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question for old drag racing guys

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by haymaker, Mar 1, 2010.

  1. haymaker
    Joined: Apr 29, 2008
    Posts: 97

    haymaker
    Member
    from Enid, OK

    Hey guys, I have come across something very new to me. I had a customer bring in a 400 transmission today. The funny thing is that this thing doesn't use a converter. It has a throwout bearing and a special input shaft. The bell housing has been cut off. Our customer is wanting to rebuild this thing, and we just can't come up with any information. B&M says they have no information what-so-ever. I figured if anyone could help us out it would be someone here. Thanks.
     
  2. MBog
    Joined: May 2, 2006
    Posts: 556

    MBog
    Member

    Just treat it like a typical 400 build, except don't put a harsh shift kit in it. Leave all the wavies and so on . It's a th400 driven by a clutch so it will shift really hard...
     
  3. Called a "clutch turbo", also were "clutch flites". Still have my clutch turbo put away some where.
     
  4. haymaker
    Joined: Apr 29, 2008
    Posts: 97

    haymaker
    Member
    from Enid, OK

    I guess they were called a Turbo Clutch. My question is what clutch, pressure plate, and flywheel to run. The rest of the transmission is no big deal. I just don't know about the front of this thing.
     

  5. Ran a Weber alum flywheel with 11 in disc and Borg and Beck PP.
     
  6. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    You've got to run a finger type pressure plate (diaphram won't work), because the front pump drives off an adaptor that catches on the pressure plate fingers. Other than that, I think you can use standard stuff. At least that's the way the old Clutch Flite I had worked.
    There is still a guy that builds Clutch Turbos, he has a webpage.
    Larry T
     
  7. bob308
    Joined: Nov 27, 2009
    Posts: 220

    bob308
    Member

    yes you have to run a 3 finger pressure plate if you want reverse. we had a clutch turbo in the rail. lots of tracks it was the first rail that backed up on its own. some guys even ran them in street cars.
     
  8. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,250

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Doesn't the pump need to be running all the time in order to have some pressure in the trans to apply 1st gear for the launch? You'd be wasting some precious time if you had to let the clutch out to build pressure, and the delays associated with whatever the trans has to do to engage low gear. I think it'd be real inconsistent, plus reaction and 60 ft times would probably suck.
     
  9. 40ford57chev
    Joined: Sep 6, 2007
    Posts: 72

    40ford57chev
    Member

    I built a couple of Clutch turbos in the late 70s. I used the Fairbanks kit and B&M's 3-in-1 master TH4000 overhaul kit. Building the 400s to the full race specs in the B&M kit. Manual shift setup.

    To run the transmission pump these setups use the Borg beck three finger clutch to run a cast brass three finger drive that run by sticking into the pressure plate between three fingers in the pressure plate.
    Maybe someone will have a photo of one of these drives to post on here.
    It's really hard to picture in your mind unless you've seen one.

    These brass drives took allot of abuse. If you don't have this pump drive part or it is damaged beyound use then you have a problem.

    Every once in a while these old C/T 4000 transmissions pop up on ebay and racingjunk.com.

    I run mine in a Pro/Gass 40 willys. It was a very wild and allsume ride. The old willys would spin the rear tires over the finish line.
    I replace the clutch turbo with a powerglide finely. Then the wheelies stopped and the car settled down and was much more driveable. Run 2 tenths faster too.

    But I've never had such a wild ride the old clutch turbo gave me since I gave mine up. One hell of a wild ride. Mine is now in a 65 chevelle in Miles Texas. Still works great after 32 years.

    In 1978 A speed shop sellsman that use to call on me, told me how wild his 69 low 11 second chevelle was with a clutch turbo so I had to try one. He was right they are allsume with allot of horsepower.

    The second one I built went into a 55 2dr post car with a 427 L88. It
    was a wild ride too. Rolled just as it crossed the finsh line. Luckly friend was only banged up and survived.

    Buttom line is beware of this combo with allot of horsepower.:confused:

    PS: THESE COMBOS LAUNCH VERY VERY HARD AND HIT SECOND/THIRD VERY HARD TOO...
    BUT DUE TO WHEEL SPIN THEY ARE NOT USUALLY CONSITANT ETers.
    Mine was very dependable, It never broke.

    Very Respectfully
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2010
  10. The answer to what clutch has to do with what bellhousing. If you have this bolted to a regular chevy bellhousing, you can use any 3 finger pressure plate and have something to drive the pump spider. You need to measure the length of the input shaft because you may have a setup that is for a 7.5 or 8.125 dragster can. it that is the case, you will be stuck with dragster style slipper clutches that have minimal static spring pressure. Find a regular chevy 4 speed and measure the length of the input shaft from the bellhousing mounting flange to the tip of the input. Compare that to your clutch turbo and see if they're the same. When you have that measurement, you will know the rest of the story.
     
  11. redsdad
    Joined: Oct 5, 2009
    Posts: 252

    redsdad
    Member

  12. 40ford57chev
    Joined: Sep 6, 2007
    Posts: 72

    40ford57chev
    Member

    The Fairbanks kit used the standard Lakewood steel scattershield for a 4 speed Chevy car. 11" borg and beck.

    That was another negative to this combo. The TH 400 plus the scattershield, plus the steel flywheel and heavy clutch assy added allot of weight to a car over a powerglide.
     
  13. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

  14. 40ford57chev
    Joined: Sep 6, 2007
    Posts: 72

    40ford57chev
    Member

    Last edited: Mar 1, 2010

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