Superformance MKII, Riverside Racer 289 FIA vintage race car

[1795]

Originally Posted by xb-60

Jim, your flywheel and clutch requirements would be way different to mine, however I'm about to spec a flywheel, clutch and HTOB, so I'm interested in what you will be using. Your gearbox is a Toploader and so is mine so there's commonality there. So too with the Quicktime scattershield, but the only other 'hardpoint' is that I will probably need to use an HTOB because of tunnel size limitations.

Cheers!
Glen

Glen,

I decided on a Quarter Master street stock clutch, as they are good to 500 HP and I am at 424 HP. I really have no need to go to clutch rated for 1000 HP. It is a 10.4" steel flywheel, I chose that one over the aluminum as it was only 1 lb heavier than the aluminum and I felt like it would last longer and the weight difference was minimal. I also am using a HTOB, as there is very little room for a clutch arm and it would have required a lot of engineering to make one that would fit right, which means a lot of in and out with the engine and transmission. The Quarter Master one for you would be the 721 series.

The Top Loader is a limiting factor for clutches. Very few manufactures make a clutch for the Top Loader 1 1/16" input shaft with 10 spines. Most are for modern transmissions with twice as many splines. I could only find clutches from Quarter Master and Mc Leod that would fit a Top Loader. Tilton no longer makes a clutch that fits a 10 spline input shaft.

Let me now what you decide, or if you are able to find someone else who makes a clutch that would fit a Top Loader.

Cheers,
Jim

[blykins]

Nodular iron flywheels and pressure plates are a big no-no. They will stress crack very easily. Billet steel or aluminum is a racing standard.

All kinds of manufacturers make a clutch for Toploaders, they are easily found......McLeod and RAM have the two largest selections.

[1795]

Originally Posted by blykins

Nodular iron flywheels and pressure plates are a big no-no. They will stress crack very easily. Billet steel or aluminum is a racing standard.

All kinds of manufacturers make a clutch for Toploaders, they are easily found......McLeod and RAM have the two largest selections.

Brent,


My mistake, I just checked again with my order and the flywheel is steel. I was going to change it if possible to aluminum, as it is getting shipped today. I also still have the aluminum flywheel on the engine just n case. Thanks for all of your help.

Jim

[xb-60]

Jim,

Thanks for the clutch advice. I'll let you know what I end up with.

Cheers,
Glen

[blykins]

Make sure no organic discs at that horsepower level.

[1795]

Brent,

Thanks. I purchased the heavy duty disc, not the organic. Should be here tomorrow.

Jim

[1795]

Greetings,

Well, my Quarter Master clutch, HTOB and steel flywheel arrived yesterday, along with a new Lifeline fire system. The clutch, flywheel and pressure plate arrived all bolted together and since the engine is going out for a refresh and it was freezing in the garage, I decided to use leave it altogether for now.


They looked nice nd the HTOB has a nice feature in that there is a locking stud that prevents the HTOB from spinning on the shaft during install. My McLeod does not have that capacity and the HOB's do spin a little when you are trying to line up the input shaft with the bushing and bolting the transmission to the bell housing. Always wondered if my depth was correct after the transmission was installed and there was no wy to get a micrometer in there.

I did test fit the assembly on the input shaft to make sure that the correct disc was in the package and it slid on nice and tight (but not too tight).


Jim

[MAStuart]

Jim It looks like the flywheel in O balance. So that makes me wonder what you have for a crank in the engine? So I assume you have a 289 stroke steel forged internally balanced crank in your engine. What brand of crank are you using? Who did your motor?

[1795]

The engine was most recently built by Fitzgerald Brothers in CT, they did the conversion to Webers. The crank is an original that was magna fluxed and machined so that the internals were balanced.

I was going to use Brent for this rebuild, but you scoundrels have so tied up his time that he would not be able to get to it in time for next season's race schedule. I have found a local engine builder who I will be working with, he has built race engines and after having numerous discussions with him I think that it will work.

At the time of the original build I was going to go with a forged steel crank, but at that time they were out of production. The current build just told me that he has found someone that is making forged steel cranks for a 289, not cheap, but given that I am not spending $1,000 to ship the engine that does free up some cash. He was going to take a look at the existing crank to see how it looked before deciding on whether to order one, but I am starting to lean towards getting a new crank irrespective of how good the old one works just because of increased longevity.

Jim