Well, I have made my first mistake. First of many to come, I'm sure. Bought a bracket off Ebay to mount the hydraulic clutch master cylinder to the firewall at the correct angle...yeah, doesn't fit a C3 corvette. I'm not sure what I was even thinking when I looked at the ad...at least it was cheap.

Problem is, I can't find a bracket for sale anywhere that will work. I don't want to use the truck clutch master like others have done since I already have the stock one from the T56. Is there anywhere I can buy anything that will work? Or is this a custom fab job only?

 

Sorry, My set up is an auto, get a hold of Gordon and see what he used.

Riggs.

 

I'm thinking I am just going to have to use a thin sheet of aluminum to make a template with the correct angle. Then hopefully I can get it fabbed up.

 

I used the bracket from Keislers kit. I was able to get just the bracket and not the MC. I used a Tilton MC and bolted it all up. It is a short throw and you have to get used to it but provides very quick clutch action. I have a picture of it on my other computer but it fits the firewall perfectly amd just required adjusting the rod for the MC. Made up my own hyd lines and used the speed bleeder so bleeding is a snap.

 

Do you think the Keisler bracket would work with a stock T56 clutch master cylinder?

 

Contacted Keisler...their bracket will not work with a stock T56 clutch master cylinder.

Back to the drawing board...

 

Any reason you arent using the 1-ton truck clutch master? They fit pretty well

 

I had the T56 clutch master already, so I wanted to stick with it originally, but I guess the truck master might be an option. Don't you have to mod the rod end and the hydraulic end to make it work, though?

 

I'm following your build with great interest. I'm doing the same thing to my '77. I'm not as far along as you are, just got the frame out of paint. Josh Powers has been a great source of info for me, so I'd try him for your clutch questions.

 

I've talked to Josh once about his clutch master setup. It sounds like a nice piece, but it's about $215. I may have to go that route if I can't come up with a suitable bracket.

 

Been working steadily on the car. Finished up with getting everything on the engine cleaned and repainted, installed the LS6 oil pump and LS2 timing set, and have been fooling around with this hydraulic clutch master cylinder trying to figure out how I'm going to mount the damn thing...

Today I dropped the gas tank, and scrubbed the entire underside of the car with various wire brushed. 37 years worth of dirt and grime was a real joy to scrape off, but it needed to be done. I'll remove the old hard lines of the fuel system tomorrow, and get to work routing the new fuel lines and hooking up the prefilter, Warlboro inline pump, and C5 fuel regulator.

A few pics...

Got the LS6 oil pump and LS2 timing set in.



The motor mounts...Dirty Dingo have multiple mounting positions



Finished engine...



And a pic of the gas tank. No tank sticker for me

 

Alright I broke down and went with Josh's clutch master cylinder. Thinking about a stupid bracket for this thing was keeping me up at night. LOL. I'm also going to pick up an aluminum console trim plate from him since mine was for an auto and I really don't want to hack it up. I think it will look nice with a Lokar shift boot and a nice bezel.

My fuel rail covers came in, so I'll get started on them shortly. Need to do a bit of trimming on the passenger side cover to clear the throttle cable...

Once I get my fuel system assembled and plumbed and the clutch master installed, I'll be ready to mate the engine and trans back up and drop it in for the first time. Then onto the trans crossmember mods and the radiator/fan setup.

 

One thing about those Dirty Dingo mounts is be careful. The threads in them suck. Very easy to pull out. Barley was tightening them and the threads pulled out. I said screw it and drilled them out and used bolts from the back side. Just a warning be careful

 

Gordon,

Thanks for the heads up. Mine are in the mail as we speak.

 

I appreciate it. I think I read your comments in another thread about the threads on these mounts...I'll be sure to take it easy.

 

Finally, something worth updating. Got my fuel system mounted and lines run...



I also made a nice sheetmetal piece to cover the prefilter, pump, and regulator and painted it black. I'll mount it once I've had a chance to prime the system and check for leaks.

Ran into slight difficulties with my motor mounts...the stock mounts have a large metal hump on the back side that mates up to the adapter plates on the block. That hump kept me from being able to tighten the bolts all the way down, as seen here...



You can grind the hump down, but I figured this was as good a time as any to upgrade to new poly mounts. No point in fooling around with the 37 year old ones.

Spent the last couple of nights finally getting the engine and trans in the car. Of course nothing can be easy, and I had a devil of a time getting the driver's side mount to line up, but I finally got everything in there this evening. Feels good to see that LS1 between the frame rails...







Surveying the landscape now that the engine is in, it has become apparent that since I no longer have the A/C setup, I'm going to need to get an A/C delete cover. The valvecovers are seriously close to the old A/C box...I'm not sure I could actually get the coils on there. Plus it will just look a hell of a lot better anyways.

Josh at Custom Image had a delay in getting the hydraulic line for my clutch master cylinder, so I won't have it for a couple weeks. I'm out of town next week anyways, so once I get that from him I can mount it and then mount the brake booster and master cylinder, and finish getting my pedals hooked up and squared away.

I'm heading to my brother's shop to give him a hand with his Tempest drag car tomorrow, and he's going to tap my water pump for my new 90 degree fittings, and also tap the plate above the oil filter so I can run my stock oil pressure sensor. Also dropping off the headers and LS flanges to be reworked.

Glad to finally have some progress to report!

 

Sounds like you're right on top of everything. Looks great!

 

Build is coming along. Not as fast as I'd hoped, but still progressing. Started getting the accessories bolted up, and am also working on modifying the fuel rail covers to clear the throttle body cable bracket. Some pics...



You can see the modified waterpump in this pic. Need to pick up a thermostat so I can install the CSR straight water neck. I also have some fittings and teflon coated, stainless braided hydraulic line on the way to make a high pressure power steering pump line...





And finally, the driveline part I've been waiting for...modified hydraulic clutch master cylinder. This one is offered by Custom Image Corvettes, and bolts directly to a C3 firewall. Now I can finally finish the manual trans pedal install, and then bolt the brake booster and master cylinder back up.



More progress soon.

 

Any updates?

Riggs

 

Been plugging away on it. Throttle cable is roughly mounted, all accessories are in place. Need to get power steering hoses custom made, and I'll be pretty much finished there. I have an A/C delete panel on the way, which is going to look great.

I finished the heat shielding in the cabin last night, and now I'm ready to run the wiring harness and find a home for the computer and the relays. Going to order a trans crossmember from Custom Image to use with the T56.

Slowly but surely...