Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
Z-bar, cable, or hydraulic — which clutch system is right for your classic Ford? Jeff Ford breaks down every clutch and linkage option for the 1960–1977 Ford Falcon so you can pick the right setup before you 5-speed swap, add headers, or drop in a bigger V8.
Jeff starts with the worn-out factory Z-bar linkage on his '64 Falcon Futura — why it won't fully return and how that quietly kills a clutch and pressure plate — then compares four ways to run your clutch:
• A full stock Z-bar rebuild, with every piece (Z-bar, bracket, bushings, arm boot) now available from AutoKrafters, paired with a Modern Driveline clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bushing custom-matched to your car.
• Modern Driveline's cable-operated system — the budget step up from the Z-bar, dead simple to install, but that long cable sweep lives right out in the open in the engine bay.
• The hydraulic Lightfoot — smooth pedal, easy on the knees, lets you run a heavier clutch without killing your left leg.
• The top-of-the-line hydraulic Stealth — the clean-firewall answer for a coyote swap or a smoothed engine bay, with just a reservoir and two ports showing.
You'll see the real trade-offs in cost, pedal effort, engine-bay clutter, and — the big one for this build — header clearance, since a 347 with 1⅝" primaries needs the Z-bar gone. If you're planning a T5 five-speed swap in a classic Ford, this is the clutch decision to get right the first time.
Parts & where to buy
Modern Driveline (clutch, cable & hydraulic systems, pedals): moderndriveline.com
AutoKrafters (Z-bar & linkage components): autokrafters.com
SUPPORT THE SHOW
- Grab a crew shirt, hat, or mug from the store
autorestomod-shop.fourthwall.com
- Join us on Patreon at the $10/month level — monthly Zoom hangouts, tech Q&A, and t-shirt giveaways. It helps pay Joseph and our editor, and keeps the shop running.
patreon.com/c/gasolinemedia
It's Not Madness, It's FORD!
Sponsors:
autokrafters.com
moderndriveline.com
Contact: Jford@autorestomod.com Insta: @autorestomod patreon.com/gasolinemedia
Episode 342 Manic Mechanic
#FordFalcon #ClassicFord #ClutchSwap #ModernDriveline #ManicMechanic
Z-bar, cable, or hydraulic — which clutch system is right for your classic Ford? Jeff Ford breaks down every clutch and linkage option for the 1960–1977 Ford Falcon so you can pick the right setup before you 5-speed swap, add headers, or drop in a bigger V8.
Jeff starts with the worn-out factory Z-bar linkage on his '64 Falcon Futura — why it won't fully return and how that quietly kills a clutch and pressure plate — then compares four ways to run your clutch:
• A full stock Z-bar rebuild, with every piece (Z-bar, bracket, bushings, arm boot) now available from AutoKrafters, paired with a Modern Driveline clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bushing custom-matched to your car.
• Modern Driveline's cable-operated system — the budget step up from the Z-bar, dead simple to install, but that long cable sweep lives right out in the open in the engine bay.
• The hydraulic Lightfoot — smooth pedal, easy on the knees, lets you run a heavier clutch without killing your left leg.
• The top-of-the-line hydraulic Stealth — the clean-firewall answer for a coyote swap or a smoothed engine bay, with just a reservoir and two ports showing.
You'll see the real trade-offs in cost, pedal effort, engine-bay clutter, and — the big one for this build — header clearance, since a 347 with 1⅝" primaries needs the Z-bar gone. If you're planning a T5 five-speed swap in a classic Ford, this is the clutch decision to get right the first time.
Parts & where to buy
Modern Driveline (clutch, cable & hydraulic systems, pedals): moderndriveline.com
AutoKrafters (Z-bar & linkage components): autokrafters.com
SUPPORT THE SHOW
- Grab a crew shirt, hat, or mug from the store
autorestomod-shop.fourthwall.com
- Join us on Patreon at the $10/month level — monthly Zoom hangouts, tech Q&A, and t-shirt giveaways. It helps pay Joseph and our editor, and keeps the shop running.
patreon.com/c/gasolinemedia
It's Not Madness, It's FORD!
Sponsors:
autokrafters.com
moderndriveline.com
Contact: Jford@autorestomod.com Insta: @autorestomod patreon.com/gasolinemedia
Episode 342 Manic Mechanic
#FordFalcon #ClassicFord #ClutchSwap #ModernDriveline #ManicMechanic
