 This S.P.E.C. Stage 3 clutch...  This S.P.E.C. Stage 3 clutch kit for LS1s comes with everything you need to install it except tools, brake fluid, and some thread-lock. The kit includes a new pilot and throw-out bearing as well as a pilot tool to aid in the installation process. |
 To begin this excursion, disconnect...  To begin this excursion, disconnect the battery, then remove the upper console trim. Unclip the shift boot trim ring from its retaining bracket as shown. |
 Remove the two 10mm retaining...  Remove the two 10mm retaining bolts that hold the shifter handle onto the shifter base. |
 Raise the car and safely support...  Raise the car and safely support it. Remove the four 13mm lower shifter dust-shield retaining bolts and push them back through into the cabin (they are captured in the dust boot retainer ring so they won't roll away). These bolts can be slightly tricky to get to, and it helps if you have small hands and tools. Separate the clutch hydraulic line from the slave. This is easily accomplished with a screwdriver-just be careful not to get any clutch fluid in your eyes. |
Our ProCharged GTO made a whopping 444.5 hp at the rear tires after being tuned with a new Racetronix fuel system on a Mustang chassis dyno ("Fueling the Fire," March '06). This kind of power is great, but after a few hard launches, the stock clutch was getting ready to say "uncle" in a big way.
Not wanting to risk having to limp the car home from the track or the dyno (it actually slipped a smidge on the dyno during one pull), we decided it was time to investigate what kind of clutch would hold up to the abuse of a 500-or-so rear-wheel horsepower, 3,900-pound Pontiac.
Our search ended at S.P.E.C. Inc. with the suggestion that a Stage 3 clutch with the company's aluminum outer, steel-center flywheel would be more than adequate for our boost-breathing Poncho. According to David Norton, vice presi-dent of S.P.E.C. Inc., "The flywheel body is made of tempered aerospace-quality aluminum with a high carbon steel friction plate. The fric-tion plate is end-user serviceable and has fasten-ers that are hand tightened to exactly the same torque all the way around to eliminate runout. S.P.E.C. holds a 0.001-inch machine tolerance on the product. This means the clutch has aperfect mating surface, maximizing drive-ability and clamp, and the flywheel has a perfect balance for less stress on engine internals. The pressure plate is our newest offering, featuring a 360-degree CNC pivot. This means our pres-sure plates have a more even drop on the disc, more consistent diaphragm height, more con-sistent and higher clamp load without severely stiff pedal requirements, and do not require aftermarket hydraulics."
The Stage 3 carries S.P.E.C. PN SC093 and a suggested retail price of $449, while the complementing aluminum outer steel friction surface flywheel has PN SC75A and a price of $399. When you order both pieces together, they come in a matched and balanced pair for a simple bolt-in installation.
Another issue we faced with our GTO is the stick-in-the-mud feeling the stock shifter provides. Ask any six-speed GTO owner with the stock shifter, and we're sure they'll tell you they have missed a gear once or twice due to the disconnected feeling of the remote design. The solution for our rubbery shifter came in the form of a GM Motorsports (GMM) RipShift shifter from Speed Inc. The RipShift carries part letters RIPSHIFT and a price of $299.99. While it may be a bit on the pricey side, the Australian-made shifter does have quite a lot to offer late-model GTO owners. The aftermarket shifter of choice for nearly every Australian enthusiast with a six speed Holden, the RipShift offers a tight, precise gear pattern with considerably shorter shifts, and it even retains the stock shift handle location. RipShift's sturdy machined-aluminum base with integrated heavy-duty centering springs make the 2-3 and 3-4 shift a breeze-simply push or pull! The RipShift also features a steel shift lever to increase strength.