so i just started my car and got about 2 blocks and when i depressed my clutch pedal I felt a pop and it went all the way to the floor. But if i put it to the floor i can still shift into different gears. as soon as i take it off the floor i wants to go. i would assume its the cable but its just odd that i can still shift...... sort of... ideas? tips?

The cable tube came disconnected from the tunnel.

it sounds like the broken clutch tube.
find a welder near you.

What a bummer. Not the problem you want. Good luck with the repair!

i have a welder. where might i find the clutch tube???

The temp repair is a U bolt around the tube and through the side wall of the tunnel. Search here and you'll find pictures to guide you about what's happening.

Bottom tube is the clutch. You'll just slip a u-bolt over the whole thing. The studs will stick out of the tunnel. But pick up some thin jam nuts to replace the ones that come with the u-bolt. Then cut off the excess threads. Cover it up with your carpet and forget about in a couple months.

Click to view attachment

Confirm first that the cable is still intact and if so, as others noted the tube is broken loose. The following site has some decent pics and IIRRCC a link to another repair: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=79938

If one of the welds has broken loose there is a good chance that one of the others is on the verge so check them also.

Good luck,

Keith

Its hard to tell from the pictures. This is in between the seats under the carpet?

Yes. Pull up the tunnel carpet. Open two inspection plates. Flashlight and mirror to look inside.

Don't cut the tunnel! Don't use the Ubolt!

Pull the shift lever out and you have all the access needed.

temporarily clamp the clutch tube to the side of the center tunnel.

Just a couple of strategically located plug welds holding the clutch tube to the side of the tunnel will do it. Simple, quick, permanent and not a hack job.

had a similar experience recently -turned out the clevis that attaches the cable to the pedal broke not the cable itself
don't know if it would still shift or not I didn't try it
good luck

pulled out my center console (aftermarket so it was a bitch) pulled up the shifter and the clip looks to be ok
Click to view attachment

That looks like the fuel lines on the passenger side of the tunnel.

The clutch tube is on the drivers side of the tunnel.

here is a picture of the tunnel infront of the shifter. the clip holding the clutch tube looks fine. is there another point behind the shifter that has a clip or something???
Click to view attachment

The clip does look OK but that doesn't guarantee the tube is attached to it.
Have someone step on the clutch pedal while you watch the tube with the mirror.
While you have an assistant pushing the pedal watch the clutch tube where it exits the bulkhead in front of the engine.
Look at the cable itself. Is fraying anywhere ? Is the pulley OK ?

Before you do any cutting or welding, I have a question for you.

Have you recently replaced the pedal bushings?

Even if not, check the position of the clutch pedal on the cross-shaft. The roll pin that holds the pedal arm onto the cross-shaft can break (especially the ones that come with the bronze bushing sets!) and it will behave as you describe. For a while, then it won't release at all.

--DD

Here was my fix, using a clamp used for electrical duct clamping. I blacksmithed it to the proper radius using my 3/8 extension as an arbor.
Used a single 1/4 bolt to secure.
Click to view attachment

Is the roll pin with the set spiral type or split type?

The original is a spiral pin. The Weltmeister replacement is a split pin. That's why it fails after a relatively short period of use.

--DD

Thanks for the heads-up!

i had my girlfriend push the clutch in while i looked in a mirror and the clip holding the tube didnt move. here is a picture of the pedals.
Click to view attachment
is the clutch pedal supposed to contact the black piece of metal when its resting?? its not

Clean up and examine where the arm coming from the clutch pedal attaches to the shaft that goes through the pedal cluster. I still think there's a good chance the roll-pin through there has failed, allowing the arm to rotate on the shaft rather than being locked to it.

It would be easier to inspect with the pedal cluster out of the car, but you should still be able to get a half-decent look at it in place.

--DD

they also break loose when the clutch fork bottoms out on the exit hole in teh trans. it is a system and should be restored . band-aids mentioned above will get you down the road for a while. after you fix the tube, check fork exit travel

if it "popped" all 3 attachment points must be repaired

thanks for the post guys!! i just picked up a late 1972 that "only" Needed a new engine well after i got that done and installed it will not go into any gear and the clutch doesn't work. turns out mine is busted in the front and the middle =[ because its busted at both points the tube straightened out form the rear to the petals and now runs right in the middle of the shiftier hole, so my shiftier is hitting it not letting that move freely.. but with Jeff's photo at lease now i know were the to repair it

You nailed it Dave. That pedal is askew if you look at the other end in relation to the brake pedal. We need an Inspector Clouseau avatar.

It looks like your fuel lines are still the plastic ones in the tunnel? Now that is something I would get replaced immediately with stainless steel lines.

Why ? can you see them leaking ?

Sorry to say but that's just a stereo-type response,has little to do with the OP's clutch problem.