There is a theory in evolution circles that say evolution happened in tremendous spurts and not over thousands of years...well in nashville,tn a tremendous week of camaro evolution has happened.Got my tremec mated to my crate motor,engine and trans in car,trans mount installed,shifter cut through floor,driveshaft in...man I was roll'in...then I noticed that it looks like I have very and I mean very little room for travel on the clutch fork.I anticipated some problems but I should be at a minimum.I have a chevy crate 350 with a stock 621 bell,car was an auto but as we all well know the car should easily have the clearance for a stick...am I missing something...how bout a picture of how much clearance someone has...maybe I dont need as much as I think? I got what looks to be 3/4" before I hit the floor pan,does the clutch fork operate in a much more downward plane than I'm thinking?I hate to get all the fork installed and realize I need a BIG HAMMER to provide the clearance...help please

67pat, I don't have a tremec, but I have had the same problem.
When I tried to use an aftermarket clutch fork, it would hit the fire wall before it made full travel, about 3/4". It had a slightly different shape and was a little longer than the original.

I'm sorry I don't have the correct part number thats needed, and I'm not even sure that you have the wrong fork, but I found a GM original fork and it cured my problem.

If you think this is what is wrong with yours, and if it will help, I think I can dig out that wrong fork and a correct worn GM fork and post pics of both. just let me know if that would help. ---Bill.

Yeh,I think that would help...you know I ordered a stock G.M. fork from Ricks at least it was suppose to be and it sure looked like one...It would suck,ALOT,to have to pull the transmision to change the fork!

It would suck,ALOT,to have to pull the transmision to change the fork!
Unfortunatley, that is where you are.

This has come up here a bunch. There are some "wrong" forks out there, and this problem pops up every couple of months. I believe the GM fork is still available, tho I don't have a part number. I bought mine from D&R, it fits great, but that was 6 years ago, no telling if they are still selling that exact part.

With the correct fork, you can push the clutch to the floor and still have near an inch before it hits the firewall.

A year ago I had the same problem of the fork hitting the firewall and had to change out the pivot ball and the throwout bearing. Read this, it as a lot of info http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=70094

I was not able to find the aftermarket fork that did not work, but here are pics of my old GM fork that did work. It measures 6.5" center of the ballstud to center of the push rod. It also has less material on what would be the top. where it would hit the floor. (possibly ground down)
If yours looks like this one it may be a different issue. Another poss is motor mounts and stands can move things around a bit. My motor sits way back in the engine bay. only about a 1/2" between the dizy (sm body) and the firewall, is yours real tight back there too? ---Bill.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a224/sc68z28/12-21-06001.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a224/sc68z28/12-21-06002.jpg

A year ago I had the same problem of the fork hitting the firewall and had to change out the pivot ball and the throwout bearing. Read this, it as a lot of info http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=70094

I read alot on the post you recommended here...Now i'm a little confused as to wether I have the wrong clutch fork as JimM says or is it the wrong throw-out bearing?

I was not able to find the aftermarket fork that did not work, but here are pics of my old GM fork that did work. It measures 6.5" center of the ballstud to center of the push rod. It also has less material on what would be the top. where it would hit the floor. (possibly ground down)
If yours looks like this one it may be a different issue. Another poss is motor mounts and stands can move things around a bit. My motor sits way back in the engine bay. only about a 1/2" between the dizy (sm body) and the firewall, is yours real tight back there too? ---Bill.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a224/sc68z28/12-21-06001.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a224/sc68z28/12-21-06002.jpg

I'm gonna run out to my shop and look at the fork I have...but I dont think it has that much of a curve to it especially down near the linkage end...I have a standard G.M. HEI...big body...and believe it or not I got about a 1/2" between it and the firewall,and to think THAT is what I was worried about...never gave a thought to the clutch fork!

Keep searching, there is more than one posts with pics of the forks. It could be any of the three, or a combination.

If you have a "normal" diaphram clutch, you should have a "short" throwout bearing. That with the right fork and factory bell and pivot will work fine.

If you have a centerforce clutch, I believe they spec a specific bearing.

If you have a scattershield, you'll probably need an adjustable ball studd to get the angle right.

You did put the clip on the fork inside the groove on the bearing, right?

I was looking for a shot of mine, but it really wouldn't compare because I have a BB and a CC5S tubular crossmember, so it woudn't be apples.

3892632 is the GM fork that is correct. It should be stamped on the arm where you can see it in the car.

Which trans mount and cross member are you using? Could it be that you have a TH400 rubber mount, which will bolt up but is thicker/taller?

Here's mine, it looks just like the pic above.

