Moparts

anybody ever run a clutchflite?

Posted By: dakotawilly

anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 08:22 PM

i remember these from the old dayz,but never had any actual experience with one,seems like an accident waiting to happen.recently saw one for sale and it got my curiosity going....

Attached picture 8430118-clutchflite.jpg
Posted By: 68-scatpack-rt

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 09:03 PM

A local old timer talks about those. No need anymore with the converters we have available now. That setup was a "fix" for the lack of high stall converters back in the day.
Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 09:07 PM

A very good friend of mine used to run one in his big block Chevy front engine dragster. It blew apart at Norwalk and part of it hit a guy way up in the bleachers. It blew the case apart and bent the chrome moly cage. The trans blanket looked like ground up fiberglass. Everyone was very lucky that day
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 11:04 PM


Lots of folks here, myself included, ran them; problem with the Clutchflite is they were popular before LBA valve bodies so the sprag took all the load in 1st gear leading to lots of sprag failures and the collateral damage.

Mostly a novelty nowadays.
Posted By: theraif

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 11:26 PM

a few yrs ago i asked about running in umtr and was told no but lenco`s are ok to use
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 11:39 PM

Quote:

A local old timer talks about those. No need anymore with the converters we have available now. That setup was a "fix" for the lack of high stall converters back in the day.



Yep... I ran one for about a year and then sold the
car.. a 62 Dodge Dart with a hemi and a clutchflight..
at the time I bought the clutchflight for $1300.. that
was a lot back then for a trans.. that was in 68
Posted By: MRMOPAR

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/15/15 11:41 PM

If it was built with a B&M full manual valve body, it had low band apply.
Posted By: Crizila

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 12:01 AM

Quote:

If it was built with a B&M full manual valve body, it had low band apply.

We ran a B&M prepared 727 in our 64 Dodge back in the 60's. Couldn't run a clutchflite in any stock classes and we ran AHRA F 1 B/S A. Some guys were neutral dropping with push button cars. We never tried that ether. One really bad clutch explosion with my 63 Plymouth cured me from doing stupid stuff.
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 12:32 AM

Quote:

If it was built with a B&M full manual valve body, it had low band apply.



I had a B&M Clutchflite with RMVB circa 1971 and it had no LBA.
Posted By: dakotawilly

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 12:43 AM

the poor mans lenco appears to be an accident waiting to happen.i remember they were around back in the days but never knew anybody who used one.i bet ray christian played with one.he was nuts anyway.i remember he had a car on the lift once with a 727 running in gear with the trans pan off,a line into a bucket of atf,standing below it in a raincoat watching it work.im betting there are quite a few clutchflite horror stories around....
Posted By: MRMOPAR

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 03:56 AM

From the 1971 B&M catalog - I ran the TFVB-6264M, see the red arrows in the image. I also reverse engineered that VB and still have the fluid path info around. At the time I was also interested in the Clutch Flyte, and B&M indicated it was available.

Quote:

Quote:

If it was built with a B&M full manual valve body, it had low band apply.



I had a B&M Clutchflite with RMVB circa 1971 and it had no LBA.



Attached picture 8430655-BnM_71_Catalog002.jpg
Posted By: J_BODY

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 05:25 AM

....and out come the stone tablets! that's pretty cool!
Posted By: B G Racing

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 05:37 PM

I ran a series of clutchflites in my A/FX,Ultra/Stock and Dragster,B&M and Fairbanks units.Knowing what I know today,I'am happy that I survived and would never consider using one ever.
Posted By: babarracuda

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 05:46 PM

I have used torque flights in everthing from a 318 to a 64 hemi AFX. No aluminum case automatic can take a hit from no load at 6000+ RPM and live.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 05:56 PM

Quote:

From the 1971 B&M catalog - I ran the TFVB-6264M, see the red arrows in the image. I also reverse engineered that VB and still have the fluid path info around. At the time I was also interested in the Clutch Flyte, and B&M indicated it was available.

Quote:

Quote:

If it was built with a B&M full manual valve body, it had low band apply.



I had a B&M Clutchflite with RMVB circa 1971 and it had no LBA.





