Clutch cable broke

Last friday I took my oldest son to school who just started kindergarden. The car was very popular and all the kids where around asking questions what a show! Unfortunately on the way back to work at a light the clutch went soft and I could not release it! After pushing the car to the side at 8:00 AM in the morning at a very busy time (how imbaracing), I found that the cable broke. Two hours later the towing finally arrived to get the Bantam back home, the towing company actually charged me 25$ extra because they said the car was too low nonsense since I helped te fellow out puttting the car on the truck and it took no longer than 5 minutes!

After I got home here is what I found:

I took the cable out of the car, again the longest part was jacking the car off the ground to get under! I started going around town looking for a Pinto/Mustang clutch cable. Again no parts are listed for Pinto's in my local part stores and dealer. Spent almost 3 hours looking for a cable and realized I will have to make my own. I bought a mustang II clutch cable which was way too long and lacked covering on the whole cable but at least it fit my throw out bearing arm:



The mustang cable must be using a puley system to route the cable. Also notice the custom cable from the Bantam.

What I did to make my cable was to cut one of the end and slide out all the cable protective/guide coverving and reslide the two longest sections on the cable and spliced the protective covers using a 1/2 copper pipe which fit nicely on the firewall penetration fitting on the cable covering. I then crimped the copper pipe using my vise and then used electrical tape to make it look good, I wish I had shrink tubing but the stores where closed:

Clutch cable covering showing bracket/firewall fittings with copper pipe cut to length.







Cooper pipped crimped with vise on clutch cable covering. The coper pipe is used to give rigidity to the splice so the inside cable would not kinked.






Final assembly with electrical tape tightly rapped around the splice.








Here in this picture you can see the new clutch cable. Not shown is how I have attached the cable to the pedal sinced I did cut the crimped end of the cable which contained the required ferule. I used a two steel cable clamped from a hardware store and basically tore my skin off trying to get it on in the clutch cable holder on the pedal.







Final assembly/fit of cable. Testing proved out pretty well except the new spring on the cable seems a little weak and sometimes the pedal will note come back to its position. From the previous picture you will notice that the clutch pedal dose not have a return spring which is weird. Next weekend or this week when part stores are open I will try to find a spring and install one attached to the fire wall to the top of the pedal dowel pin.