Over-center clutch pedal spring ?

[Russ B]

As I get closer to 70, and as my A gets closer to being a driver again I am concerned that the clutch pedal will be too heavy for me to drive the car regularly with my bad knee. I imagine there might be others near my age with this concern/problem.

I remember my last manual transmission car, a '57 Chevy, had an over-center spring that once the pedal was pushed in a bit, the heavy spring would act to help pull the clutch pedal down, reducing the foot pressure needed. Various rental cars I have used over the years with manual transmissions always had a much lighter clutch pedal than my A does. The Chevy comes to mind as I did the conversion from Powerglide to stick myself and had to pull the spring from a junkyard car and re-install that spring when I added the clutch pedal to my car, back in the late '60's.

Has anyone installed an over-center clutch pedal spring on their Model A? And do you have a spring source and any photos of the installation?

Other solutions to getting a lighter clutch pedal would be appreciated as well.

My current setup has a lightened flywheel and V-8 pressure plate according to the person who sold me engine/transmission as part of an unfinished but running car. I drove the car a few times before pulling the motor - transmission assembly as a unit to install in the car I am building. My 1960's teenager recollections of driving the Model A do not include having such a heavy pedal. Is the V-8 pressure plate likely to be the source of the heavy pedal problem?

Thanks in advance to all who can help.

[Duffy1]

The V 8 pressure plate is actually easier to push in than the stock Model A pressure plate .

[MikeK]

JoeWay, one of our Fordbarn brothers, has done some modern diaphram clutch conversions. The pedal is much lighter than even the conversion to the V8 Borg&Beck design. There was also a write-up in the spring 2010 Model A Times about them. Joe did have a web link, but it is now bust. You may want to send JoeWay a PM and ask.

[jcheshire31]

I've talked to a few people and even driven a car with a s10 clutch in it. You can push the pedal to the floor with just 2 fingers. And no chatter at all.

[columbiA]

On my A with a stock clutch,I made the release arm about 3/4" longer & it made the clutch much easier to release & took a lot of strain off my 75 year old legs.Dont make the arm too lomg or the clutch will not fully release.

[Bluebell]

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V8 pressure plates come with different rate springs, and some are assembled with some springs left out. (from original)

[Russ B]

Thanks for the responses. I think a diaphragm PP may be needed and I will contact Joe Way. First, I may do a little more investigation and look to see what I have for a PP and take a look at the clutch fork geometry for obvious problems. The trans is a F-150 conversion so I do not know all the mods that might have been made.

[Russ B]

Inspection of the clutch fork arm, linking to pedal, shows it to be in a starting position above horizontal at start of push and going up from there. Angle between the arm and the pedal link starts at a visual 95-100 degrees and increases to maybe 115 to 120 degrees as pedal is pushed to floor. That is definitely not optimal in my mind, thinking it should start at about 85 and end at about 95 degrees. The pedal to link angles are more favorable to a lighter pedal as the pedal is depressed.

The PP is a B&B type without flyweights. Is that a newer type?

[1931 flamingo]

Did you do the F-150 conversion?? Did you buy the car his way?? What mix of parts are you using to attach the F-150 trans to the A block?? Is this a "standard" model A pedal set-up or thru an adapter?? Hyd brakes?? Is this an open drive rear end??
Paul in CT

[Russ B]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

Did you do the F-150 conversion?? Did you buy the car his way?? What mix of parts are you using to attach the F-150 trans to the A block?? Is this a "standard" model A pedal set-up or thru an adapter?? Hyd brakes?? Is this an open drive rear end??
Paul in CT

I have had the car, a cabriolet, since about 1959 and it was originally purchased new by my father. I have not had the car on the road since 1964. In 2010, I bought a rough body, running donor car with the engine (1931), F150 tranny (1986?), F100 steering (1956), and hydraulic brakes (1940) set up. I moved all that onto my 68A frame. Once I rebuild the 68A's original, frame number matching motor, I will eventually replace the donor motor with the one original to the car. I bought the donor as is, and I wish I knew more details of the conversion than I do. It uses the AA bellhousing and is closed drive shaft. Standard pedals on a pivot adaptor mounted to tranny-bellhousing. E-brake adaptor bolts handle to trans at or very near standard position. Minimal or no cutting needed on crossmember. I gave it a very slight trim on the lip only. The very heavy clutch pedal is my only complaint. I am guessing it is a 40 pound push. I should try to measure it more accurately.

[1931 flamingo]

Nice install. Not sure but I would be looking at the angle/length of the clutch rod to the arm. maybe a longer clutch arm?? Or hooking a hydraulic slave to the cluch arm but doesn't look like there's much room there for another master cyl and slave. FWIW
Paul in CT