To answer a bunch of questions,I've got a "normal" clutch ,pressure,t-out bearing in a stock 621 bell with a tremec,looks identical to the picture JimM sent.I went to my shop and looked at it closely...it looks just like the picture that sc68z28 posted EXCEPT...the top part of it has not been ground down like he stated,and that is the part that is gonna hit the firewall. SOOO I'm thinkin I get my handy-dandy die-grinder and grind that top "rib" down and see if I can get the clearance I need...what do you guys think,I mean I got nothin to lose right?

Here's mine, it looks just like the pic above.
Ya Jim that looks good.
Pat as Jim said could be combinations of things, but if you have an HEI with room your mounts seem right.

I can't remember if I ground on the new fork or not. The old one sure looks like it's been ground down.

I do remember masaging the floor/firewall with a hammer a little. It sounds like my motor sits back further than yours. ---Bill.

BTW my car is not here right now (at a chassis shop) I can't look at mine.

Something I just thought of, does the tremec raise the back of the engine at all? If so that would make it a tighter fit too, I think? I say that because I now remember, it was when I put the G-force trans in that I had to use the hammer. It sits a little higher at the trans mount than my previous T-5 and 4speed did.

I remember that I ordered a new fork from the GM dealer, but it looked identical to the no-name unstamped fork that I already had and am still using. The bottom line is using the right fork and then the resting angle of this fork which is dictated by the pivot ball and bearing.

BTW my car is not here right now (at a chassis shop) I can't look at mine.

Something I just thought of, does the tremec raise the back of the engine at all? If so that would make it a tighter fit too, I think? I say that because I now remember, it was when I put the G-force trans in that I had to use the hammer. It sits a little higher at the trans mount than my previous T-5 and 4speed did.

You know I think the tremec does make the engine sit "more" level,I dont have the front clip on the car,thank God considering I may have to pull it again,but I did notice the engine does look higher in the rear than I'm use to...may be something to that

I remember that I ordered a new fork from the GM dealer, but it looked identical to the no-name unstamped fork that I already had and am still using. The bottom line is using the right fork and then the resting angle of this fork which is dictated by the pivot ball and bearing.

I got my books out last night and I too agree on two things mentioned so far.
1)all the clutch forks are the same...except the top rib of the no-name forks are too big, its that rib that hits the firewall and on the G.M. fork that rib is almost non existent
2)The use of the tall bearing with the no-name rib fixes this by giving more depth...or the G.M. fork with the shorter rib will work with either
What do you guys think about that conclusion?

1)all the clutch forks are the same...except the top rib of the no-name forks are too big, its that rib that hits the firewall and on the G.M. fork that rib is almost non existent
2)The use of the tall bearing with the no-name rib fixes this by giving more depth...or the G.M. fork with the shorter rib will work with either
What do you guys think about that conclusion?

Makes sense to me.:thumbsup:

I don't agree with point #2 that the GM fork with shorter rib will work with either. I couldn't possibly grind enough clearance onto my fork. I had to replace my pivot ball to obtain the correct distance from the engine block and replaced the bearing to set the angle correctly.
I now have plenty of clearance and no chance of contact with the firewall.

SO,short history of the last 24 hrs,after last nights post and all the great info I got,I realized,like JimM said,that I was probably going to have to pull the motor/trans to get things right, pretty bummed about that. This morning I actually found a local chevy dealer that had the fork...hurray!...went to the only place that had the tall throw out bearing,oddly enough,O'reilly auto parts,got back to the house at noon,pulled motor/trans,changed throw-out bearing and fork,re-mated motor/trans,installed,driveshaft in,clutch linkage in etc all by 4p.m....not bad huh? But when you had a great practice round 24 hrs earlier you know all the tricks! Add this to the Forum boys:The mark of intelligence is to evaluate whats happened and apply what you've learned,right? so what did I learn and hope to pass on? 1) when installing a manual trans in a previously automatic car...always use ONLY the G.M clutch fork.
2)remember that there are TWO throw-out bearings,short and tall,and a 1967 camaro with a stock bellhousing uses the tall one...thats the one that does NOT come with most G.M. clutch set ups,and is hard to find.
3) look closer at the search section of this forum...I did i just didnt go far enough...and/or start a new thread and ask the multitude of talent on this web site to re-hash the potential problems with this type install
Again thank to all who helped,hope I can return the favor some time

Yea!!!! and glad you got her dialed in!

Just to clarify for future searches, I use the GM fork, stock bell and pivot ball, "Normal" diaphram clutch with bent (not flat) fingers, and the SHORT throwout bearing, and it does all fit and work perfectly.

Also, these types of problems have nothing to do with the type of trans, and everything to do with the clutch, linkage, and bellhousing.

67pat, glad you found a combo that worked for you!
Bet you can't wait to start rowing that TKO!

:hurray: :beers: :hurray: :beers: :hurray: ---Bill.

67pat-

Glad you got it together and have fun with that 5-speed!

:hurray: :beers: :hurray: :beers: :hurray: ---Bill.

LOL...lots of that when we finished!