Is there any way to convert the Pinto for use with the clutch cable from an early Mustang II? The clutch cables from the early MIIs used an eyelet on one end and a ball at the other. I believe the eyelet goes to the pedal (it should at least, I don't see how it would connect to the clutch fork).
I am getting fed up with the poor design of the Pioneer/Motormite cables for the Pinto as I keep having the retainer tabs break and the cable gets pulled through the firewall! Not the entire retainer, just the little tabs that act as a cable sheath stop on the inside of the car.
I had a D5 bell and fork from a Stang II and the fork was set up for a ball type end.
I did not know that the MII and the Pinto had different cables, but I am sure it COULD be made to work. Can you post a photo of the MII one?
I have never used a 'new' cable; maybe you should get a good used one?
Bill
Yes, you can do that, we have talked about this before in another thread. You would have to modify the pedal to accept the "eyelet" type cable end, and install the adjuster tube off of the firewall from a Mustang II. I have seen others do this before, so that they can adjust it up top instead of underneath, so it may not be a bad idea, especially with a new clutch, and new cable, as it will need adjusted before too long.
I would rather adjust it under the car than under the dash (if you need to get under the dash to do it).
Here are photos:
M II:
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=BK&PartNumber=6151004&Description=Clutch+Cable
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=BK&PartNumber=6151005&Description=Clutch+Cable
Pinto:
http://www.napaonline.com/MasterPages/NOLMaster.aspx?PageId=470&LineCode=BK&PartNumber=6151002&Description=Clutch+Cable
I would still try to get a good used Pinto cable if it is the re-pops that have the problem, or I would see if I could modifiy the new one or at least renforce it with a metal washer or something. I have never installed a new one and I have never had any problems with good used ones.
Bill
I am not 100% sure on this, but IIRC, you adjust it on the firewall in the engine bay. However, I could be wrong on that, as I am not exactly bestowed with an elephants memory! :lol:
You may want to check on this to be sure first.
But yes, Bill has a point. It would be much easier to get a stock Pinto cable than to modify it for the MII cable. Just out of curiosity, where are you purchasing your cables that keep breaking? I got mine from autozone, and have not had much trouble with it. However, I also have not put that many miles on it since I put it in.
Both cables I have purchased have been from NAPA. They are the Pioneer brand ones. I was thinking of trying the Beck/Arnley one that Parts America offers, but then I found the MII cable that I pulled from a mustang a few months ago and got to thinking. It would be much easier to adjust the cable at the firewall than the bellhousing.
Would it be mandatory that I change the bell housing as well?
Not sure on that, haven't looked at one recently, but I THINK they are the same. Not positive, but that seems to stick in my mind. However, after my previous comment no the Autozone cable, I just so happened to have the hood open on the Bobscat last night, and noticed that sure enough, it is beginning to pull through! :wow:
So, if I do not get to it before I head out to Montana to job hunt, I will get to it when I get back. (HAVE to have it ready for the Ohio meet!! ;) ) I am going to see if there is any way to modify it to keep it from doing this over again, and I will post it in my build thread if I find anything out.
Speaking of build thread, I need to go start that.
Well today was my day off and I went ahead with the Mustang II cable conversion.
My first stop was out to the oldest salvage yard here in southern Idaho (B&T Auto Salvage). I hunted around for about 45 minutes before I found the Mustang IIs. I was able to pull the adjuster tube off the firewall of one in about 30 minutes due to the way they have their cars stacked (about a foot of room to open the driver's door and another car on top of it). I paid $25 for this part, but I figured it's still better than buying another $50 pinto cable that will repeatedly pull through the fire wall. The adjuster tube is made of steel and bolts onto the firewall from the outside.
Next stop was the most organized and most affordable salvage yard in southern Idaho (Jalopy Jungle). I used my season pass to get in and take a look at the Mustang II 4spd tranny bell from the same car I pull the clutch cable from a few months ago. Unfortunately it won't work as the bell is mounted to the gearbox from the outside instead of the inside. It saved me $35 which I was planning to buy the bell for, but it gave me some worries about whether or not I would be able to do this conversion.