I know my older one didnt have LBA.. and reading the
artical shown it looks like it was 71 when they
changed to the LBA so John might have had a early
one that didnt... I'm sure glad they finally came
up with the high stall conv... I did some pretty
stupid stuff on that clutchflite... I'm surprised
I didnt blow it up... but I had some older guys teach
me about the 727 and the clutchflite
Posted By: dakotawilly

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 06:25 PM

may have been a good idea at the time,but i think it deserves a spot in the redneck hall of fame.im surprised they are still around today.i saw one for sale recently.thats why i posted this.i knew there had to be some good ole boy stories.back in the early 80s,i blew a 727 at pacemakers.hope to never see that again....
Posted By: Hemi Allstate

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 07:26 PM

Was it common to make a Turbo 400 into a clutch turbo? I met a guy back in the mid 70s that had a 66 or 67 Nova, with a Blown 480" Hemi in it and he said it was a clutch Turbo trans.
We went for a very memorable ride around the block!

Mark
Posted By: John Brown

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 08:54 PM

Quote:

Was it common to make a Turbo 400 into a clutch turbo? I met a guy back in the mid 70s that had a 66 or 67 Nova, with a Blown 480" Hemi in it and he said it was a clutch Turbo trans.



Don't know how common they were, but Dave Avery here in So Bend had a clutch Turbo 400 behind 8000 rpm small block D/Altered Chevy II.
Posted By: B G Racing

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 09:15 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Was it common to make a Turbo 400 into a clutch turbo? I met a guy back in the mid 70s that had a 66 or 67 Nova, with a Blown 480" Hemi in it and he said it was a clutch Turbo trans.



Don't know how common they were, but Dave Avery here in So Bend had a clutch Turbo 400 behind 8000 rpm small block D/Altered Chevy II.



Running them in a full body car was one thing,but straddling one in a front engine dragster was one of the dumbest things I have ever done in all my racing years.
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 09:51 PM

Quote:

Was it common to make a Turbo 400 into a clutch turbo?



Both the TH400 and the Ford C-6 got the clutch conversion.

The clutch automatics came out at about the same time slider clutches were being perfected so the combo of a clutch automatic and a slider clutch (like the Crowerglide) was a potent combo. You didn't see them so much in door-slammers as in altereds and early funny cars.
Posted By: John_Kunkel

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 09:55 PM


Quote:



I know my older one didnt have LBA.. and reading the
artical shown it looks like it was 71 when they
changed to the LBA so John might have had a early
one that didnt...



Yeah, story of my life...I probably got the last one without LBA.
Posted By: dakotawilly

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/16/15 11:01 PM

i really cant imagine a front engine dragster with one.prob had hand operated clutch? and a lot of beer involved.not to mention a prayer to the gonad gods before every pass...
Posted By: B G Racing

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 03:52 PM

Quote:

i really cant imagine a front engine dragster with one.prob had hand operated clutch? and a lot of beer involved.not to mention a prayer to the gonad gods before every pass...




Standard clutch pedal linkage setup.Ford style pressure plate and Lakewood shield,gonads just draped over the case like a tranny blanket.
Posted By: mrrandyj

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 04:43 PM

The aftermarket has come up with parts that take care of all the safety (explosion) issues with these transmissions. Put one together with a 16 roller sprag, low band apply valve body, a billet front drum, a billet SFI flywheel, and a shield or blanket and I wouldn't give a second thought to running one. It would be perfect in a nostalgia type race car, or for something that you just want to be different.
Posted By: cudaman1969

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 07:38 PM

The one i bought, there was no reverse, front clutches where bolted together, had to be pushed back or made the circle on the track. Got my money back and still have all my lower parts. In those days every race car had to have a clutch no autos.
Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 08:07 PM

I don't know what scared me more on my buddies front engine dragster. The alcohol injection right in front of him, the clutchflight, or the 8 3/4 rearend that sat right between his legs.
Posted By: dakotawilly

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 09:38 PM

i think we all did what would be deemed as "crazy" things when we raced as young men, but,its pretty funny how as we all turn gray and wrinkled we tend to really appreciate the small things in life like,fingers,toes,limbs,and gonads......
Posted By: beezer

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 10:59 PM

I had one in a car that I bought from the guy that was one of the best racers at the old U.S. 30 dragstrip. It had a 440 with a clutchflite and a 8 3/4 in a 33 Ford 5 window coupe. Ran low tens,left at 6000 never had any problems until the input shaft retainer broke. That was also the piece that held the fingers that hooked into the pressure plate to drive the front pump. And yes that tranny was right under your feet.
Posted By: cudaman1969

Re: anybody ever run a clutchflite? - 02/17/15 11:30 PM

Have to remember too those narrow no hooking slicks we had at that time. With today's tires and VHT ouch!
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