Discussion
I have an AP purchased new off a chap who was going to fit it in a race car but opted for one of those twin plate jobbies.
It's not the AP which Power sells or did sell .
It's been in for years and as took abuse .
After sitting in a stop start traffic jam my leg gave up and had to pull in .
It needs to be lighter but not to light,I want to beable to feel the biting point .
Good steering ,good handling and a lighter clutch would be the icing on the cake .
It would feel like a modern car .
It's not the AP which Power sells or did sell .
It's been in for years and as took abuse .
After sitting in a stop start traffic jam my leg gave up and had to pull in .
It needs to be lighter but not to light,I want to beable to feel the biting point .
Good steering ,good handling and a lighter clutch would be the icing on the cake .
It would feel like a modern car .
Regarding the clutch modification that you enquired about Daz. I fitted this to my car because the twin plate clutch was extremely heavy and was doing my foot in!
After speaking to McLeod, they insisted that the clutch should be light so long story short they replaced parts and now it is about the same as a standard 5 L clutch.
I removed the clutch modification which is the servo assist and everything is fine.
The point is for your information, a servo assisted clutch is not exactly the same as a lighter clutch.
It certainly does the job and the clutch is much lighter and a joy to use as far as the weight is concerned but there is a certain lack of feel as you can get a slight difference in height of the pedal due to the amount of vacuum in the servo or that is how it feels when you drive it. It just takes a little getting used to but does work.
Personally I would fit a standard 5 L clutch like the one my son fitted to Aluns car. It's not as if you are caning it flat out everywhere all the time and that clutch is as light as my daughters Micra! A joy to use.
After speaking to McLeod, they insisted that the clutch should be light so long story short they replaced parts and now it is about the same as a standard 5 L clutch.
I removed the clutch modification which is the servo assist and everything is fine.
The point is for your information, a servo assisted clutch is not exactly the same as a lighter clutch.
It certainly does the job and the clutch is much lighter and a joy to use as far as the weight is concerned but there is a certain lack of feel as you can get a slight difference in height of the pedal due to the amount of vacuum in the servo or that is how it feels when you drive it. It just takes a little getting used to but does work.
Personally I would fit a standard 5 L clutch like the one my son fitted to Aluns car. It's not as if you are caning it flat out everywhere all the time and that clutch is as light as my daughters Micra! A joy to use.
I believe the TVR Parts 5 litre clutch kit that we fitted to Alun's car a year or two ago is no longer available, but that was a thing of beauty, so it must be worth a call to TVR Parts. By the way, if you are a member of the Tufty Club, you will get a 7.5% discount, which will just about pay your annual membership. That clutch kit, before discount, was about £350.
I am using an experimental Racetech clutch - I was the crash test dummy for that clutch, and it is fine. But not a lot different to Alun's, I would guess.
Peter's set up I would guess cost about twice as much, but he will put us straight on that i am sure.
As you note, I have the clutch servo as fitted by John Halstead.
Mat Smith would happily do the same job for you, he knows how it goes and works, and he is a lot nearer than John.
He not only knows how to do it, he has my car sitting in his workshop in case he needs any reminders of exact sizes of pipes ect.
Get him to incorporate a vacuum reservoir, like many modern cars have, so that it works from the moment you start the car - that's the only thing I wish mine had.
Come on Daz, get it done now, before you want to do your few TVR miles this year - it will make them a lot nicer and might encourage you to enjoy the car more.
I am using an experimental Racetech clutch - I was the crash test dummy for that clutch, and it is fine. But not a lot different to Alun's, I would guess.
Peter's set up I would guess cost about twice as much, but he will put us straight on that i am sure.
As you note, I have the clutch servo as fitted by John Halstead.
Mat Smith would happily do the same job for you, he knows how it goes and works, and he is a lot nearer than John.
He not only knows how to do it, he has my car sitting in his workshop in case he needs any reminders of exact sizes of pipes ect.
Get him to incorporate a vacuum reservoir, like many modern cars have, so that it works from the moment you start the car - that's the only thing I wish mine had.
