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clutch cable kit

  • Thread starter Thread starter daddy oth
  • Start date Start date Mar 1, 2008
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daddy oth

New Member
Mar 12, 2007
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Mar 1, 2008
#1
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #1
I'm doing t-5 conv. on '66 coupe and i torn between the three:

MODERN DRIVELINE

MUSTANG STEVE

RON MORRIS PERF.

which one do you reccomend?

thank you in advance....daddy oth
 

CraigMBA

New Member
Mar 24, 2007
783
1
0
Orange, CA
Mar 1, 2008
#2
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #2
I have a modern one. If I had to do it again, I'd use Steve's because it uses a stock cable.

I'd skip Ron's. It doesn't have enough mechanical advantage IMO.
 
R

ravv 67

New Member
Jun 4, 2007
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Mar 1, 2008
#3
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #3
CraigMBA, is there a reason you prefer a stock cable other than it's stock?

I'm also going to be doing a t-5 conversion. Swaping from a C-4. I'm thinking about getting Moderdriveline's complete auto to t-5 package. Has anyone bought this package. I'd like some feedback.

Also, I'm having a hard time finding a shop that will do the conversion at a reasondalbe price. I called three shops and they told me a weeks job. They're all charging me roughly $2500 for labor. Is this too much? Or is this what I should expect to pay? I have a 67 mustang it that makes a difference.
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
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Mar 1, 2008
#4
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #4
A week ? Try 1 freaking day. It shouldn't cost much more then a clutch job labor wise since the only extra work is installing the new clutch cable setup as long as you supply the parts. The only reason it takes longer then 1 day is because after its all together you have to have a new drive shaft made or shorten your existing one.

If you want to save some cash, install the pedals yourself and prep the car as much as possible. This shouldn't cost more then 500 dollars in labor and even that is excessive IMO.

I've pulled a C4 and installed a T5 in 1 day flat on my back in my garage using jack stands so if you take it to a mechanic and they can't take care of it in 1 day (aside from the drive shaft) then they suck.

EDIT:
Why are the stock cables better ? Well, even Maximum Motorsport has said that they have been unable to find a higher quality cable then the stock Ford part so I would be willing to be that has something to do with it.
 
K

KiwiGT

Member
Apr 1, 2005
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6
Australia
Mar 1, 2008
#5
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #5
I did the C4 to T5 conversion using the complete Modern Driveline kit. Great service from Modern Driveline, and a quality well thought out solution in the conversion components. I'm happy with their clutch cable, the way it installs and the clutch pedal feel. I renewed my pedal bearings at the same time using their kit, I guess the whole job would have taken 8-10 hours. Overall I'm very happy with the whole MD kit and would use it again.
 

CraigMBA

New Member
Mar 24, 2007
783
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Mar 1, 2008
#6
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #6
The Modern cable is way way way stouter than the stock one, but I get excited when I can use OE parts. I've had my car since '84.

If I frag a Modern cable and they aren't around, it's a pretty standard industrial cable I can get somebody to make up for me. It's not that big a deal.

You can expect to pay about $800 for somebody to R&R a trans. You can buy a trans jack from Harbor Freight for a couple of hundred and turn around and sell it on Craigslist for $50 bucks off when you get done with it.

When I did my swap, I put the pedals in as I had time. You could do the same thing with everything but the trans as time permitted and still drive the car. It probablly took me a month to do my swap working on and off on the car in my free time.
 
D

daddy oth

New Member
Mar 12, 2007
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Mar 1, 2008
#7
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #7
i like the usage of stock cable from steve's and it less exspensive than mordern's and ron perf.

converting clutch pedal roller bearing? how difficult is it? any special tool needed?

thank you,

daddy oth
 

mustbereel

Member
May 6, 2005
318
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17
Escondido, CA
Mar 1, 2008
#8
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #8
I've done 3 conversions all with the Mustangsteve kit.
 

valley82

Member
May 16, 2005
204
2
19
San Diega, Ca.
Mar 1, 2008
#9
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #9
Yup, 1 day, by myself, already had the c-4 out for paint but the t-5, pedals and JMC hydraulic clutch went in in about 10 hours. That doesn't include the driveshaft.
I don't have a lift so the car was on jackstands and I bought a trannyjack.

It may take a week if they send the driveline out to be shortened but if they can't do the swap in 2 days or LESS worth of labor I would definitely look for another shop. JMO
 

68stang351

Founding Member
May 16, 2002
850
9
39
Savoy TX
Mar 1, 2008
#10
  • Mar 1, 2008
  • #10
I can't recommend one over the other two, because I've never used two of them, but I have the Ron Morris cable kit, and it's been problem free for about 5 years now. It's a great kit, no drilling or cutting of anything. I would recommend it. Actually for that matter, I plan on buying another Ron Morris cable kit when we build my wife's 68.
 
R

ravv 67

New Member
Jun 4, 2007
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Mar 2, 2008
#11
  • Mar 2, 2008
  • #11
That's what I thought. Some of the shops I was calling charged $90/hour. If this is at most a 2 day job that comes out to roughly $1500 and not $2500.
Moderndriveline mentioned that Mustangs and Fords was going to install their kit on a 67 Mustang on their June issue. This is around the time I plan to do the conversion. I should probably take this issue to the shops when asking for an estimate. I'd like to just find other shops, but their aren't that many around that work on vintage cars in my area.
Does anyone know any good shops in the Los Angeles area? Specifically in the San Gabriel area if your famialr with that area?
Also thanks for all the responses. They'll end up saving me alot of $.
 
