Alpineracer8
Donation Time
Hey, guys:
Here I go again...working on my Series I vintage racer. I hate it when I do that!!!!
I've run into yet another situation where it appears that parts from different Series of Alpines have been combined to make one car run...my car. If any of you remember, I was having clutch/transmission/shifting issues. We pulled it all down and have discovered some mildly weak parts in the transmission that we intend to replace. I think we've about got the transmission problem licked.
Today, we pulled the clutch out to have a look. To make a long story short, we're evidently running a Series II/III 9-spring pressure plate with an 8 1/2" disc. The problem is that the release bearing fork (called a "clutch withdrawal lever" in the Rootes factory parts manual) appears to be too tall; i.e., it has been contacting the pressure plate. So much so, in fact, that not only is the pressure plate marked up by the contact, but it has worn a groove in both the fork and the aluminum stand that the fork pins to on the bell housing. After looking at the factory parts manual, it is obvious that there were several different designs for this arm. The first three designs, however, were superceded by one design that was in production up to the B941 cars (Series I through early Series IV), with the next design being used in the B941 cars and up (late Series IV and Series V). The problem is that the pressure plates for the earlier cars up to but not including the late Series IVs are taller than their late Series IV and Series V counterparts. So, it would obviously follow that the earlier cars used a shorter release bearing fork, while the later cars used a taller release bearing fork (the reason, of course, is the issue with clearance for the pressure plate and the relative distance from the release bearing to the pressure plate). I evidently have an incorrect matchup of parts; I have the taller Series II/III 9-spring pressure plate AND the tall (later) release bearing fork. Hence, the clearance issue.
Now that I just wrote a book, does anyone out there have an early fork and fork mounting bracket that they could part with to help me out? I really want to run the earlier clutch as it is supposedly stronger, not to mention bigger, than the later unit. But, that is going to require me to find the correct release bearing fork and bracket. Is there anyone out there who can help me with this?
As a bit of assistance, if anyone out there has the Rootes factory parts manual for the Series I-IV, the parts I'm talking about show up on Plates A & B of Section F, with the plate reference numbers for the fork being A55, B56, B57 & B58. The mounting brackets for the forks are listed with the plate reference numbers of A61, B62 & B63.
If anyone out there can help me out, please contact me asap. Maybe we can compare notes and take a few measurements to make sure it is what I need. Thanks very much for the any help!!!!
Here I go again...working on my Series I vintage racer. I hate it when I do that!!!!
I've run into yet another situation where it appears that parts from different Series of Alpines have been combined to make one car run...my car. If any of you remember, I was having clutch/transmission/shifting issues. We pulled it all down and have discovered some mildly weak parts in the transmission that we intend to replace. I think we've about got the transmission problem licked.
Today, we pulled the clutch out to have a look. To make a long story short, we're evidently running a Series II/III 9-spring pressure plate with an 8 1/2" disc. The problem is that the release bearing fork (called a "clutch withdrawal lever" in the Rootes factory parts manual) appears to be too tall; i.e., it has been contacting the pressure plate. So much so, in fact, that not only is the pressure plate marked up by the contact, but it has worn a groove in both the fork and the aluminum stand that the fork pins to on the bell housing. After looking at the factory parts manual, it is obvious that there were several different designs for this arm. The first three designs, however, were superceded by one design that was in production up to the B941 cars (Series I through early Series IV), with the next design being used in the B941 cars and up (late Series IV and Series V). The problem is that the pressure plates for the earlier cars up to but not including the late Series IVs are taller than their late Series IV and Series V counterparts. So, it would obviously follow that the earlier cars used a shorter release bearing fork, while the later cars used a taller release bearing fork (the reason, of course, is the issue with clearance for the pressure plate and the relative distance from the release bearing to the pressure plate). I evidently have an incorrect matchup of parts; I have the taller Series II/III 9-spring pressure plate AND the tall (later) release bearing fork. Hence, the clearance issue.
Now that I just wrote a book, does anyone out there have an early fork and fork mounting bracket that they could part with to help me out? I really want to run the earlier clutch as it is supposedly stronger, not to mention bigger, than the later unit. But, that is going to require me to find the correct release bearing fork and bracket. Is there anyone out there who can help me with this?
As a bit of assistance, if anyone out there has the Rootes factory parts manual for the Series I-IV, the parts I'm talking about show up on Plates A & B of Section F, with the plate reference numbers for the fork being A55, B56, B57 & B58. The mounting brackets for the forks are listed with the plate reference numbers of A61, B62 & B63.
If anyone out there can help me out, please contact me asap. Maybe we can compare notes and take a few measurements to make sure it is what I need. Thanks very much for the any help!!!!