After months of trying and several purchases that were cancelled, I now find myself with two Mustang II clutch kits. That isn't a problem given the apparent difficulty in finding them; having a spare on hand seems like a good idea. However, I'm trying to figure out if one is likely to be better than the other.
The first came from NAPA. They'd tried several times to find me one, then this one just popped on their screen from Wisconsin. Based on the condition of the box, I'd say it has been bought and returned several times. It looks fine and fits the flywheel perfectly. By "perfectly" I mean the holes in the pressure plate line up and there are no extra holes. The pressure plate says what looks like "VelLoc Gold" on it, but there are some marketing materials inside the box from Perfection Clutch. I paid about $210 for the complete kit.
I found the second one on eBay. It also fits, although there are some extra holes on the pressure plate, meaning it might also fit other cars. The pressure plate says "Valeo" and it was advertised as being a Stage 1 kit. The only other obvious difference I can see is that the eBay throw-out bearing is all steel, while the NAPA one has a plastic housing. This one only cost me $145 delivered.
Both kits are complete, meaning they also have alignment tools and pilot bushings. Are there any obvious signs that one is better made than the other? If I can get a second one from the eBay seller, should I return the NAPA one and pocket the $65? I am sure I can find a way to re-invest that in the car!
Thanks,
Jim
The first came from NAPA. They'd tried several times to find me one, then this one just popped on their screen from Wisconsin. Based on the condition of the box, I'd say it has been bought and returned several times. It looks fine and fits the flywheel perfectly. By "perfectly" I mean the holes in the pressure plate line up and there are no extra holes. The pressure plate says what looks like "VelLoc Gold" on it, but there are some marketing materials inside the box from Perfection Clutch. I paid about $210 for the complete kit.
I found the second one on eBay. It also fits, although there are some extra holes on the pressure plate, meaning it might also fit other cars. The pressure plate says "Valeo" and it was advertised as being a Stage 1 kit. The only other obvious difference I can see is that the eBay throw-out bearing is all steel, while the NAPA one has a plastic housing. This one only cost me $145 delivered.
Both kits are complete, meaning they also have alignment tools and pilot bushings. Are there any obvious signs that one is better made than the other? If I can get a second one from the eBay seller, should I return the NAPA one and pocket the $65? I am sure I can find a way to re-invest that in the car!
Thanks,
Jim