Note about the "Fred Esteves" Clutch stop.... LONG (archive)

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I did find one thing that others might come across. When i used the 50mm bolt for the stop I was unable to screw it down far enough. The furthest in it goes is "barely" enough for me to start the car. But when I did this I REALLY had to mash the clutch pedal down to get it started. Also, getting the car into first gear was a total chore. The already notchy gearbox becomes almost unbearable, not to mention that there is -0- play off of the stop and I must have stalled the thing 5 times on a hill, forgetting that if I releases the clutch an inch I had better be giving it gas the whole time.

My resolution was to buy a 40mm long bolt, and this one provided me with much greater adjustment. I liked the responsiveness of the height of the 50mm one off of the line and when power shifting up the range, but the gears were just so hard to get into, and I figured that it would wear on the car needlessly. I adjusted the new stop (40) so that I am able to shift the car into first gear with slight effort (A bit notchy), but if I keep the clutch depressed I can shift in and out of first with a very smooth action. If I shorten the clutch pedal travel ALL shifts into first are notchy, even when I leave the clutch depressed.

A question to anyone, wouldn't the car be happyier if you were to completely depress the clutch every time you put it in first? It seems that having the clutch stop at a "performance" setting would really beat up on first gear. It works pretty well for shifting up the rest of the gears, but you REALY need to push hard to get the thing into first.

Oh yeah, one last thing. The damn threaded hole for the clutch stop really should be about 1/2" to the left. When i depress the clutch I hit the left side of the stop. Stock or custom stop, doesn't matter. You woudl think that they would locate the thing properly.

Anyway, thats my 2 cents so that if youwant to create your own, or even buy one you know a little bit more about it.

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