Clutch linkage

[Charter]

I am thinking about a swap auto to TKO and FE390. What would be the best linkage to go into this ? How much, round about for linkage with out pedal would I need to spend ?

[lalessi1]

I bought the Z-bar, the engine mount, the frame mount, and the associated rods on eBay for around $75. They come and go at various prices. There are no reproduced ones. I am using a hydraulic actuated setup, it can be done for under $300 if you use a slave cylinder. $500 to $600 if you use a hydraulic throwout bearing. If you decide to do the swap and go the hydraulic way I can help with the design... mechanical, I can help there as well.

[59meteor]

Not familiar with this swap, but if at all possible, I like using the factory mechanical clutch linkage. When I decided to convert my 59 from the original 332FE and 2 speed automatic, to a 428 CJ and Toploader 4 speed, I bought a rotted and partially stripped out 59 2 door sedan with a 6 cylinder & 3 speed manual, and used all the clutch pedal hardware and most of the linkage, then found the rest of the bits online. Works great, and no cables to melt on the headers or exhaust, and no fluid to leak or get the air bubbles out of..

[brushwolf]

Been a while, but I put a 430 Merc engine in a 57 Ford convertible (used an FE bellhousing) and the clutch linkage bolted right up. Of course I did not have headers so that is one potential complication you may have as tubes may get in the way.

On another 68 Torino convertible that had a swapped-in Cleveland with headers I had to modify the clutch linkage a bit to clear  between the tubes when I took out the C6, but it has worked fine since.

My understanding is that the TKO uses a TKO bellhousing as well, so does that have an engine side clutch pivot mount provision on it?  If not, you can still fabricate one and attach it with a couple longer bellhousing bolts. That is what I am doing with a 351 swap currently using a later Ford bellhousing that has no clutch pivot provision on it. Now will that clear your tubes as well?

That said, if I was doing your transmission swap, I would probably just go with hydraulic clutch linkage attached to the original pedal. A little more money, but nicer clutch action and you won't be likely to have any trouble clearing the tubes.

[lalessi1]

The FE engine side mount bolts to the block, not the bellhousing.

[59meteor]

The FE engine side mount bolts to the block, not the bellhousing.

although that is correct on many models, at on 65 & 66 full sized Fords and Mercury cars did have the Z bar pivot on the bellhousing, rather than a bracket that bolted to the block.