Cobra Hydraulic Clutch - An Engaging Solution

Down below on the transmission, a kit from JMC Motorsports is used, specifically for the T-5. It includes a special bracket, slave cylinder, and all hardware needed. This kit pushes the clutch fork forward from the back, instead of the cable pulling the fork forward from the front.

Up top, in addition to the CNC master cylinder, we needed lots of other parts to complete the installation. These parts were all found at Longacre Racing Parts. We initially used a small CNC reservoir to get the system working, but in the final installation we used a remote reservoir from Wilwood so that everything would fit underneath the FFR aluminum panels.

Here's the JMC kit installed on the T-5 transmission. You can see how it installs. The kit adds very little to the transmission's width.

A critical part of this, or any hydraulic actuation system, is the final location and position of the components. The CNC master cylinder has an adjustable clevis, so we could properly adjust the clutch master cylinder pushrod for maximum travel, but still have it return to its rest position, to allow for fluid transfer.

Extremely strong brackets were custom designed to securely hold the master cylinder in place, but still allow it to be tilted to the correct angle. With the loads put on these brackets in both street and track use, this area must be strong.

We kept the travel stop from the donor Mustang as a pedal safety, so there was maximum master cylinder travel without bottoming it out and causing damage. The adjustability of our design allowed us to get everything right and still keep pedal pressure even and comfortable.

The final filling and bleeding took a lot of fluid, as we had to bleed the system in sections, starting with just the master cylinder, and working our way down to the slave cylinder. Have a lot of fluid ready, along with plenty of rags, and someone willing to work the clutch pedal.

Air pockets are the enemy of any hydraulic system. Each time we added fluid, air was burped out to assure only fluid was in the system.

Once completed, the system is neat, compact, clean, and easy to access. In this Cobra, we made the top panel removable, so access is easy to the clutch, electrical, and other systems in the same area.

With the cover on, the system is invisible except for the reservoir.

Down by the pedals, there is no indication that this car has a hydraulic clutch. However, the first shift gives it away, as its smooth engagement makes it feel like a new street car. You can easily feel the clutch at work.