Finally, I went down to Clutch World down town and took a look at the cable I had them ship in from another store for me. I was originally going to buy this for $55, however it was missing the spring on the cable end that is attached to the clutch fork. I wasn't sure if it'd work or not and told him I would try using the cable I got from the salvage yard and see how it went, then let him know if I'd need the one he shipped in for me.
So far I've stopped myself from spending $90 on this conversion.
I then went to get a bite to eat for lunch and headed to my parents to use my dad's garage.
The whole process was actually pretty simple, more than I thought, but quite time consuming.
I cut out the Pinto clutch cable's firewall retainer using a Dremel from the inside, and then widened the hole out to a hair over 1" so the Mustang II adjuster tube would fit, as about 1/4" of it slides into the firewall. I used a 90 degree angle die grinder with granite grinding attachments. This took a lot of time as I did not want to mess up my firewall and make the hole to big, so I took my time and lots of it (an hour and a half).
Next up, I pounded out the spot welded bolts on the adjuster tube so I could use the existing holes to line up marking points on the Pinto's firewall to drill. After doing that I trimmed around the adjuster tube's mounting surface so it would fit around the folded metal on the Pinto's firewall and bolt in straight.
After getting the adjuster tube mounted, I went inside the car and fiddle with a way to secure the eyelet of the Mustang's cable to the eyelet on the Pinto's pedal. As a temporary way of securing everything, I used a 3/8" diameter shoulder bolt and cut off the threaded part of it's shaft. Then I used a drill press to drill a 1/8" hole close the the end (closest to where the threads used to be) of the shoulder. Following up, I put this small shaft through the eyelet of the Pinto's pedal and the eyelet on the Mustang II cable, using a 3/8" wide 1" long stainless steel cotter pin to hole both together.
Underneath the car, I secured the cable to the bell housing along the threaded shaft just as I would the Pinto stock cable, but I used the steel securing nut from the Pinto's cable to ensure that the cable would stay in place and not move.
After all of this it was just about adjusting the cable up at the firewall next to the master brake cylinder with enough tension to pull the pedal up and hold the clutch fork back without to much play. From now on, any future adjustments will be made the same way.
I now no longer have to worry about the cable being drug through the firewall, and it's easier to adjust the clutch in the future. The only thing left to do is come up with some way of securing the pedal to the clutch cable a little better so there is no play in the joint of the two. I'm considering dropping the Pinto pedal again, removing the plastic bushing from it's eyelet and welding a small shaft into it's place. Then I can shorten the shaft by about 1/4" (maybe use the stock Pinto pin), and just use a hairpin clip or something to secure the cable to the pedal, thus eliminating the play caused by the existing shaft rocking forwards when stepping on the pedal.
Thus far, it has been a successful and money saving modification! I will try to get some pictures tomorrow after work.
If you need a Pinto bell I know where I can get one. Maybe do some sort of trade for that MII one?
As far as the attachment of the MII cable: With both the cable and the pedal have "eyes", what I would do is add a second 'eye' to the pedal arm; just a flat tab bolted to the arm and spaced about the same distance from the arm as the width of the cable eye (with washers). Then a pin or a bolt like you have now, but it will be supported on both sides to keep it stable.
Bill
I got some pictures of the MII adjuster tube on the firewall today. Here you are!
The cable is much more ridged and runs a lot farther along the firewall than the original cable does, but it is a lot less work to adjust and far more durable of a cable setup where it meets at the firewall.
There is a hold down bracket for the cable (mounted on the cable) that is supposed to screw into the inside driver's fender in the engine compartment but due to the brake "intersection" thing that sits on the fender, there is nowhere to bolt it down. This has no effect upon it's operation though.
I hope this helps for others who may be converting over in the future.