Just a thought, have you tried a pressure bleeder? I've used mine on both my clutch master and brake muster with excellent results

 

I'm thinking I will try that. I looked at this reverse bleeder as I have heard nothing but great things about doing it this way. Phoenix Reverse Bleeder

 

Also, thanks for the encouragement from you all. I am pretty satisfied with how things are going overall. And, if I did destroy the master, I found the wilwood masters online for about $65. If it ends up being bad I think I may go down to 5/8" from the 3/4" I have now, to give me more leeway on the stroke length and an easier pedal.

 

Updates: New wheels are on. I will post pics soon. They have a totally different look to them but fit nice and there weren't many options with the offset I needed. I got into the clutch next. Well crap. I got the clutch master moved and things are looking great. Put brake booster back on and the linkage - which was adjusted perfectly before - won't fit now. I adjusted the rod quite a bit and apparently caused something inside the booster to come loose. I took it back off and something is rattling inside it now. I had to order a new one. I guess it could be worse.

The new clutch position is much better and the action is very smooth now. I am going to bleed it and hopefully once the new master shows up I can bolt it up and hit the road.

 

Got all those ironed out. I still feel like the clutch grabs toward the top of the pedal more than I like. I could cut down the connecting rod but the pedal wouldn't be even with the brake. I could live with that I guess, and I think I've read that most people like them that way.

Drove around the neighborhood and things feel pretty good. I just need to get it aligned and see if I am going to need any spacers for the front wheels. I will definitely be doing my vintage air or other aftermarket AC/heat system soon so I can actually drive some. It's way too cold right now.

 

Well, small update and one very odd clutch/master issue.

So, ordered new wheels to get it align-able. Not too happy with how they look now, but I will either powder coat them, switch paint color, or eventually order custom wheels. Took it in to get aligned last week, but forgot to give them Mark at SC&C's recommended specs (figured they remembered from last time due to the huge ordeal that became - my mistake). Took trailer to pick it up and had to leave it for them to adjust to the right specs. Even emailed them to the manager. Today go to pick it up and the tech just may be the dumbest guy I have ever talked to in person. Apparently he didn't know the + and - on the camber and caster matter, because he got them both exactly backward. Then tells me that "+5 degrees caster will push wheels into fender" - I am no ACE certified mechanic but I do know caster is just the forward/backward tilt of the tie rod end axis. He had it at -5 degrees and said it can't go any more positive without hitting fenders. Luckily for me they had the sheet from the last incorrect alignment and they had it at 0 caster and it didn't hit anything. Manager said they will redo it and call when it's done. I'm hoping to pick it up tomorrow.

For the odd clutch issue: First try at installing the master bracket I had it mounted too low and the clutch pushrod was traveling waaaaaay too far and I ended up with a dead clutch on the way home on my first drive. I took it out and redid it to get the right pushrod travel and alignment. I bled (and bled....) and got it feeling pretty good. Took a lap around the neighborhood and was feeling pretty satisfied with it.

Hadn't touched the car for about 3 weeks due to cold weather so I didn't expect what happened when I tried to load it to take for alignment. I backed out of the garage and the car wouldn't pull itself whatsoever! I was floored, and confused. Keep in mind (all the guys who are sure to say "you need to shim the clutch") this clutch grabbed and felt great a few weeks ago and nothing had been done since.

Well I was pretty frustrated and I'll admit I stomped the clutch in and out a couple times in anger. Oddly, on the third "aggressive" push of the clutch, something popped - fairly loudly - and the clutch felt awesome. It grabs just off the floor and my pedal does not come up as far as it did before. I just barely get the release I need to be able to get it in and out of gear as it is now. Hard to complain, as the clutch is grabbing better than it ever has.

I expect to do some tinkering when I get it back from the alignment shop. I am thinking of just starting by adjusting the rod to raise the pedal a bit to get a little more travel to get the disengagement a little higher off the floor. I have no idea what happened, but one theory I have is that I had overextended the pressure plate fingers and something about me hitting the pedal caused them to snap back to the right orientation. Not really sure if that is even possible, but something drastic changed for sure. I hope to have an update on this once I get it home and get to drive a little and see how it does.

Oh well, that is why it's a project and not a turn-key car. The adventure is just part of the process.

 

jamier2, Nice build! Thank you for a lot of great info and pictures, I'm starting down this road also. Was wondering if you were "satisfied" with your initial cuts to open up your tunnel, and how you finished closing it up? Thanks.

 

Well, the early pictures made it look like I hadn't cut much on the tunnel, but all I did was leave the front side to side cut until last. Once I connected the two cuts that ran along the sides of the tunnel there was a giant hole left over.

I ended up basically cutting about 1" up the side of the trans tunnel (in relation to the floor level) and as far forward (limited by not having dash out) and rearward (stopped about 1" in front of cross brace that is under floor). I don't think I could have opened up more and it did come in very handy.

I ended up "patching" the thing back together and will re-do the floor once I get to the point of doing paint - probably next winter. I realized quickly my sheet metal fab skills aren't up to the task and I will have to pay to get it done right. For now it is sealed and holds the carpet off the trans so I am happy.

 

Did you get the brakes bled? I need to rebleed mine and was wondering how that phoenix thing worked out.

 

I didn't have any trouble with the brakes, they're solid. I am going to use the power bleeder for the clutch. Really slacking on the Chevelle, but we recently moved and it's been put on hold a bit.

 

I got the phoenix V12 in and it seems like a pretty decent quality item.

I can see it making bleeding brakes much easier. However, it did nothing for my clutch. I connected it to the bleeder screw and nothing I tried would let me reverse bleed that thing. I could not get any flow whatsoever. I did end up using it to fill the reservoir while I redid the normal bleeding and it made that a little easier. Clutch is working pretty well now and other than forgetting to put the top back on the reservoir (and now searching for a replacement) I am pretty happy with it.