Well, I've got the engine back in the "infamous" Ami service lookalike, all mated up to a later drum brake gearbox. All I'm struggling with now is the clutch cable. As some of you probably know, the original cable is adjustable at the gearbox end, and is about two inches shorter than the later cable. I didn't think this was going to be a problem - how different can a cable intended for an LHD Ami 8 be? - but it turns out that it is.

I can't get the clutch cable short enough to engage the clutch, it takes up the slack in the release arm but that's about it. I've tried fitting the old cable to the new gearbox and adjusting it lying on my back under the car: unsurprisingly, that didn't work. I've tried fitting an RHD cable: see above, and I've tried adjusting the LHD cable right to its limit, still with no joy.

As I see it now, my only option is to send off the cable to someone who makes Bowden cables and ask them to make me one which is two or three inches shoter but otherwise identical. Unless any of you lot have any ideas ...

You need some sort of spacer to make the outer cable longer, like a piece of tube cut lengthwise and squeezed back together around the inner. That sounds a bit of a bodge, but I'm sure something could be made up that was reliable, maybe the services of the local machine shop would be needed for a long term solution.
I'm not familiar with chassis mounted pedals, I guess that's what you've got. Maybe the spacer could also go between the cable nipple and the pedal.

RT,
would something like this stand any chance of working?
< http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VISA-0-7-MODELS-N ... 1162wt_754 >

I've got a spare Visa 652 cable around here 'somewhere' and could take measurements of that, if it would help...

ken

Cheers folks. The Visa cable looks to be similar to the original Ami one, but longer, so I don't think it'd fit. I'll see if I can find a length of sleeving tomorrow and try and bodge something together.

Wasn't the solution to this issue a GSA clutch cable I vaguely seem to remember?

Full info on Visa cable...
Outer sleeve is 615mm between abutments, with the hole for the 5mm clevis pin being 40mm out from the bulkhead abutment.

The length of 6mm threaded rod at the clutch end is between 105mm and 160mm out from the abutment.

Diameters of abutments are 13.9/15.4 at bulkhead end, 11.8/15.9 at clutch end.

ken

Had the same problem, ended up fitting pedal gear from later Ami 6 same as Ami 8 and ordered Ami 8 cable. Voila problem solved.

That's where I'm confused. The pedal gear is a 2 pedal bulkhead mounted affair, not the Ami8 three pedal box, But I was convinced the Ami8 cable I gave to RT would do the job.

RT, I hope you don't think too badly of me, I was *convinced* the parts I bought and passed onto you would be fine for the job, but it seems none of it is any use.

I feel terribly guilty, and I wish I done the thing myself before selling it to you, not only would I be much wiser, you'd be using the car by now.

Photos would be helpful. Maybe I don't fully understand what's going on. Are you fitting another gear box, if yes from what year and model?
What type pedals are fitted?

It's fine, I don't think badly of you in any way. I was pretty much expecting to have to modify stuff as I went along, it's all part of the fun. The reason I keep posting my problems on here is to request advice, not to rub your nose in it.