Has anyone used the Modern Driveline hydrualic kit with a 77 year model ?

I'm starting the process of swapping my C4 out for a Toploader 4 speed and bought Modern Driveline's hyd kit to use in the conversion. Problem is the plate that fits up against the firewall on the inside does not fit a 77 Comet. The steering column bracket inside the car is different than the earlier models (apparently) And as usual, the company is closed on the weekend when you would need to call with questions. If anyone out there has done this conversion, let me know what you did about this situation. Seems I'm always in a bind like this, parts that do not fit as intended. You spend $300 for a kit, it should have the correct parts to fit the application. :16suspect

 

I can't help with that kit, but I just installed a Wilwood master in the original hole wear the clutch rod passed through the firewall. One new hole in the pedal and a 5/16 hiem joint is all I needed... The master I used is $58 bucks... I hope it works out OK still have to reinstall the engine and trans...

 

This kit comes with a Wilwood master cylinder, so maybe I can just mount it without the inside bracket that came with the kit. I'll just lose the leverage that's designed into the kit. One thing you need to do though is reinforce the firewall inside and out around the master cylinder. I learned this the hard way when I had my 89 ranger. The reinforcement Ford had wasn't enough although that was a standard transmission truck originally. Make the reinforcement plate as large as possible.

 

I have their kit on my 73 Comet, had to remove part of the top LH corner of the steering column collar as per their instruction sheet. I took my time and only removed enough for their linkage/plate to clear. You mentioned that your 77 collar/bracket is different than earlier models? Is it larger, shaped different than earlier? One other suggestion, if you have not yet drilled/punched out the clutch rod hole in your firewall, drill it out only enough for M/C boot to pass through, I think I used a 1 3/8" hole saw. I believe the original hole was something like 1 1/2 or 5/8".
Since your car is an auto and therefore no clutch rod hole, should be a center mark dimple located on the firewall/engine compartment side, so if you are using a hole saw, drill pilot hole for arbour and then use hole saw.
If your 77 is quite a bit different, then wait until tomorrow and give Bruce a call before doing anything. Good luck!
David

 

The hole I drilled is smaller than the hole in the bracket. The steering collar is quite a bit larger than what's shown in the instructions. I guess you missed the part about my using the dimple in the firewall as a guide.

 

Well I've got the transmission in, now just have got to get the hydro kit installed and cut a new hole in the floor for the shifter. I'll have to cover the old shifter hole, not only was it in the wrong place had I used a Mav/Comet tail, it's nowhere near the location it'll need to be for the 390 tailhousing I've got on the Toploader. Took me most of the day to round up the remaining parts I'd stashed when I pulled the Toploader out of the Ranger 7 years ago. Seems I spend more time looking for stuff in my shop than actually working. Gonna have to get a section of hydraulic hose made up too, to reach the master cylinder.

 

do you remember what toploader yours was for? there where 3 different lengths 24" , 25 1/2" and 27" , case itself is the same, just 3 different length tailshafts/mainshafts, along with different locations for shifter too.
The 24" Mustang with the shifter mounting bosses near the end of the tailshaft should line up with the original cutout on the tunnel. My toploader was from a 67 Mustang with 390, it has dual set of mounting for the shifter either at the end of the tailshaft or approx. 4" towards the front too.......
I used to rebuild toploaders back in the 80's, I still have shelf full of NOS parts to rebuild 2 or 3 units......

 

It's a 68 Mustang wide ratio but I swapped a 390 tailhousing onto it back when I put it in the Ranger to move the shifter forward. It's going to stay this way, I'm not about to buy another install kit, cutting the floor and patching to other hole is far cheaper and easier at this point. This is hardly a show car anyway. I've been working with Toploaders since the early 80's too.

 

Well I got in touch with Modern Driveline but ended up cutting away a portion of the column bracket after looking at it again. I fabbed a 1/8" aluminum stiffener to go on the outside of the firewall between the master cylinder bracket and the wall. There's not much room to work with here. I had to use an additional 90* AN fitting to route the hydro hose past the brake master. I'm currently stuck now on the bottom master cylinder bolt, you have to work purely be feel with one hand to get a wrench on the backside of the bolt with your arm wedged between the valve cover and shock tower nad I can't seem to get the box end of the wench to stay on the bolt. Once I get this done I'll get the clutch pedal connected to the master cylinder rod linkage and get to bleeding the unit.

 

What did Bruce at Modern have to say? So I gather that you are not or can not use their plate/linkage on the inside firewall? I was fortunate that I did the install when my engine was out...
Hope everything else goes a little smoother! Nothing like sore back, bruised knuckles, arms....... not to mention a few choice words.

 

I never talked to Bruce. The guy I talked to was Paul. He came to the same fix as I did. He was appreciative of the pics I sent him showing the later model firewall and column support bracket. They had a previous customer with the same setup had problems awhile back but never followed through and sending them pics of the bracket. I cut enough of the column support away to allow the use of the lever setup. The stiffener I fabbed may be overkill or may not do anything as there's not much room for more firewall support in these cars, but after the firewall failure I had in my Ranger, I felt more support can't be a bad thing. I'll get that remaining bolt licked hopefully tomorrow, this ain't my first rodeo in working by feel in a tight spot. The only other thing to get back in is the driveshaft and exhaust. Maybe by my next "weekend" I'll be burning a little rubber again. and getting reacquainted with my Toploader. I'm anxious to see how my rebuild went. I guess for now the C4 will be occupying the rafter space the Toploader's been hanging out at til I figure out whether or not to sell it.

 

I did my master install by my self too.. It was interesting to say the least.. Oh and my engine is out on a stand..lol.. I have to fab up a pedal stop because the pedal is a inch off the floor when the master bottoms out....

 

I would be interested if you could post those same pics that you sent to Modern, just curious to see the difference between your 77 and my 73. Good luck with the rest of your install and let us know how everything works out!
David

 

I pretty much finished the install, just got to connect the lines and bleed it. That bottom master cylinder bolt was a biatch to tighten, I had to remove the column bracket again and the gas pedal to access the bolt from the inside to see what I was up against, turns out I needed a thin wall box end wrench to hold backup to tighten it. I'll try and get pics tomorrow, meanwhile duty calls.

 

OK, got the lines installed and tried to bleed the system but had no luck working alone. Don't really have time to dedicate to it with my work schedule. But here's some pics. I mounted the reservior to the backside of the shock tower, that's about the only place it can be mounted, might be a problem with the "S" curved hose leading to the master cylinder, I'm not sure yet but without a 90* fitting on the master, it's the only way to route the hose. Seems to me the inlet and outlet on the master are bass- ackwards though compared to my old Ranger unit but you cannot switch them as they're two different sizes.