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Thread: 79 C3 clutch specs ?

  1. #1
    New Member c3vette's Avatar
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    1979 Red 4Spd

    Default 79 C3 clutch specs ?

    My clutch stated slipping late summer last year.
    Its fine for just normal driving but I know its a matter of time before it can get down right dangerous.
    I suspect the intake may have a leak because at idle, both side exhausts blow smoke, and I see some oil pooled in one of the P.Side. intake bolts. I would not be surprised if its not leaking in the back of the intake as well. No big deal, as I will pull the intake and clean things up in there anyway.
    The clutch in the car had been replaced and I was told by the Prev owner it was a heavy duty unit. He didn't saw when it was replaced, but the motor had a recent rebuild done on it, when I got the car (about 550 miles on rebuild). I suspect the clutch job was done then, but who knows.

    My question is what is the FW and clutch size standard on a 79 as well as the spline count. I plan on a new FW, NEW BUSHING AND REPLACE THE REAR SEAL while I am in there, and leaning towards a Mcleod single disc kit. I had their pricey street twin unit in my 94 Z28, and it was awesome. Of course that car was putting out much more power than the Vette has.

  2. #2
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    '67 Marina Blue Convertible

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    The '79 used a 168-tooth flywheel with an 11" clutch, and the Super T-10 had a 26-spline input shaft. A LuK replacement will work fine for you.

    John
    '67 Convertible

  3. #3
    New Member c3vette's Avatar
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    Thanks John

    It gets confusing without pulling things out, as most sites for a 79 show 10.4 and 11 with both spline configs as a replacement.

  4. #4
    Member GTR1999's Avatar
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    John
    Correct me please, but I thought the 79 L48 came with a Saginaw 4 speed and the L82 used the ST-10? I really don't recall other then the Saginaw's are the weaker of the two, although we manged to blow up a few ST-10's the past couple of years. ( rephrase that, my son blew them up, I rebuilt them!)
    Gary
    GTR1999

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    Quote Originally Posted by GTR1999 View Post
    John
    Correct me please, but I thought the 79 L48 came with a Saginaw 4 speed and the L82 used the ST-10? I really don't recall other then the Saginaw's are the weaker of the two, although we manged to blow up a few ST-10's the past couple of years. ( rephrase that, my son blew them up, I rebuilt them!)
    The '79 used two different setups - the Super T-10 (used with the L-82) used a 168-tooth flywheel and an 11" clutch with a 26-spline input, and the oddball Saginaw semi-Muncie used with the L-48 used a 153-tooth flywheel, 10.5" clutch, with a 10-spline input shaft.

    John
    '67 Convertible

  6. #6
    Member GTR1999's Avatar
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    Thanks John I thought the 79's were kind of an oddball with that setup. Any reason the went with the saginaw other then lower hp and cost?
    Gary
    GTR1999

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by GTR1999 View Post
    Thanks John I thought the 79's were kind of an oddball with that setup. Any reason the went with the saginaw other then lower hp and cost?
    Cost (and the desire to use an in-house-made box) was probably the driver - that's something of an oddball transmission, and there's not much information available on it.

    John
    '67 Convertible

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