Clutch / Torque Converter: '53 Champion - clutch adjustment can not be made

[STEWDI]

Just bought a '53 Champion Starlight. Previous owner said the clutch friction point was JUST off of the floor - which was ok with him due to a bum hip!
l went to my old-car mechanic and asked to have it re-adjusted properly so that the friction point is higher. (When the car is driven for over a half hour and fully warmed up, it is difficult to put it in first gear without grinding. Putting it into 2nd gear first, or shifting into first before the car is FULLY stopped will do the trick, though.)

The mechanic came back to me saying that he could only adjust it a VERY small amount since the adjusting rod was already out of threads to turn it further. He would have to remove the rod and run a die over it to create more threads and then make a further adjustment! Meanwhile the friction point is still JUST off of the floor and the pedal has about 3 inches of freeplay!

Something is wrong here! Is he adjusting it in the right direction? The parts book shows a different rod for sedans vs. coupes/hardtops - do l have the wrong one installed on my car?

Any thoughts? l need some direction!

Thanks.

[skyway]

Is that collar with 2 clevis pins in good (not cracked or the clevis holes wallowed out) shape, and are the 2 arms (inside the bell housing) that carry the throw out bearing still solidly attached to the shaft?

[Hawklover]

Is that collar with 2 clevis pins in good (not cracked or the clevis holes wallowed out) shape, and are the 2 arms (inside the bell housing) that carry the throw out bearing still solidly attached to the shaft?

Those pins are garbage, replace with hard bolts and drill for cotton pins, did this on my Avanti...........never looked back!

[64studeavanti]

I don't recall, and I do not have easy access to manuals, but wouldn't you lengthen the rod to bring it up off the floor?

[RadioRoy]

I don't recall, and I do not have easy access to manuals, but wouldn't you lengthen the rod to bring it up off the floor?

Not on this early system. You may be thinking about the later ones.

The most likely problem is what skyway has already mentioned in post number 2 - broken pins and elongated holes in the coupling.

Both of my 50 Champions came into my life inexpensively, because of broken clevis pins. The previous owners believed there were major clutch problems, eventually it turned out to be broken clevis pins. No one ever lubed the zerk fitting in the bell housing and that put extra pressure on the pins and collar.

IMO, The arms inside the bell housing usually only go bad on V-8 applications, not 6 cylinder engines.

[jackb]

"Those pins are garbage, replace with hard bolts and drill for cotton pins, did this on my Avanti...........never looked back!"

Certainly you are comparing the strength of "old" pins vs. new "hard bolts" ? How about NOS ? Not re-pops ?

Inquiring minds .........