Topic: Hipo Clutch Release Arm

[mmus65tang]

I am currently restoring 1966 GT Hipo fastback, built in Detroit on August 12th (late car). I have a question as to the correct clutch release arm that is correct for this car. I have pictured the two candidates. Which is correct, the top one or the bottom one in the picture.



Thanks

[Dan Case]

The one lowest in the picture, the one with the significantly narrowed or necked down section, is for five bolt engines 1963-64 based on shape. Somebody else will have to comment on the other one shown as it is not designed like the part Bob Mannel sent me in a picture for 1965 six bolt engines and that is all I have images of.

[gjz30075]

Would this one (found on Ebay) be for a six bolt engine then?  It's neck is significantly wider.

[mmus65tang]

Well, you learn something every day. I did not notice the necked down area on the arm. I went out to my shop and dug out an aluminum 6 bolt bellhousing (CDA-6394-A). That I have owned for 40 years. I took the clutch release arm off of it to take this picture. It is like the other one posted that does not have the necked down area. I have owned my 1966 GT Hipo for forty years. It was taken apart back in the 80's and the parts were put in storage with my other 65-66 mustang parts due to a job relocation across the country. I did not get back to the restoration until after I retired. I have 5 or 6 of the CDA-6394-A aluminum bellhousings that I have collected over the years. I did not label it at removal from the car put I think the Aluminum CDA-6394-A bellhousing that I just removed the clutch release arm for this picture is the one that came off my 66 hipo. I'm hoping someone with the knowledge on this forum can help me with this.  Thanks

[jwc66k]

I am currently restoring 1966 GT Hipo fastback, built in Detroit on August 12th (late car). I have a question as to the correct clutch release arm that is correct for this car. I have pictured the two candidates. Which is correct, the top one or the bottom one in the picture.

The one on the top has a Ford service number label. I can't read all of it (I see C5OZ-75**-*), but there is a copy of "Ford Car Parts" (aka MPC) in this forum's library and you might find its application there.
Jim

[mmus65tang]

The part # on the sticker is C5OZ-7515-B. National Parts Depot sells this same clutch release arm (a Dennis Carpenter Ford Reproduction Part - Original Ford Tooling). States correct for Mustang 65-68 (before 2/15/68).

[jwc66k]

I am currently restoring 1966 GT Hipo fastback, built in Detroit on August 12th (late car). I have a question as to the correct clutch release arm that is correct for this car. I have pictured the two candidates. Which is correct, the top one or the bottom one in the picture.

The part # on the sticker is C5OZ-7515-B. National Parts Depot sells this same clutch release arm (a Dennis Carpenter Ford Reproduction Part - Original Ford Tooling). States correct for Mustang 65-68 (before 2/15/68).

Ford Car Parts (aka the infamous MPC) 68 edition, says "Except Special" for C5OZ-7515-B. I went thru the list a couple of times but didn't find a listing for an arm for a 66 "special". It's a generic mess.
However, the 1975 edition says ALL 65-66 289 get C5OZ-7515-B. (That 75 MPC page is also formatted better.)
Jim

[sgl66]

Well, you learn something every day. I did not notice the necked down area on the arm. I went out to my shop and dug out an aluminum 6 bolt bellhousing (CDA-6394-A). That I have owned for 40 years. I took the clutch release arm off of it to take this picture. It is like the other one posted that does not have the necked down area. I have owned my 1966 GT Hipo for forty years. It was taken apart back in the 80's and the parts were put in storage with my other 65-66 mustang parts due to a job relocation across the country. I did not get back to the restoration until after I retired. I have 5 or 6 of the CDA-6394-A aluminum bellhousings that I have collected over the years. I did not label it at removal from the car put I think the Aluminum CDA-6394-A bellhousing that I just removed the clutch release arm for this picture is the one that came off my 66 hipo. I'm hoping someone with the knowledge on this forum can help me with this.  Thanks

That's the one I have on my 66 and the same with post #2. I've never heard of that being a HiPo specific part

[Bossbill]

Whatever you do, don't use the MPC for clutch arms.
I went on a many month long odyssey on my 67 hipo and the clutch arm referenced in the MPC is for the GT390.
The NOS parts people ended up sending me a 427 part which is as hopelessly incorrect as the GT390 piece.

The SAAC Forum references some people who have the snake tongue version on later 66 hipos. This turns out to be the correct version for 67s as well.

[mmus65tang]

For my understanding is what you are calling the snake tongue version the first one pictured at the top of this discussion with the part lablel on it (C5OZ-7515-B)?

[Bossbill]

Ha, I've been calling the fork with the split ends (return spring side) a snake tongue for so long I forgot it's not a common phrase.

https://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=301.0
has some data.

My efforts to identify the correct fork for my car after I bought the version the MPC says to use:
https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=13350.0

I know S2MS personally and he has an incredible amount of knowledge on the early cars.

[mmus65tang]

So, what does the rare 1967 hipo clutch release arm look like? My 66 GT Hipo fastback scheduled build date was August 12th the last day of 1966 production. The car had several 67 items, the heater box door opens in a vertical motion instead of the typical 65-66 horizontal direction, the hipo drive shaft was the 50 1/64 inches center to center (like 67?s) vs. the 49 23/32 inches that 65-66 were suppose to have. The clutch release arm that I just removed from the bellhousing is the one I think came off the 66 hipo (been 40 years ago when I took bellhousing off car). So, is this clutch release arm the 1967 hipo unit?

[Bossbill]

No, I don't believe the fork in reply 11 is a 67 Hipo fork.

In reply 10 is a link to my SAAC reply. I believe there is no Hipo fork and the snake tongue version is correct for 67 GT350s (aka 67 K engines).

The MPC is rather useless in this regard since it plainly wrong on the 67 Hipo fork part number and dimensions of the referenced fork. It makes me wonder about earlier car part numbers.

I believe the fork pictured may be correct for your car. I have that fork on my 65 V8 car.

Like the first CCM link in reply 10 says, the later 66 GT350s could have had the snake tongue fork. There is not a lot of data on that to support either fork as definitive.

Since your car is so late it could have had the 67 fork. I could have had the 66 fork.
In cases where the answer is unclear I would go with what is generally expected to be in your car.
I think it aligns with your last pic, in my opinion.