[DeTomaso] Swapping Clutch Maser - HELP

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

A circlip is a 3/4-moon-shaped piece of spring-wire that fits into a groove 
in the pin's end. The circlip is small & under tension, and usually comes 
off with an audible 'PING' as they fly into a dark, never-before-explored 
part of the cabin. All the vendors sell them by the dozen. Someone may have 
modified your pin for a cotter pin in a hole, then found he couldn't use that 
either. So it may really be just a piece of wire thru a hole in the pin. 
You'll need to find out what you're dealing with up there.
The next problem is, you'll need to pull the pin out to release the master 
cylinder and clevis. The pin may have a worn step in its center, preventing 
the thing from sliding out. Some owners bore a 1" hole thru the side of the 
toe-box right in line with the pin so they can grab it with a needle-nose 
vise-grip pliers and wiggle/pull it out. The big hole can later be plugged 
with a steel or plastic plug. I chose to pull ALL the bolts & nuts holding the 
whole pedal plate assembly in the car. Then the entire plate assembly, with 
pedals etc still connected, could be pushed into the front trunk a couple of 
inches so I could hammer the pin out while working from the front trunk. 
Once the pin was out, I found that brake fluid seepage had chemically 
bonded the rubber boot to the hole thru the pedal plate and the master cylinder 
nose. I had to hammer the old clutch master out of the boot-hole as well. 
This is NOT a pleasant job on most Panteras! I find its easier to pull the 
engine.... Good luck- J DeRyke