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#23311 06/22/2004 3:40 PM | Joined: May 2003 Posts: 111 Member | | Member Joined: May 2003 Posts: 111 | Has anyone ever heard of installing a hand clutch on a 4 spd?
Reason: Knee problems, unlikely to be fixed. It's either a hand clutch, tranny swap to an automatic (yuk), or sell the 68. (wifey votes for #3)
35 + years of rollin' steel!
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#23312 06/22/2004 3:49 PM | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 Bolter | | Bolter Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 4,066 | they are used in dirt track raceing, I will check with my son to see how they are set up, Popcorn may also be familar with them since he is on the race scene,,,regards,,Fred
Redryder pixMy HotrodA veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life."I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option. | | |
#23313 06/22/2004 5:01 PM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,746 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,746 | I've helped set up hand-control cars for paraplegics a few times. You'll need to look into the correct leverage on a hand control to allow you to depress the clutch effectively, and hold it down without undue fatigue at a stoplight, etc. "Heim" joints, those ball-type parts with a bolt through the center, work pretty well for the ends of the pushrod, and you'll need a long bar mounted to the dash with good mechanical advantage for a control lever. It would also be possible to use a vacuum-assist like a power brake booster to lower the clutch pedal effort, with a little creative engineering.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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#23314 06/22/2004 5:20 PM | Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 687 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 687 | Jerry: years ago and I mean years ago, they had either vacume assit or something compatable when guys started using huge pressure plates in drag racing. Can't remember the actual process but it helped with pushing in the clutch. You are very correct by telling Pal about Handicap Driving there is some wonderful products on market to help these people. Fred: Our dirt track car is now converted over to power glide all we need is to go fast and then slow down. Fast, slow, 4 times then be in front.  popcorn The Truth is Out There (Good luck Pal and automatic not that bad) | | |
#23315 06/22/2004 6:26 PM | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 1,586 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 1,586 | I think a hydraulic action is the simpliest solution.Master cylinder with a lever, easy the run the hose to a slave cylinder on the clutch housing.Racing suppliers like Summit or Jegs should have the necessary items, just have to fabricate a few brackets. | | |
#23316 06/22/2004 8:08 PM | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 1,745 | If you can't push the clutch properly do you feel safe operating the brakes in an emergency on an old truck? I would go automatic and concentrate on braking.
54 3100 with 235
62 flatbed dump C60 with 261
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#23317 06/22/2004 8:28 PM | Joined: May 2003 Posts: 111 Member | | Member Joined: May 2003 Posts: 111 | Thanks guys. Good Ideas and I'll take any you've got.
Tony: The right leg (brakes) is fine. It's the left that's heading south.
Popcorn: Automatics are ok, but that's not why I bought and built this old girl. She drives (whines and rattles) just like my Dad's. I'm sure you can understand that. Changing her to an auto would take away alot of that old flavor. I'd rather make someone else happy than that.
35 + years of rollin' steel!
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#23318 06/22/2004 8:33 PM | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | You should be able to use a hydraulic clutch with a vacuum boosted brake master cylinder with a bit of fabrication.
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A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | |
#23319 06/22/2004 9:41 PM | Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2000 Posts: 1,966 | A mechanical linkage with a lever up thru the floor on the driver's left connected to the existing clutch pedal/linkage should not be too hard to figure. Another obstacle in the way getting in and out, but simple. They had them in Model T's for nearly 20 years. One safety concern would be both hands off the wheel briefly while you shift....I hope you get it worked out and let us know how you did it.
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