[jlsanborn]

I scored a chunk of round tubing to make portals in my cross members where the exhaust passes through but after cutting the rings I felt that the wall thickness was too thin so I aborted. I'm still going to do that, just have to go by the metal supplier and see what they have.....

This post is really to ask a couple questions regarding clutch. The Boy just plucked his motor and is getting ready to drop that in the Blazer. He's going to run an AT so his smoked clutch and flywheel are "available". Once I'm done with exhaust I plan on remounting the cab and sorting out clutch linkage (or hydraulic). WAAAY back I scored an OEM 403 aluminum bell housing (Camaro, Chevelle, Nova, ...). I thought that was the shiz but in trying to get it all together I realize it's a bell for 10.5" clutch and Jr's is an 11". NO WORKEY. He dropped $300 on the McLeod clutch and roasted it in a month. His flywheel looked "good" so he didn't resurface it. His driving habits might be a little different than mine too. He sure didn't follow the manufacturer's break in procedure.

1. Is that clutch a POS or is it him?

2. Can I have the pressure plate turned? Do I have to or can I disassemble the pressure plate for turning? I can snag his 163t flywheel and pressure plate for next to nuthin but I'd need the 621 bell for about $200, new disc and resurface of flywheel and PP.

3. Is there a big difference between the 10.5" and 11" clutches?

4. Any bad reviews on repop aluminum bell housings?

5. Can I use the old forged clutch fork or do I have to use one of the stamped units?

Should I just by a 10.5" clutch from Napa and move on, or should I shell out for the 621 (re-pop bellhousing) and fix the "donor" clutch?

Ugh!