Spec of standard GTO-3 Clutch ???????????????????
Spec of standard GTO-3 Clutch ???????????????????
Author
Discussion

leadboot

Original Poster:

51 posts

278 months

Friday 7th March 2008
quotequote all
Does anyone know the exact specification of the standard GTO-3 clutch and where one could be sourced?

Are Noble trying to deliberately alienate current owners by being unable to supply basic but critical items?

alex s

2,105 posts

265 months

Friday 7th March 2008
quotequote all
leadboot said:
Does anyone know the exact specification of the standard GTO-3 clutch and where one could be sourced?

Are Noble trying to deliberately alienate current owners by being unable to supply basic but critical items?
Have you tried calling AP?? They supply the standard clutch, if they wont sell to you I suggest you call a dealer and ask them to order one...

peterguk V6 KWK

2,622 posts

246 months

Friday 7th March 2008
quotequote all
As alex says... You might find the likes of Plans or Kerridges have one on the shelf...

GTO400

1,877 posts

280 months

Friday 7th March 2008
quotequote all
Noble Motorsport will get you one.

NobleGuy

7,133 posts

244 months

Saturday 8th March 2008
quotequote all
Shouldn't have to.
Bet you pay a bloody premium for it.

Adrian W

15,493 posts

257 months

Saturday 8th March 2008
quotequote all
Helix do a proven uprated clutch, and in a standard car proberbly unbreakable!

alex s

2,105 posts

265 months

Saturday 8th March 2008
quotequote all
Adrian W said:
Helix do a proven uprated clutch, and in a standard car proberbly unbreakable!
Have tried to get a price of them 3 times now Adrian, no call back and no information.

Not impressed.

ps. got your car back yet?

Adrian W

15,493 posts

257 months

Saturday 8th March 2008
quotequote all
alex s said:
Adrian W said:
Helix do a proven uprated clutch, and in a standard car proberbly unbreakable!
Have tried to get a price of them 3 times now Adrian, no call back and no information.

Not impressed.

ps. got your car back yet?
They were a pain to deal with when i had mine made, i just thought it was because it was a prototype. should have it at home middle of the week.

leadboot

Original Poster:

51 posts

278 months

Monday 10th March 2008
quotequote all
Thanks for the input so far. A summary of my current understanding.

Helix clutch, though strong is not great for road use and stop start driving. Experience from anyone using a helix clutch around town would be very useful.

John Noble can't get the AP clutch from AP. They can only be sourced through the few main dealers.

The Main dealers don't hold a stock so have to get it from Noble.

Noble don't hold a stock either aren't interested in ordering from AP until they have built up a stack of orders (and therefore a stack of very unhappy customers)......and this is for a wear and tear item which will have Noble and the dealers mark up attached to it.

So we're being asked to pay over the odds for appalling service on a basic service part.

Would the factory like to comment?

alex s

2,105 posts

265 months

Monday 10th March 2008
quotequote all
leadboot said:
Thanks for the input so far. A summary of my current understanding.

Helix clutch, though strong is not great for road use and stop start driving. Experience from anyone using a helix clutch around town would be very useful.

John Noble can't get the AP clutch from AP. They can only be sourced through the few main dealers.

The Main dealers don't hold a stock so have to get it from Noble.

Noble don't hold a stock either aren't interested in ordering from AP until they have built up a stack of orders (and therefore a stack of very unhappy customers)......and this is for a wear and tear item which will have Noble and the dealers mark up attached to it.

So we're being asked to pay over the odds for appalling service on a basic service part.

Would the factory like to comment?
That is not good. frown
Another option maybe is to contact 1G in the States, they also had a problem with supply from AP/Noble and now source their own clutches, might be worth giving them a call.

I usually speak to a guy called Tim Osgood there, helpful guy.
HTH
Alex


peterguk V6 KWK

2,622 posts

246 months

Monday 10th March 2008
quotequote all
leadboot said:
Noble don't hold a stock either aren't interested in ordering from AP until they have built up a stack of orders (and therefore a stack of very unhappy customers)
WTF? And there are people out there that keep defending Noble? FFS!

