After boxing the 'rails, adding an X-member, and building some engine and trans mounts for the stock frame of Ron Werderitsch's '30 Model A coupe, Chad Blundell and Greg Gillaspy at Blundell Speed & Machine wanted to upgrade the clutch and brake pedal assembly. The assembly in the car was vibrating a lot, and the clutch was too stiff for enjoyable driving.
The K-member from Dagel's Rod N Truck was designed for mounting a Corvette master cylinder underneath the seat. Chad wanted to relocate the master cylinder to a more accessible spot and install a hydraulic clutch to reduce the stiffness. A search through some old auto parts catalogs yielded the perfect solution to all the problems.
The '61-66 International trucks in the 100 series and 1000 series ran a single-unit clutch and brake master cylinder, mounted at the firewall. On this Model A, it would fit perfectly frame-mounted in the stock battery location, which is easily accessible through the floor-but relocating it rearward +of the pedals meant the master cylinder would be facing away from the pedals, and rotating it would flip the clutch and brake positions. The solution was a custom-fabricated bellcrank. We heard about the project and headed to the shop to follow the job. It took a lot of parts fabrication and modification, not to mention a lot of imagination, but these guys do that for a living. And, some of you do it for a hobby.
Kugel's PedalsA variety of alternative brake and clutch assemblies are available from Kugel Komponents. In addition to the standard through-the-firewall style, Kugel offers a reverse-mount underdash 90-degree setup (below), as well as a 180-degree assembly (left). Both are available for brake and clutch, or brake-only applications.
Jeff Kugel told us these compact products were created to address the problem of fitting these assemblies on smaller roadsters where space wasn't available under the frame or under the dash.
He emphasized that fitting a systems under an already-built car is more difficult than installing it at the beginning of a build. Trying to fit other components-such as A/C or other obstacles-around the pedal and master cylinder assembly is much easier than trying to fit the assembly around those other parts. If that sounds like where you're at, take a look at these two products, or go to the Kugel Web site for even more.
This is the brake and clutch...
This is the brake and clutch master cylinder from the International truck. Chad was happy about discovering this part, since it is a single unit that operates both pedals, it looks appropriate to the period and style of the Model A, and it mounts in an easy-to-reach spot under the floor. After determining the proper mounting height (to keep the reservoir cap below floor level) and position (parallel to the pedal assembly), he built a pair of brackets to mount the master to the frame between the boxed stock 'rail and the recently added X-member. Another advantage to this master is that it has a threaded port for a standard diaphragm-style rear brake light switch (arrow). The disadvantage is that, mounted here, it faces away from the pedals. But, Chad had a plan.
Chad fabricated a bellcrank...
Chad fabricated a bellcrank to transfer movement from the actuating rods coming from the master cylinder to a second pair of rods going to the clutch and brakes. The bellcrank was created from a length of 1-inch tubing with bronze inner bushings and a piece of 5/8-inch cold rollbar. The four tabs (arrow) were created from 3/16-inch plate and mount the actuating rods to the bellcrank.
At this point, the frame has...
At this point, the frame has been flipped upside-down to make it easier to mount the bellcrank onto the underside of the crossmember between the outer 'rail and the X-member. Chad designed the crank so the rod can be pulled from the tubing if it ever needs service, even after the mounting tabs are welded to the frame. He can add washers between the tubing and mounting tabs for adjustment. It's important that the crank is mounted at a 90-degree angle to the master cylinder, indicated here by the longest scribed line (arrow). The four short scribe lines (from lower left to upper right in the photo) designate the location of the clutch pedal rod, clutch master cylinder rod, brake master cylinder rod, and brake pedal rod.
After these measurements were...
After these measurements were determined, Chad notched the crossmember and enlarged the center opening to provide clearance for the bellcrank tabs as they move.
It was necessary to fabricate...
It was necessary to fabricate the actuating rods from the master cylinder to the crank. With the bellcrank tacked to the crossmember, Chad measured the distance from the center of the yoke at the end of the rod to the piston inside the master cylinder bore, to figure out the correct length of each rod. The clutch rod is 3 1/2 inches long; the brake rod is 4 1/4 inches. Both are 1/2-inch stainless bar, necked down to 3/8-inch at the master cylinder end to ensure there is clearance for the rod to move inside the master cylinder as it pivots on the bellcrank.
Here, you can see how the...
Here, you can see how the mounting tabs fit into the notched frame and how the rods fit into the master cylinder. Keep in mind that the frame is still upside-down.
At this point, the second...
At this point, the second pair of mounting tabs had been welded to the bellcrank, and the second pair of actuating rods had been installed from the crank to the clutch and brake pedals. The rods are made from 1/2-inch DOM steel tubing for the strength necessary for brake applications. The inside diameter of the 1/2-inch tubing is the correct size for the 3/8-inch tab for the threads of the yokes and Heim joints. The Heim joints (at the pedals) are right-hand threaded and the yokes (at the crank) are left-hand threaded, so the rod lengths can be easily adjusted (like twisting a turnbuckle). Before welding the tabs that hold the longer actuating rods, Chad determined the desired pedal position. With all four rods in place, Chad was able to weld everything in place.
The frame has been flipped...
The frame has been flipped right-side-up. Chad added zerk fittings to the bellcrank to allow for lubrication.
Chad fabricated custom mid-engine...
Chad fabricated custom mid-engine mounts for the car, and Greg built rubber backing for between the mounts and the 'rail. The biscuit-style mounts look traditional and are plenty strong. They are manufactured by Trans Dapt and available through Blundell Speed & Machine.
The driver-side engine mount...
The driver-side engine mount serves double duty as a bracket for the clutch slave cylinder. Chad held the slave cylinder in place, and took all the dimensions to form a good fit. This slave cylinder is a heavy-duty '66-72 Ford pickup part. Chad chose it partly due to the location of the hose port and bleeder valve. The far side of the slave cylinder will mount to a plate with threaded holes to avoid having to fit nuts into that tight spot. This design will make this part easier to get to without having to tear apart the car. He modified the shaft (arrow) for this application, shortening it (the removed portion is at the bottom of the photo), and adding a Heim joint. As the slave cylinder fills with fluid, the shaft is pushed out, actuating the arm operating the clutch.
Before we left his shop, Chad...
Before we left his shop, Chad ran a combination of flex and hard lines between the transmission and the frame to prevent the hose from moving around and potentially hitting the brake assembly. He will also reshape the pedal arms, and add rubber pedal stops.