Hot Rods 1932 ?'s:TKO ? Hydraulic or mechanical clutch/ what quickchange?

Hello, thanks for all the great info on my other threads, I sold the flathead powered Wescott car, kept what I wanted to keep, and bought a new Brookville '32 Roadster body second hand but un-used, so now comes the new chassis set up ! I am going to run a Small block Chevy, with a Tremec TKO and I have a few questions! I have searched, but hoping to find answers pertaining to my specific set up : Aftermarket boxed '32 chassis with stock firewall, Mild 300-400 hp small block, 6"-7" wide, tall rear tire, I want to do it right the first time, & never have to worry about strength or reliability !

-If I use a TKO with the shifter in comes with (flipped front to rear) will I need to cut up the sub rail brace on the body, and will it fit with a stock style bench seat? I plan to make my own shifter handle, but don't know if I need to buy the expensive mid mount shifter for the transmission ?

-Within the constraints of a 1932 Ford Chassis size, should I run a Hydraulic master and slave cylinder or build Mechanical linkage? If I go Hydraulic, I would most likely buy the Pete & Jakes pedal/cylinder kit (looks like Willwood components) and just have to build a bracket for the slave cylinder, but if I do that, do I need a remote reservoir? any personal experience with this set up in a 32? I like the idea of Mechanical linkage, but the closest thing I have found to a "kit" is one that Socal Sells, and seems more like a loosely assembled bunch of components for trial & error. Is there a somewhat easy way or kit?

-I plan on doing a Winters Steel Bell Quick change with helical cut gears, and a polished center section on Pete & Jakes or So Cal or whatever Ladder bars, with some QA1 coilovers I already have. Should I run the V8 size or the Champ size ? I already have a notched gas tank, but does the bigger Champ size have a bunch of clearance issues? is the V8 size plenty strong? I want to be able to do burnouts and bang gears once in awhile & not worry about the strength of the rear, but is one inherently better than the other? is one noiser than the other? does one fit or look way better ?

Thanks in advance, you guys are awesome !

 

I'll let some '32 guys give you more detail, but in my '28/'29 roadster I have a TKO 600 and just flopped the original shifter to get the 2" forward movement and worked out well with a bench seat and no floor support cutting. No need for the mid-shift kit. In fact I had one just in case I needed it and sold it. My big point I want to make is to consider getting the TKO with the optional "road race" .82 OD. It will even out all the gear splits and get rid of the typical big 4-5 ratio jump most 5 speeds have.

 

https://www.dazecars.com/dazed/Test3550bracket.html

Using this for the tko 600 behind my 347 stroker in a 1934 chassis.

Bantam

 

That looks like a pretty trick bracket.

 

I have a 32 with a 3550. I used the midshift kit to clear a bench. Gary at Cornhusker can tell you how to do the hydraulic clutch on the right side. That appears to be a good way on a chevy.

 

Sounds like you’re kinda doing what I did and you’re gonna love rowing gears in that style of roadster.

 

Thanks Mike! Do you happen to have any pictures of your setup from when you built your car?

 

Sorry, not a big pic taker.

 

Awesome, Thanks ! I want to do a frame mounted e-brake as well.

 

I worked on my son’s 91 Mustang. It uses a short cable to pull on the clutch arm. It would super easy to mount so the clutch pedal pulls on the cable and a bracket would mount on the trans so the end of the cable pulls on the arm. The cables are really cheap and never leak.

 

with a hydraulic set up, would I need a remote reservoir because they are both so low?

 

Back to one of your original questions. You mentioned 300-400 horsepower and burnouts and banging gears. A V-8 center section is not going to last with that abuse. You need to go to a Champ center section. In my opinion a V-8 looks better under the rear of a roadster, probably because we have seen so many of them, and a Champ looks a bit big.

 

This is a great thread...Subscribed for Tech!I hope to be learning some tips for same setup in 32 coupe in next year.


. . .

 

I know I have seen a few TKO's in 32's in The Rodders Journal over the years, but not much tech.

 

I just spent several hours on the web yesterday searching for the perfect manual brake mc and mechanical clutch pedal assembly for dads 32. I spoke with a guy at Pete and Jakes, they recommended their hydraulic clutch kit. Part number 3040LC (less cylinders) The guy on the phone had used this kit on his car with mechanical linkage with no problems, so I ordered it. He says all you have to do is not use the mounting bracket for the hydraulic clutch just attach a heim joint with a rod on the bottom of the clutch pedal for the push style Z-bar. Hope this helps.

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Heres a pic of the bracket

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^^^I have those P&J brake and clutch arms still in the wrapper, chrome, perfect. Just sayin.

 

What about stock 1939 ford set and Muncie 4 speed? If I swap them for the 1940 set / eliminate the z bar and have a direct connection to clutch fork with fabrication to clutch arm. Any one had any success? Pics ??


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Would a reproduction 39 pedal setup have enough throw ?

 

I just got a repo set from Bob Drake. Arm is on top - need one on bottom. I used a 1939 set for a top loader Ford 4 speed to push the clutch fork. The Muncie 4 speed and Chevy 327 need to pull back. Will require fabrication.


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I saw a pic in second edition of Frank Oddo ‘s How to build Street Rods of longer arm mounted on the bottom of the clutch petal. Not measurements were given - just 1939 set of petals


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I would say not. I base this on the fact that I have a project '32 3w with very similar specifications to what you're aiming for. Mine is not far from coming apart for painting, but it's been a long haul! It has a working hydraulic clutch (with hydraulic throw out bearing) which has been bled and tested many times and has sat for many months without any issues. I intend to drive the car before the teardown.

Chris

 

Winters advertises their positrac for the V8 units good for up to 400-500hp with 31sp Ford 9" slide in axles. I would not use the helical cut gears with that much power, use the straight cut ones. Helical are quieter, only advantage. The straight cut will be noisier, no more noisy than your kick ass engine. The Winters unit is 3/4"to 1" shorter than Halibrand 201, so no notch in gas tank.

 

If a winters V8 is used and it does clear the tank, is it still a real pain to get the cover off ?

 

Well, I bought an engine from a friend, simple ZZ4 crate engine with about 1000 miles on it over the last 5 years. Supposed to be 355 hp and 405 lb/ft, so should be plenty peppy for a 2400 lb-ish car. So that's the power i'm dealing with and what my drive train has to suffer abuse from !

 

Is there a magic parts combo for a SBC fitting with an uncut stock firewall ?

 

Small diameter distributor, short water pump, and P&J motor mounts.
Their directions tell the whole story.

 

An inch added to the wheelbase helps a lot.

 

Zip’s water pump solves it.

 

Are you using a Brookville chassis ? They make a pedal assembly that fits their’s.


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