shortened clutch cable source

I may have one. I'll check my parts box when I get home. If I have it you can have it for the cost of shipping it to you.

Thanks. Just curious, where did you originally purchase it from?

@wombat posted:

Thanks. Just curious, where did you originally purchase it from?

I got it as a raffle prize from Greg at Vintage Motorcars. I kept it as a spare but never needed it.

If Robert can't find his spare, you might try calling Anna at Vintage Motorcars  at:
(714) 894-1550

Their website is showing them out of stock but it never hurts to call.

The clutch cable is a shortened version of a standard VW sedan clutch cable.  I just buy a stock cable and have a sailboat rigging shop shorten it and then swedge on a new, metric end of the right size and thread pitch.

The end-to-end dimension from the top of the pedal loop to the end of the throw-out stud is 77 inches.

Greg and I both stock them.  They are custom made to our length.

@wombat I found the clutch cable. Sent you a PM.

Clutch cable is in the mail.

The key key phrase here: custom made. You really need to measure and be absolutely sure.  My car has a few quirks (is a hybrid pan/tube frame construction) the result of which is a "non-standard" short clutch cable length.  So what you do is get a VW cable, and procure a threaded rod drilled out to accept the cable with a snug fit, then go to a sail maker and have the rod swedged on to the cable that you cut to the exact right length you need.  So now the operative word is "procure".  Maybe one of the builders can provide that blank threaded and drilled rod??  Or if you know a machinist (I did)  have him make that rod.  In this case you can make the rod a little longer than std VW dimensions, with a little more thread, and have a bit more adjustment capability.  And while you are at all that trouble, might as well make two.

This really isn't all that hard to make if you can't find a ready-made one and you certainly don't need to DIY a new end for the cable.

If you ask a sailing rigger to make one shorter for you, don't worry about making a new stud for the Transaxle end - It is a standard Metric stud they use on sail rigging  all the time.  

Just take along the original, full-length VW clutch cable and the wing-nut adjuster so they can match the end stud threads and give them the dimension of 77" from tip to tip, finished length.  

The rigger will certainly have that stud in stock as it is a standard metric end that they use on a lot of US built sailboats and just about every sailboat made outside of the US, like a Beneteau/Jeanneau.  The rigger's swedging machine is infinitely better at making a solid joint than beating on it with a hammer at home.  After all - You don't want your rigging breaking when you're turning your sailboat in heavy winds, do you?

In New England it costs about $15/end stud and another $15-20 for them to do the work (It takes about a minute to cut and re-swedge it) so, yes, it more than doubles the cost of just getting one from Vintage or Beck already at the right length.  BUT, you get to BS about boat stuff with the rigger (or about Corvettes, if you go to Bay Rigging in Fall River, MA) and that's worth something.

Yes, I'm think what Gordo says will work too.  What we do not consider in his approach is that out there in what I have come to call fly-over country, like maybe Nebraska or Iowa, there might not be a sail maker just around the corner, like here near Annapolis, or Up East where FiveCent Racing headquarters.   So that might be an issue for some.

Well, yeah.....  

There is that.    

Pro'bly not a lot of sailboats along the Missa-pippy river.  😉

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Well, yeah.....  

There is that.    

Pro'bly not a lot of sailboats along the Missa-pippy river.  😉

I can assure you that there are not a lot of rigging shops in Buttscratch, Flyover.

I sent him the extra one I had laying around in my spare parts bin. It has been delivered by the USPS and it is now awaiting his installation.

@Stan Galat posted:

I can assure you that there are not a lot of rigging shops in Buttscratch, Flyover.

I was surprised when a google search identified a West Marine up in SLC. I don’t know if they do cables or not, but I’m guessing they would. It’s not rocket surgery.

I lined the clutch cable tube with polyethylene tubing thinking it would reduce friction.  As a result, I can't feed a cable through it with the end installed.

I used this thing for the end on my shortened cable, installed after feeding the cable through.

How long has it been in there?

@Gordon Nichols, I don't remember at what point in the 30-year build period I installed it.

But, it has been in use since 2013.

Where can that end be purchased?

Mike, That little set up looks really cool.  I'm guessing the cable is secured with a compression fit compliments of that tapered thingie.   I'll ditto Merklin's request.  these things can be bought??  Brilliant.

@El Frazoo posted:

Mike, That little set up looks really cool.  I'm guessing the cable is secured with a compression fit compliments of that tapered thingie.   I'll ditto Merklin's request.  these things can be bought??  Brilliant.

I'll second that. Brilliant, indeed.

It has been many years since I did this and I don't remember where I bought the fitting.  A Google search turned up this at McMaster Carr - https://www.mcmaster.com/cable...ittings-for-lifting/

The threads on the fitting are not metric so I had to change the threads on the wing nut.

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These fittings are commonly used on marine rigging. They're usually called 'swageless' compression fittings. One of the largest online discount suppliers is Defender Marine. Here's a link to their page.

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WOW!!    😵‍💫

Those things are Expensive!

Now I remember why I was going broke owning a sailboat.

Now thats news I can use.  Excellent business here.