I don't have to trim any more metal out. Anyway, I'll get back on it and post up as things progress. Cheers, and thanks again!

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Old 08-07-2020, 11:34 PM
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geiser geiser is offline
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Has anyone used this kit from ebay? [performance parts warehouse)

https://ebay.us/RWw3hD

it uses a hydraulic piston actuated clutch fork, so one does not have to drop tranny to put in q hydraulic throw out bearing. It also looks complete with brackets etc so no fabrication needed....

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70 Atoll Lemans convertible with 70 gto rhinoplasty. Has a 70 455 bonnie and a tremec 5 speed.
  #14  
Old 08-08-2020, 06:48 PM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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You would probably have to modify/make the bracket for the master cylinder to the firewall. I also don't think that clutch pedal will work, but it should still bolt to the original pedal. I like the idea and might go with that kit next time I have to remove the trans.

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Old 08-29-2020, 06:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdrookie View Post
Keep us posted on your progress and take lots of pics. Looking back, I wish I would've done the T56 instead of the TKO. Back when I did mine, there wasn't much, if any, info out there on doing this. I wasn't happy when I realized I had to cut the tunnel out.
Following up here. I've completed the firewall mount for my hydraulic clutch slave cylinder, (at least I think I have). I have hours sunk into fabricating this mount. The reason for that is twofold; first it is a challenge dealing with the roughly 30 degree angle stamped into the firewall where the OEM clutch rod exits, and secondly, the McLeod hydraulic cylinder that came in my kit has a 45 degree collar "cast" into it that complicates making a mount even further. In hindsight, I wish I had used the hydraulic cylinder that cdrookie used as the attachment collar on that is a straight 90 degrees to the cylinder. Nevertheless, after much trial and error in order to get the angles on the bracket to a place where the rod in the cylinder was not at an angle and binding or interfering with the brake pedal, I'll attach pics here to show what I've done. In the end, it's very solid and there are no interference issues. The first 3 pics are of the original version that I made. It fit the contours on the firewall nicely and was parallel and flush to the flat part of the wall. However, I immediately realized that I needed about another 10 degrees angle on the face on the bracket to get the rod to line up properly to the clutch pedal. The last 2 pics show added material welded on to acquire the needed angle.
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Old 08-29-2020, 07:07 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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The next pics show the bracket and the cylinder mounted on the firewall. Because of the complexity, (at least for my skill level), of the cylinder collar angle and the diagonal mounting holes, the attachment to the firewall itself is via 3 bolts. The top and bottom bolts on the passenger side of the bracket, and the bottom bolt on the driver's side are what secures the bracket to the firewall. The top bolt on the driver side that secures the cylinder, is held in pace by a nut and lock washer on the inside of the bracket only, as there is no material at that point on the firewall to further secure the bracket. At this point I thought it was done, but ... no. The rod to the pedal was still at an angle I didn't like. Probably could have gotten away with it but I didn't want to create undue stress on the cylinder due to a poorly aligned rod. So I cut what is basically a spacer to give another few degrees angle on the top bolt of the cylinder. There are other, more elegant ways of addressing this obviously, but I needed this job done and this is what I came up with.
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  #17  
Old 08-29-2020, 07:18 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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Finally, there was the hydraulic cylinder rod-to-pedal issue to deal with. To get the alignment I wanted I needed to "relieve" the OEM clutch/brake pedal(s) housing of some material to give the rod a straight shot into the cylinder. The pics show the material removed and the rod attached to the pedal using the McLeod nylon(?) 1" bushing supplied in the kit. I think that covers it, but if anyone has any questions then just let me know. Again, my sincere thanks to cdrookie for his help and photos of his setup as all of that gave the the incentive to tackle this.
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  #18  
Old 08-30-2020, 09:43 AM
cdrookie cdrookie is offline
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I like that setup, looks cleaner than what I have. Good job on the install!

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Old 08-30-2020, 12:29 PM
73GTGA 73GTGA is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdrookie View Post
I like that setup, looks cleaner than what I have. Good job on the install!
Thanks so much cdrookie for the kind words, but again, you were the inspiration for the setup. Prior to seeing your mount I'd hit a mental wall as to how to approach the task but you gave me that "ah-HA!" clarity. Cheers for that!

Hopefully anyone else trying to do this will at least have some ideas now.

BTW, don't know why a couple of my pics loaded sideways as they're not that way on my pad, but, just tilt your head and squint and you'll get the idea.

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