Planning for a 1940 Ford Coupe build and I'm wondering how you handle the exhaust if you keep the under floor pedals, I'd like to adapt the pedals to master cylinders for both clutch and brakes but looking it over it doesn't look like there will be any room left for the exhaust. I'm planning a on a 351w with a Tremec 5 spd. Drop axle in front and parallel leafs with a 9" in the rear. This is my first early Ford build so I've got a lot to learn. Any comments and tips are welcome.
It's real busy under the floor in that area as you know and will require a fabricated length of pipe to get around and past the obstructions.
I guess what I'm wondering if everybody tries to keep it in the frame, is it doable? If not I guess I can look at hanging pedals, I would prefer to keep it clean under the hood though.
Probably no help but here's mine with SBC and 350 turbo. The clutch pedal is in the way of a clean thru frame exhaust. I cut mine off. Like I said, probably no help
Yes, it can be done but, the pipe needs to run out next to the frame rail. We used to sell a exhaust system that cleared everything.
Well this is not a 351 but you can see in the pictures that the left side is pretty tight when the stock under floor peddle system is used.
Thanks for the responses guys and the pictures help a lot. 39 guy is that a 40 pedal ***embly? I guess I'll fab it up and then see how much room is left.
IndyGTA, I think so. It came with the car. I think the 39 ***embly is different. We did have to modify the frame and linkage a little. I don't know why it needed those mods since it was basically a stock installation. The pictures show the second edition of the exhaust pipe install. We elongated the hole in the X member so that we could move the pipe farther forward. The first try resulted in not being able to depress the clutch pedal enough to disengage the clutch.
I have power brake booster in the way also, no room on my 40 for it either, but just went to the muffler shop a month ago. they said they would run it along the bottom of the frame rail, which would increase my clearance by 2". right now it runs under the booster & is really low.
There is probably a right way to do it but if it looked to crowded to me I may be inclined to run the driver's side across to the p***enger side then route it back to the driver side after the transmission.
Have done quite a few with under floor brake and power booster but no clutch pedal--goes tight along the frame with a thick alum vertical plate between the ex and master cyl and booster to dispel heat--no issues thus far. Mine has been together for 8 yrs and have done a bunch more since then.
This is not a very large picture Indy but is a brake master cylinder and clutch cylinder like you requested in-line with each other to save room. Pedals also attach from the front to make it easier to install and service. Just an idea, may not work for your application. Available from ECI.
If you stick with a 2 inch or no more than 2 and 1/4 inch pipe, it will all fit. Making the first X member hole from the header is probably the hardest. Those X member holes are not that big so clearance is close and the pipe can rattle real easily so 2 inch pipe is better. The real challenge to me is hangers, the exhaust is so close to the floor pans that you must come up with a good hanger system. The original system supported the pipes from under the pipes. I used a rod mounted to the frame rails and had a rubber donut hanging down with a rod welded to the exhaust pipe, never liked the set up. Ask these guys on here on how they hang their pipes, a bigger issue in my opinion.
I have a 40 with 302 5 speed stock pedal ***embly with hydraulic clutch had to run exhaust under engine then down right side
It is kinda tight... this is the exhaust from a Waldrons '40 kit, with quite a few mods. Their kit uses a 1 1/2 pipe to get through the opening, not a big deal on a 110 hp flathead, but probably quite restrictive on an OHV engine of any size
This may NOT help but I just took these pedals out of my 32, they come straight up thru the floor. Eliminates a lot of the clearance problems with the "FORWARD" running pedal arms. The mount bolts to or gets welded to boxed frame or possibly cross members in your case. Downfall of this design is you have to slot the floor. If you think you can use these I'll take $75.00 >SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR . If interested PM or call Joe at 513-248-2926 Joe
Yep, its super tight. My 40 build has a 348 and a 5 speed. I originally ran 2 inch thru at the front of the hole in the x member, but pedal clearance was an issue, I never plumbed the clutch, but I couldn't get full pedal travel (to the floor) so ***umed it wouldn't work, tho a dimple may have sorted this, and with all the recent stuff I've read about hammering headers for clearance not effecting performance, that could be an option. I think I will just about squeeze a two inch pipe out the back of the same hole and down next to the pedal, but then it will have to turn out to the ch***is rail to avoid the clutch slave. I'm still working on it, I'm actually thinking about running fenderwell headers now, and coming back in thru the frame rail, and boxing that area for strength, to keep the exhaust tucked out of the way. I want fenderwell headers eventually anyway, so... There might be a picture in my build thread, but photobucket appears to be down at the moment, and that's where all the pictures are...
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