V

vc351w

New Member
Dec 24, 2005
19
0
0
SoCal
Mar 3, 2008
#12
  • Mar 3, 2008
  • #12
ravv 67 said:
their aren't that many around that work on vintage cars in my area.
Does anyone know any good shops in the Los Angeles area? Specifically in the San Gabriel area if your famialr with that area?
Also thanks for all the responses. They'll end up saving me alot of $.
Click to expand...

There are shops in Orange County, Superior Automotive has been recommended to me for work on my 1970. I believe Danny Bahn of DB Performance Engineering in Rosemead does work on classics, he's in Rosemead CA. His Phone # is (626) 571-7126 or email at dbpe@prodigy.net. IIRC, Danny was a pioneer in getting EFI into Classic Stangs. He makes a clutch cable kit as well... http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techarticles/mump_0608_ford_transmission_swap/photo_11.html

Personally I would do the job myself, it really is not that big of a deal. All you need is some time and a few tools. Whatever tools you don't have you can borrow/rent. If you don't have a garage, borrow a friends for a weekend.

I believe the money spent on having somebody else do the job would be better spent on tools for you, or beer.
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
3,749
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Mar 3, 2008
#13
  • Mar 3, 2008
  • #13
vc351w said:
There are shops in Orange County, Superior Automotive has been recommended to me for work on my 1970. I believe Danny Bahn of DB Performance Engineering in Rosemead does work on classics, he's in Rosemead CA. His Phone # is (626) 571-7126 or email at dbpe@prodigy.net. IIRC, Danny was a pioneer in getting EFI into Classic Stangs. He makes a clutch cable kit as well... http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techarticles/mump_0608_ford_transmission_swap/photo_11.html

Personally I would do the job myself, it really is not that big of a deal. All you need is some time and a few tools. Whatever tools you don't have you can borrow/rent. If you don't have a garage, borrow a friends for a weekend.

I believe the money spent on having somebody else do the job would be better spent on tools for you, or beer.
Click to expand...

Normally I'd agree with you and this is a very DIY heavy forum. The thing is, it sounds like the OP doesn't really have any mechanical skills yet. I don't think a trans swap is a good place to start learning.
 
6

68EFIvert

Member
Jan 13, 2007
639
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17
Camas, Washington
Mar 3, 2008
#14
  • Mar 3, 2008
  • #14
Heck you don't even need a trans jack to do this swap. I put my car up on jack stands and muscled it in place. I was sore for a few days where the tranny would slip out and land on my chest. By the end there was no way I was going to use a jack, it became personal and the car wasn't coing to win.
 
V

vc351w

New Member
Dec 24, 2005
19
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0
SoCal
Mar 3, 2008
#15
  • Mar 3, 2008
  • #15
68EFIvert said:
Heck you don't even need a trans jack to do this swap. I put my car up on jack stands and muscled it in place. I was sore for a few days where the tranny would slip out and land on my chest. By the end there was no way I was going to use a jack, it became personal and the car wasn't coing to win.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I did with the T-5 in my '95!

I must have misread where the OP mentioned his "newbie-ness" , my bad. Although, we were all newbies at some point.
Got to get in there and start trying to do things, I think its a big part of the fun in this hobby. Good luck with those shops! I hope it works out for you.
 
6

67rcks

Member
Feb 20, 2008
373
0
17
Mar 4, 2008
#16
  • Mar 4, 2008
  • #16
Can someone advise how far the cable has to move (with clutch pressed and released) to make the clutch working properly on t5?
 
6

68EFIvert

Member
Jan 13, 2007
639
0
17
Camas, Washington
Mar 4, 2008
#17
  • Mar 4, 2008
  • #17
vc351w said:
That's exactly what I did with the T-5 in my '95!

I must have misread where the OP mentioned his "newbie-ness" , my bad. Although, we were all newbies at some point.
Got to get in there and start trying to do things, I think its a big part of the fun in this hobby. Good luck with those shops! I hope it works out for you.
Click to expand...

My first improvement, and first real experience modding a car was to remove the 6 cyl 3 spd engine and drop in a fuel injected 5 speed drivetrain. With time and research it is amazing what you can do. What is really interesting is I did those mods before I learned about forums.
 

Rusty67

20+ Year Stangneter
Dec 3, 2002
3,749
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109
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Mar 4, 2008
#18
  • Mar 4, 2008
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I believe the travel needs to be about 1 1/4".
 
D

daddy oth

New Member
Mar 12, 2007
46
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0
Mar 20, 2008
#19
  • Mar 20, 2008
  • #19
after installing mustangsteve cable kit on '66 coupe 5.0 i ran into some problem, the cable rest on the first tube (left side) on the header and the other one is the won't fit into bell housing due to header tube in it's way. does anyone uses this kit and run into simular problem? how do you fix them?

oh, header is hedman


thank you,
daddy oth
 

Decurion

Member
Sep 28, 2006
353
0
16
Livonia, MI
Mar 21, 2008
#20
  • Mar 21, 2008
  • #20
daddy oth said:
after installing mustangsteve cable kit on '66 coupe 5.0 i ran into some problem, the cable rest on the first tube (left side) on the header and the other one is the won't fit into bell housing due to header tube in it's way. does anyone uses this kit and run into simular problem? how do you fix them?

oh, header is hedman


thank you,
daddy oth
Click to expand...

I have the same problem. The only real solution is new headers. I used shorty headers for a Maverick made by Thorley. They werent cheap at nearly $600, but theyre bomb proof. Ive never seen a better quality set of headers. Since you have a Mustang and not a falcon like me, you have many more options, but if you toast your cable like me with the MD kit, its gonna cost you $140 for a new cable. Which is why I think maybe next time Ill go with a different conversion kit for my other car. Either that or just not burn the cable to begin with!
 
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