My personal tiger saga continues. I have made the same mistake that I made
when I was 18, namely, I didn't know when I was getting in over my head...
Flashback to September, 2000, I'm driving my car home from my second
ever tiger meeting. I just got my car TAC'd. I'm about 40 miles from home
when I start hearing awful engine sounds. I thought I was perhaps loosing
an exhaust manifold gasket, so I had tightened up my manifold bolts before
departing. Didn't help, car starts making awful sounds. I figured my
gasket was blown, I'll just limp home. Well, I get to the golden gate
bridge (Sunday, heading into SF, awful traffic), and as soon as I cross the
bridge, she starts loosing power. I throw in the towel, get her towed
across town to her bedroom.
Finally, after much procrastinating, I get down to diagnosis around
February of this year. Bent pushrods. So, while I have the heads off to
get to the pushrods, I might as well get them checked out. Before I know
it, I own a brand new set of Dart aluminum heads with rollers and big
valves. Just pop those puppies on there and be good to go. I got a bit of
deja vu at this point, but dismissed it. Well, the valves hit the pistons,
so I can't just pop 'em on there. So I try retarding the timing (needed a
chain anyway) and that doesn't do it either. I'll be damned if I'm going to
take a dremel to the tops of my pistons (call me a coward) and open up the
pockets. And I've just about HAD IT with working inside that damn engine
bay, so I throw more money at the problem- buy an engine hoist, pull the
motor/tranny out, and decide to just bring 'em to the man. I must say, it
was awesome using the engine hoist (love new tools) and my compressor/impact
wrench (did I say I love new tools?). And Steve Laifman's tigers united
pages with someone else's (don't know the name, but thanks a lot!)
instructions on pulling the driveline were great. So, motor is now off to
the motor man, tranny to the tranny man.
Which brings me to the clutch, the point of this longwinded monologue.
I'm replacing the clutch/pressure plate/throw-out bearing, and want to know
what I should put in there. My 289 will hopefully be in the neighborhood of
300 ponies, with a healthy boost in torque (from stock) as well. I noticed
Rick @ S.S. has a McLeod package, is this a good product? I've heard that
the centerforce is just as good, but has a lighter action clutch. I'll be
driving the car on the street, with occasional track days and spirited
rallys. First and foremost, I want the clutch to hold up, even if it is
tough on my left leg. (Again like a naive 18 year old, I imagine that this
is the first & last time I'll be pulling out the motor/tranny...) so I want
it to hold up to whatever abuse I give it. If there is a package taht is
just as good but easier on the leg, well that sounds good to me. Any other
thoughts/recomendations that people have for me as far as other things I
should do while at this point in the project, I'm all ears.
thanks,
Windsor
|