Auto trans to TKO 600 conversion - clutch cable options?

[68Malibu383]

I'm converting my '81 Z28 from auto trans to manual and am collecting parts. Getting ready to buy clutch and brake pedals and could go with factory style Z bar linkage but hoping there is a cable option. I like the hydraulic conversion but not the price. Any suggestions?

[c4racer2]

Cable ?

If you don’t want to spend the $ for hydraulic Slave just use a fork. They work fine.

[andrewb70]

I like the hydraulic conversion but not the price. Any suggestions?

If price is an issue, then use the z-bar and clutch fork.

Andrew

[c4racer2]

by the time you buy a Z-bar and linkage and all that I bet a hydraulic setup isn't all that much more $

[79 Camaro]

I did a TKO 600 in my 73 Z28 LS3 swap. I had the pedals. I made the push rods out of tubing and rod ends. Made the cross shaft also. Measured a friend of mines cross shaft for the length of the arms. Used a LS7 clutch and pressure plate. Worked real good.

[68Malibu383]

How did you mount the cross shaft/z bar to the LS block (Scoggin Dickey kit?)? Were you running long tube headers and have any interference issues with the cross shaft?

[TheJDMan]

I have no information on a cable clutch system but that would imply a pull setup rather than a push setup which is a completely different animal. A Z-bar modified to use rod ends is what I went with. When I priced a hydraulic clutch system it was many times more expensive than a Z-bar setup and what is worse a hydraulic system can and will fail usually without warning. By using rod ends on the Z-bar links it is every bit as smooth as any hydraulic system plus once installed and adjusted a Z-bar system is virtually bulletproof.

[c4racer2]

I ran hydraulic in late model camaros and vettes for many many years. Never had one fail.
Have one in my 2016 Camaro too. Don’t expect that to fail.

Seems the easiest solution to me with best feel
Let be realistic here. I spent over $5K on my trans swap so items in the few hundreds are pretty inconsequential

[79 Camaro]

I bought the bracket for the cross shaft mount but didn't end up using. There was a tapped hole in the block that worked fine. I did have long tube headers. It was tight but it worked. The rod end that goes from the lower arm to the clutch arm was very short. I also used the clutch throw out arm from Speedway that uses a rod end. Adjustable pivot ball.

I looked at using the fbody master and slave but the with the clutch line and then adding a speed bleeder the mechanical linkage was much less expensive. Once I broke in the clutch I adjusted it once and then never touched it in 15000 miles.