308 hydraulic clutch conversion

I noticed on the website of Formula GT in Germany that they offer a hydraulic clutch conversion kit for the 308/328. It's not cheap (about €800) but knowing the company from Alfa circles I'm sure the quality will be good - just wondered if anyone here had fitted it?

 

Hi
I have that kit and is absolutely fine.I use it on my 308 race car .Big advantage over the stock system.

 

please tell me more about your kit, complication of install, modifications , pressure difference ( ball park of course ) cost etc. I asked in this forum some time ago, but everyone that repplied was against the need of this modification.

I live in Mexico city.....lots of traffic, so I guess it would be justified

best regards

 

"Big advantage over the stock system."

What, specifically, is the big advantage?

 

if you are not Asafa Powell you will feel .......you will have a clutch pedal as light as any 21 century car.For me is a big advantage...

 

That's selling it for me!

As an ex racing cyclist my quads are ok, but the clutch in these cars just feels unnecessarily heavy/ stiff/ difficult to control..... :-(

 

Any more details would be greatly appreciated.

 

The clutch on my 328 is very smooth and light. A lot lighter than my 96 Corvette I used to have and very simliar to my 2004 Subaru STi.

 

Sorry guys but my english is not good enough to explain to much about this mod.
anyway is not to difficult (tehnically speaking)but is quite a lot to do,including some welding for the bracket of the pump inside the front trunk ,a bit of modification on the pedal box, the pressure pipe it go to the gearbox like the old cable .I dont know nothing about the connection on the clutch because I didnt do this job myself.Not a very big deal but is a work for pro mechanic.
Worth every cents in my opinion.Especially some old cars (mine is 1977 and was terrible to drive!) needs this mod.

This is the link to the page where you will find a photo of the kit and description
formula GT - TUNINGTEILE

 

The Clutch in my 328 is about the same as my 3 series BMW (which is not a performance car!)

Firstly, (after 20+ years) if its heavy is your clutch pedal mechanism & cable etc still running as freely as it should? A service & re-grease may help. There is a small guide wheel on the 328 near the back end of the cable & the grease in mine was like glue when I looked at it a year or two back.

Also, how many of you guys with these cars & clutch "issues" are driving automatics for the rest of the week?

 

Convert to hydraulic clutch?

I guess I don't get it. Seems to me that is what this car is all about. Why do you own this car? Why despoil it?

 

My QV has a similar system to your 328, it's the updated system with a preload on the bearing. The early cars (pre-1980 I think?) had a much heavier clutch cable than the later ones.

 

Found a good paint scheme for a 3x8 with a hydraulic clutch
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

When operating correctly, the clutch on later models 308s (QVs) is not difficult.

The earlier models had very hard functioning clutch pedals, especially neutral to first. So hard that the geometry of the linkages/cables were changed for the Japanese market cars (conclude what you want from that). Anyway, back around 1999 or 2000 IIR Forza published a "How To" article with this linkage change, as I recall you can do it in your garage and it made a big difference. You may find the article on here if you search, I believe it was posted.

 

That's a bit unfair I think. Not everyone wants a super heavy clutch, and Ferrari themselves relented in later models. At 28 years old I have no problem with either my clutch or that of an earlier 308, but my father's 66 Pontiac GTO, oh hell no. It's like having a crackhead gym instructor. I find no fault in wanting a car you can actually drive, even if it comes to (minor internal) modification.

 

My knee hurt after my first hour-drive in the 308.

Now I'm in shape.

Soon I will be tough enough to modulate it.

Then I will grow more chest hair.

 

I asked if anyone had fitted it, not 'how big are your gonads?'

Come & drive mine in town & you'll get it straight away macho man!

Thanks for your helpful comments....;-/

 

Advantage is no more broken clutch cables!

 

I own the same car, so I don't need to drive yours. But thanks and best of luck with this modification.

 

Umm...have you guys SEEN horatiu's 308? If he says it's a big improvement, the way he uses his car, then I believe him. Now whether or not it's a big improvement for a street-driven car, is up to you. FWIW the clutch in my M3 feels like tissue paper compared to the leg workout in my 308. I like it, but it's definitely a lot more work and not as easy to drive fast.

And just because it's so incredibly awesome, I'll leave this right here.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJiP3MDmceA]Trofeul Sinaia 2013 Horatiu Ionescu Cristea Ferrari 308 GTB - YouTube[/ame]

 

The clutch on my former '78 308 GTS was "heavy," took a fair amount of effort to push. But the clutch on my '86 328 is what I consider "normal" for a sports car clutch. It's about the same effort as the clutch was on my C5 Z06 Corvettes.

But even with the heavier clutch on the old 308, I don't see the benefit to changing it for a lighter clutch feel. The 308 clutch took a little more effort, but you didn't have to be Hercules to push it down. If it's a major issue for you, you don't need a new clutch. You need to visit the gym. Or just drive the car more. In a couple of days, you'll be in good enough shape to handle it without a problem and save yourself 800 Euros, plus the cost of installation.

Just my $.02, YMMV.

 

It is also possible to retrofit the early 308's with the later clutch linkage. I priced it out. $2000+ for 4 parts.

The hydraulic retrofit is a good option, my only reservation would be having to modify the pedal box and welding parts. I prefer my mods to be reversible.

 

I suppose you could use mondial parts to make it work..

 

The laws of physics aren't any different for cable vs hydraulic (no free lunch -- reducing the force at the pedal increases the pedal travel so any ratio change here can't be super-huge). If your 308 clutch is significantly heavy, either someone installed a non-stock pressure plate (which was quite in vogue), or you haven't maintained the cable mechanism and throw-out bearing mechanism (which do have items to be serviced/maintained/replaced), or a combination of both. I'd put most 308 clutch effort complaints down to: 1) pulley in engine bay never cleaned/lubricated and may be not rotating (with cable sliding/sawing down into it) and/or 2) sliding action of throwout bearing getting sticky and needs service, and/or 3) mis-adjustment of helper spring into not-helper spring. JMO.

 

I've done two non-ferrari clutches in the last year. One of them was a boring subaru with cable clutch. It had a very heavy pedal. Turns out the lubricant on the sliding part of the pressure plate splines and throwout bearing was dried out and displaced. New lube and the pedal drops to the floor with no effort. Same thing on a hydrualic clutched mazda rx7 just done last week. New lube and pedal pressure reduced.

Our cars sit around most of the time, and if driven correctly, I imagine they could easily have original clutches. Unfortunately, most grease will not last 30 years. Case in point, the window motor grease. It's a lot of time or money to open up the clutch, so they don't get fresh grease.

That is why these clutches are hard to move. Has anyone re-greased or put in a new clutch and thought it was too heavy?