THE MAESTRO'S QUIZ, AUGUST 6 1997


     The 1963 Signal Red 356B had just left the Maestro's Shop two
weeks ago, having had a MaestroMassaged Industrial Engine installed
to replace its incorrect, worn out, unexciting 1959 356A Normal engine.

     And the California Sun was smiling on its bright red sheet metal
as it rode off into the sunset, to be broken in locally by
a friend of the Owner so that the Owner could fly down and drive it back
the 1500 miles to Washington State, the Land of Bill.

     And all was well with the Universe. 

     Until Today.

     When the break-in guy called again to say that he- the
break-in guy- was BROKEN DOWN in Los Altos. 

     Fortunately, Los Altos is a nice place to break down,
but unfortunately, the description of the problem sent chills
down the Maestro's Spine.

     For what the guy was describing sure sounded like a bad clutch.
And the car just had a NEW Clutch Disk and a New Pressure Plate on a nicely
surfaced and balanced 200mm flywheel.

     "Yeah," said the break-in guy just a little annoyed. "I was just driving 
through town, and all of a sudden, it was like the engine would rev up, 
but the car wouldn't go anywhere."

     "Groan," thought the Maestro. What could POSSIBLY be wrong with
the Clutch? I've NEVER had a new F&S Pressure Plate or Clutch disk that 
was that bad- although once in a Blue Moon a new Pressure Plate will 
be unbalanceable as something inside is moving around."

     But NEVER has a new 200mm clutch pressure plate/disk combo failed to
transmit torque.

     So what could POSSIBLY be wrong with this-a thing-a???

     The break-in guy thought maybe he could back off the clutch cable a
bit and all would be well. The Maestro, knowing full well that this wasn't
gonna work, told the break-in guy how to adjust the clutch cable anyway.

     "First you gotta pull up the rubber floor mat. Then there's a 10mm
ATF 6mm bolt holding the wooden kick panel in place. Remove that,
disconnect the windshield washer pump plastic line and any hold-down clip
that's probably not there anyway, and pull up the Driver's side wooden
kick panel. Oh, and you gotta pop off the gas pedal's linkage rod too.

     Once the wooden panel is removed, get out a Vice grip. Adjust it so 
that it'll grip the approximately 1/8" thick clutch cable. Push the Clutch 
pedal down with your left hand. With your right hand, place the Vice grip 
on the cable just in front of where the clutch cable goes into the tunnel area.

     Clamp the Vice grip onto the cable and release the clutch pedal.

     If you did things right, the clutch cable is held by the vice grip,
and the adjustment end of the cable is free and sticking out from 
the Clevis pin, making it is easy to get to the lock and adjusting nuts. 

     Loosen the lock nut (usually 11mm ATF but sometimes 10mm ATF so be 
prepared), and turn the adjusting nut (also usually 11mm), Clockwise (from 
your perspective) to lengthen the clutch cable or Counter-Clockwise 
(from your Perspective) to tighten the clutch cable.

     The Maestro trys about 5 turn increments, releases the Vice Grip
and checks the Clutch pedal for free play. (You want
at least an inch of free play at the top of the clutch pedal.)
     
     Once the free play appears to be in order, hook up the 
accelerator linkage rod, move the tools and fire up the engine. Try out 
the clutch and see what happens.

     If it's not right, redress the clutch cable adjusting nuts as needed.

     The break-in guy, down on his knees in Downtown Los Altos
loosened the clutch cable until the gearshifter- with some gear grinding-
would barely go into gear.

     And tried to drive the car.

     No joy. The car still acted like it had a "slipping clutch".

     The Maestro was now standing beside himself. HOW could a brand new 
clutch FAIL in this particular way- so as to NOT transmit torque??
It would have to be something VERY weird- like a clutch Disk 
that came apart, or a Throw-out bearing that separated into two pieces 
and wedged the clutch "down" as happened once to the Maestro personally.

     But this was a good Throw-out bearing the Maestro had personally inspected
and re-greased only a couple of weeks ago, not one that was ancient
and worn out. How could this be?

     But there it was. Out of luck and Stuck in Los Altos.

     There being nothing left to do, the Maestro said it was
his Professional Opinion that the break-in guy oughta have the car towed
to the Maestro's Shop, at the Maestro's expense.

     Sixty dollars and an hour later, the Bright Red 356B was back at
the Maestro's Shop once again.

     After the tow truck driver left, the Maestro got into the Red Beastie
and fired her up. Of course, she fired up immediately, as all MaestroMassaged
engines do.

     But when the Maestro put her into Reverse (with a bit of grinding),
and let out the clutch, she would barely move. And there was this funny 
grinding sound.

     The Maestro carefully nursed the stumbling steed into his Shop, for
a closer eyeball, the thought of pulling out an engine he just put in in 
100 degree Sambo Se heat not a pleasant one.

     Once he got the Lady in Red inside, he experimented with her and
found something particularly funny. Not funny ha-ha but funny "curious".

     He could put the transmission in Reverse gear, with the emergency
and service brakes "on", (applied that is), and let out the clutch
pedal fully. And the engine WOULD KEEP RUNNING. But the car, she-a
no-a go-a.

     So, gentle 356 Fans, what do you think was wrong with this Beastie???

Keep the 356 Faith

The Maestro