*C7*

1963 4 speed. I have owned the car for 50 years and can't remember when the PP was installed but believe it to be stock.

Would like to install a lighter pressure plate. I don't drive the car hard so I would be OK with a 6 cyl. pressure plate or any PP that would be lighter.

The pedal is set on the long travel position.

All recommendations are welcome.

tbarb

I would try NAPA and get a good old American made STOCK clutch. P/P and throw out bearing. Take your time and do a simple clutch replacement job, have the flywheel trued and balanced along with the new pressure plate.

Also want to add if the parts are original to the car I would try to find a rebuilder in your area because these parts are overhauled just like heavy equipment parts can be overhauled.

ILBMF

If you really want a super light pedal it's going to take a twin disc clutch. May be overkill because they are designed for much higher hp, but the pedal will feel lighter than stock, engagement is extremely smooth. Here's a link...it can be had on sale for between $700-$800. I've got one on my 700 hp Mustang...what a great feel and light as hell.

http://www.mcleodracing.com/index.ph...tch-10756.html

DansYellow66

You can try a Centerforce clutch but I didn't find it noticeably different from my current McLeod clutch. The twin disc clutches appear to be like driving a Honda or something from the write ups I've read on them.

A stock Corvette clutch should not be especially heavy. Do you need a lighter clutch due to leg or knee problems or is the current clutch just very heavy?

wmf62

what style PP do you have? if it is the 3-fingered type, they are historically 'hard'...

the stock diaphragm style PP is relatively light.

Bill

hope2

Some of the clutch linkage cross shafts had two holes, have you checked that?

Patman65

I used a 10.5 inch sachs clutch. Lightest pedal effort I've felt. Came in a gm box about a year ago. Much less effort than centerforce II and a 1966 gm 11 inch clutch. I wanted a really light clutch and any less and i feel it would be difficult for it to handle the torque.

GTOguy

I've had good luck with LUK clutches...super light pedal effort, and great quality and holding power. The best of both worlds. MUCH lighter than the McCleod in my GTO.

Lotsacubes

The Centerforce Dual Friction PP we installed has weights that increase clamping force with rpm increase permitting lighter springs. I don't find our BB PP offensive at all. Maybe PPs with the weights are a common design feature. Just first time I saw it. Ours has very nice feel. If yours is a SB car I'd think you'd like it.

Oh... just read the counterweighted PP is a Centerforce patent. So I guess it's not common. My wife likes it on our 427/425.

MOXIE62

I've been trying to find a light clutch for 2 years with no luck. Problem is, most people who have no foot or ankle problem can not relate to what a light clutch is. They know it is not a problem for them so what ever clutch they are using is OK. Because changing out a PP is such a lot of work if you plan to do it yourself, what I was hoping for is to feel the clutch in a car before buying. I set in several cars at a car show and push in on the clutch. The only one that felt light belong to a guy that did not know what brand of PP he had. If you find a light one let me know please. I have an ankle problem and that is why I need one.

hope2

Reference my earlier post, some Corvette clutch pedals have a quick release setting which would increase pedal effort. Have you checked that? Also I have seen the Z bar (cross shaft) with two holes to shorten the throw also, making for higher pedal effort.

MOXIE62

In his post he stated the pedal is set on the long travel position. The "Z" bar on a 63 does not have extra holes for different settings. Don't know about the other C2's.

BD104X

I don't think a pressure plate change is going to give you the type of reduction in pedal effort you are looking for. IMO, you are probably going to have to go to a hydraulic setup. I've driven plenty of cars with hydraulic clutches and they require hardly any pedal effort. I don't have any recommendations because I've never converted a car with manual clutch linkage, but that's what I would be looking into. Good luck.

Kerrmudgeon

I'd just go with a stock GM clutch, not the heavy duty. I put a heavy duty Z-28 setup in my 66 years ago.......and I swear my left leg was bigger after a while than my right! Traffic sucked with that thing.

*C7*

Thank you for all the replies. I don't have any serious knee or ankle issues, I just feel the clutch is is very heavy, I have many suggestions to consider.

I will start by seeing if my PP is the 3 finger or the diaphragm style. As mentioned it is set for long travel under the dash and only has 1 hole on the Z bar.

I'll post back what I find. Thank you.

ILBMF

Hydraulic set up will only eliminate any mechanical friction that the Z-bar set up contributes which is very nominal at best. Hydraulic set ups will still require your foot to move the diaphragm which is the same as a mechanical Z-bar type set up. If you want a very light feel go with a McLeod twin disc.

babbah

Can anyone describe the holes on the clutch pedal and Zbar, and which ones should be used for normal (factory) installs vs "short" throws?

DansYellow66

A hydraulic clutch release system is not always the panacea to a heavy clutch pedal. They take careful engineering to work acceptably - which I got an education in when building my Cobra replica. Sizing the master and slave cylinder to work together and produce an acceptable result can be a lengthy process. Given a particular slave cylinder (mine is a BMW model), a smaller master cylinder will lower pedal pressure but result in a long pedal throw. A larger master cylinder will shorten pedal throw but result in higher pedal pressure. It's going to be one or the other and a compromise has to be reached.

My replica uses pretty much the same McLeod clutch as in my Corvette and after dinking around with the thing for awhile it still has noticeably higher pedal pressure than the Corvette - and with a longer pedal throw. This is on an ERA replica which is a very well engineered replica. As everyone knows, Corvette foot boxes and seat position don't allow for a long pedal throw so I would be concerned with a hydraulic set up resulting in a high pedal effort or disengagement issues. And then there is the problem with the unreinforced firewall and strengthening it for a master cylinder mount.

SWCDuke

See the 1963 Corvette Shop Manual for the difference in standard and short throw clutch linkage setup. It may also be in later CSMs as I believe this feature was available through the end of C2 production.

If you have manual brakes and the clutch linkage is setup for the 6.5" standard throw, the clutch and brake pedals will be at about the same height. If the clutch is set for the 5" short throw the clutch pedal height will be about 1.5" below the brake pedal.

I'm not sure of the difference in pedal height if the car is equipped with power brakes.

The short throw is great for a young guys, but our legs don't stay young-guy strong forever.

Duke

jimh_1962

Yep, ask 66Jack. He was impressed on how light and easy my cluck was compared to his.