Come on Daz, get it done now, before you want to do your few TVR miles this year - it will make them a lot nicer and might encourage you to enjoy the car more.
QBee said:
I believe the TVR Parts 5 litre clutch kit that we fitted to Alun's car a year or two ago is no longer available, but that was a thing of beauty, so it must be worth a call to TVR Parts. By the way, if you are a member of the Tufty Club, you will get a 7.5% discount, which will just about pay your annual membership. That clutch kit, before discount, was about £350.
I am using an experimental Racetech clutch - I was the crash test dummy for that clutch, and it is fine. But not a lot different to Alun's, I would guess.
Peter's set up I would guess cost about twice as much, but he will put us straight on that i am sure.
As you note, I have the clutch servo as fitted by John Halstead.
Mat Smith would happily do the same job for you, he knows how it goes and works, and he is a lot nearer than John.
He not only knows how to do it, he has my car sitting in his workshop in case he needs any reminders of exact sizes of pipes ect.
Get him to incorporate a vacuum reservoir, like many modern cars have, so that it works from the moment you start the car - that's the only thing I wish mine had.
Come on Daz, get it done now, before you want to do your few TVR miles this year - it will make them a lot nicer and might encourage you to enjoy the car more.
Does your clutch feel strange with the amount of vacume and does the reservoir cure the problem ?I am using an experimental Racetech clutch - I was the crash test dummy for that clutch, and it is fine. But not a lot different to Alun's, I would guess.
Peter's set up I would guess cost about twice as much, but he will put us straight on that i am sure.
As you note, I have the clutch servo as fitted by John Halstead.
Mat Smith would happily do the same job for you, he knows how it goes and works, and he is a lot nearer than John.
He not only knows how to do it, he has my car sitting in his workshop in case he needs any reminders of exact sizes of pipes ect.
Get him to incorporate a vacuum reservoir, like many modern cars have, so that it works from the moment you start the car - that's the only thing I wish mine had.
Come on Daz, get it done now, before you want to do your few TVR miles this year - it will make them a lot nicer and might encourage you to enjoy the car more.
Edited by SILICONEKID 357HP on Sunday 9th February 21:59
A search around here may be useful:
https://triumphroverspares.com.au/product/rover-v8...
I have a Mantic 9000 twin plate for a chevy engine and it's very high quality. Better then my McLeod twin plate from years ago. OP may find a suitable single plate option.
https://triumphroverspares.com.au/product/rover-v8...
I have a Mantic 9000 twin plate for a chevy engine and it's very high quality. Better then my McLeod twin plate from years ago. OP may find a suitable single plate option.
My friend has one in his chevrolet ls engine. It's a twin plate 1000 hp jobbie. He sent me a video of him pressing the pedal with his forefinger.
I hate heavy clutches so wanted increased friction area but with a light pedal. The spring poundage in the pressure plate is what creates the clamp that you have to overcome when you press down. You could explore higher friction materials or more plates but they need to be road friendly materials, preferably organic. This way you may be able to use a pressure plate with less clamping pressure.
Send them an email and see what they can do?
I hate heavy clutches so wanted increased friction area but with a light pedal. The spring poundage in the pressure plate is what creates the clamp that you have to overcome when you press down. You could explore higher friction materials or more plates but they need to be road friendly materials, preferably organic. This way you may be able to use a pressure plate with less clamping pressure.
Send them an email and see what they can do?
For balance, I fitted a McLeod twin plate and it was a delight to use from day one, as light as my little Astravan. 
I did a LOT of measuring for the release bearing carrier to be machined to suit as I'd also fitted a TKO600 Gearbox too and was able to use the existing external slave cylinder and clutch fork.
Daz, for what you want you will have to spend money, I know that doesn't sit well but you will. You wont need a twin plate but you will have to get a decent friction/pressure plate set up.
can you send some clippings from the money tree you have
I did a LOT of measuring for the release bearing carrier to be machined to suit as I'd also fitted a TKO600 Gearbox too and was able to use the existing external slave cylinder and clutch fork. Daz, for what you want you will have to spend money, I know that doesn't sit well but you will. You wont need a twin plate but you will have to get a decent friction/pressure plate set up.
can you send some clippings from the money tree you have
I never drove Mac's car but I did sit in the driver's seat and worked the clutch (car stationery, engine off) and it did indeed feel lovely, just a couple of presses and I could instantly tell it was the best clutch I'd felt in any TVR.