NobleGuy

7,133 posts

244 months

Tuesday 11th March 2008
quotequote all
What I can't understand is why AP won't sell direct? Do they have contracts with people to keep it all closed? If so, maybe finding an alternative is a better solution - no point in rewarding them for making our lives difficult.

snuffy

13,224 posts

313 months

Tuesday 11th March 2008
quotequote all
NobleGuy said:
What I can't understand is why AP won't sell direct? Do they have contracts with people to keep it all closed? If so, maybe finding an alternative is a better solution - no point in rewarding them for making our lives difficult.
Yes, they do have contracts which can actually harm sales I would say. For example, when I owned an Esprit Sport 350 I needed some new discs. They are AP discs but the bolt pattern is unique to Lotus. Lotus sell a pair for £1600+vat !! Come on, £1600 when a 'normal' pair of AP discs might be £300 or so. It turns out AP wont sell them to anyone, only to Lotus. So I had a pair made for around £350 or so and I know of several other Sport 350 owners who did the same. By charging a stupid amount of money it meant that a) Lotus lost sales, b) AP lost sales and c) the place that made them gained sales.

Biggriff

2,312 posts

313 months

Tuesday 11th March 2008
quotequote all
I got round this with AP on the Tuscan as we went to AP and asked for the stuff by part number. No issues.

We also got Sachs to look at the TVR clutches and they also can source no problems.


NobleGuy

7,133 posts

244 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Biggriff said:
I got round this with AP on the Tuscan as we went to AP and asked for the stuff by part number. No issues.

We also got Sachs to look at the TVR clutches and they also can source no problems.
Are you saying you just quoted a part number rather than telling them what the parts actually were, and they supplied it?

Biggriff

2,312 posts

313 months

Wednesday 12th March 2008
quotequote all
Yes we got parts from AP by quoting part numbers and went through the trade.

AP like a lot of parts manufacturers get fed up with companies not paying bills and holding control over supply.

The guy we dealt with said he couldn't sell us the parts with the TVR number but if we quoted xxxxxxxx then he could supply them, although in the end we agreed separate bells and discs would be better and the guy just took the factory disc and said he would find parts from their catalogue that matched and voila I got two piece discs on the Tuscan.

I could ask if he could do the same for Nobles, but I fear Rossion have beaten us to that if you have seen their two piece discs.

http://www.nobleforums.com/showthread.php?t=3183

peterguk V6 KWK

2,622 posts

246 months

Thursday 13th March 2008
quotequote all
I've just split my M400 engine/gearbox and the clutch pressure and friction plate appear to have AP's CPxxxx part numbers on.

Of any use to anyone?

sean_goodman

536 posts

232 months

Thursday 13th March 2008
quotequote all
peterguk V6 KWK said:
I've just split my M400 engine/gearbox and the clutch pressure and friction plate appear to have AP's CPxxxx part numbers on.

Of any use to anyone?
yes, nobleparts forum would be good

F.C.

3,901 posts

237 months

Thursday 13th March 2008
quotequote all
Biggriff said:
Yes we got parts from AP by quoting part numbers and went through the trade.

AP like a lot of parts manufacturers get fed up with companies not paying bills and holding control over supply.

The guy we dealt with said he couldn't sell us the parts with the TVR number but if we quoted xxxxxxxx then he could supply them, although in the end we agreed separate bells and discs would be better and the guy just took the factory disc and said he would find parts from their catalogue that matched and voila I got two piece discs on the Tuscan.

I could ask if he could do the same for Nobles, but I fear Rossion have beaten us to that if you have seen their two piece discs.

http://www.nobleforums.com/showthread.php?t=3183
Rossion are using a five stud hub set-up and so AP shouldn't get too upset about our "ask".
F.C.