[DeTomaso] Swapping Clutch Maser - HELP

[Mike Thomas]

Gee thanks Jack.  Of course this had to be one of those things I find just
three weeks before Reno.  At least it's not three days . . .
I was thinking about cutting the hole myself.  You are correct on the wire:
where a cotter might have gone. It's just a thin piece jammed in and wrapped
around.
Mike

  _____  

From: JDeRyke at aol.com [mailto:JDeRyke at aol.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 10:03 PM
To: mbefthomas at comcast.net; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Swapping Clutch Maser - HELP


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