I've actually had three clutches so far... don't ask
1. The TVR original - Lasted 35k and just 5k in my ownership, TBH it never felt right from the day I bought the car at 30k
2. A Helix from V8 Developments - Heavy and never felt right either
3. Lloyd Specialist Developments - Felt like the TVR original and only lasted 12k, no I didn't abuse it!
4. AP 5.0 litre spec - Lovely, best of the lot by a country mile
The AP clutch was fitted by Mat Smith who found a clearance issue which was almost certainly a mistake made by TVR in 1996 when they built the car, the problem had followed the car throughout it's life. Mat confirmed he's found the same issue many times on Chimaeras, he solves the issue by machining down the bearing carrier to achieve the correct clearance which he did on my car and it's been an absolute delight ever since.
All the clutches in 4.0 litre Chimaers have felt the same to me, they all have a slightly odd overcentre feeling where the cluctch return force seems to get heavier right on the bite point which is exactly what you don't want for smooth clutch modulation. The original TVR clutch in my mate's low mileage 5.0 litre always felt so much better than the first three I had, so knowing it was an AP that's what I went with and now its as light and smooth as his.
Mac's McLeod still remains the benchmark for me though, it was even lighter than my AP and and had absolutely perfect linear take up, your other option is the fancy new twin plate Dom from Powers was promoting on Facebook a few weeks ago which did look tasty. But before you pull the trigger on a Powers or McLeod the people to speak to are TTV Racing, they're known for flywheels but they make some serious clutches too, the one I saw a couple of years ago on their stand at the NEC was a thing of beauty, perhaps TTV Racing are behind the new Powers clutch
As Mac says, whatever option you go for you're going to need to put you're hand in your pocket Daz which I know will hurt you
, unfortunately when it comes to clutches cheap and good are never used in the same sentence, just be thankful you didn't go through all the trouble I did before I found a quality solution from AP and Mat Smith.
I've actually had three clutches so far... don't ask
1. The TVR original - Lasted 35k and just 5k in my ownership, TBH it never felt right from the day I bought the car at 30k
2. A Helix from V8 Developments - Heavy and never felt right either
3. Lloyd Specialist Developments - Felt like the TVR original and only lasted 12k, no I didn't abuse it!
4. AP 5.0 litre spec - Lovely, best of the lot by a country mile
The AP clutch was fitted by Mat Smith who found a clearance issue which was almost certainly a mistake made by TVR in 1996 when they built the car, the problem had followed the car throughout it's life. Mat confirmed he's found the same issue many times on Chimaeras, he solves the issue by machining down the bearing carrier to achieve the correct clearance which he did on my car and it's been an absolute delight ever since.
All the clutches in 4.0 litre Chimaers have felt the same to me, they all have a slightly odd overcentre feeling where the cluctch return force seems to get heavier right on the bite point which is exactly what you don't want for smooth clutch modulation. The original TVR clutch in my mate's low mileage 5.0 litre always felt so much better than the first three I had, so knowing it was an AP that's what I went with and now its as light and smooth as his.
Mac's McLeod still remains the benchmark for me though, it was even lighter than my AP and and had absolutely perfect linear take up, your other option is the fancy new twin plate Dom from Powers was promoting on Facebook a few weeks ago which did look tasty. But before you pull the trigger on a Powers or McLeod the people to speak to are TTV Racing, they're known for flywheels but they make some serious clutches too, the one I saw a couple of years ago on their stand at the NEC was a thing of beauty, perhaps TTV Racing are behind the new Powers clutch
As Mac says, whatever option you go for you're going to need to put you're hand in your pocket Daz which I know will hurt you
, unfortunately when it comes to clutches cheap and good are never used in the same sentence, just be thankful you didn't go through all the trouble I did before I found a quality solution from AP and Mat Smith.Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff