For SN-95 and New Edge Mustang owners in search of more modern clutch feel and improved engine clearance for swaps, the solution doesn’t have to crowd the firewall anymore. Modern Driveline showed off its 1994-2004 Mustang Stealth In-Dash Hydraulic Clutch Master Cylinder Kit setup at the PRI Show. It cleans up the engine compartment by placing most of the hardware under the dash.
“As many of the Fox-body and SN-95 owners have experienced, cables have been a challenge, both for modifications and header clearance,” Bruce Couture, Founder and President of Modern Driveline, explained. “So, we went ahead and designed our hydraulic system so that it is completely inside the dash. You’re not fighting for firewall space.”
Rather than adding brackets or drilling new holes in the firewall, this system mounts directly to the OEM pedal support inside the car. Once installed, the hydraulic master cylinder is completely hidden from view while freeing up valuable space in the engine bay for tight-fitting engine swaps.
“A lot of guys are doing Modular-motor conversions where the valve cover is interfering with the location of traditional hydraulic systems, so when we did our hydraulic system, we put the cylinder inside the dash so the pedal arm is a part of the design,” Couture said.
The kit includes an OEM-appearing clutch pedal that maintains the stock look while incorporating an adjustable pedal ratio. That adjustment allows builders to fine-tune pedal effort and engagement to match their drivetrain combination, whether it’s a mild street setup or something racier. By anchoring the system to the factory pedal structure, Modern Driveline also eliminates the flex and inconsistent feel that can plague firewall-mounted conversions.
“We make it super easy to install, as the cylinder has the correct volume to work with most of the industry’s slave cylinders, including the ones that we offer,” Couture said. “The braided lines then pass through the original clutch rod hole with a sealed plate system. And then remote reservoirs are mounted on the firewall or wherever a customer would like to do so…”
That approach keeps the installation straightforward and avoids unnecessary modifications to the car. Depending on configuration, the kit is available with a compact, remote-mounted aluminum reservoir and mounting bracket, as well as billet, plastic, and integral reservoir options, offering builders flexibility based on space constraints and personal preference.
“One of the other key features that we designed into it — besides the OEM-looking pedal arm — is that we have three positions on the pedal for changing the ratio,” Couture added. “So if you have a pedal or a clutch that is maybe a little sluggish or a little slow to respond, you can kind of tune it to the driver’s desire. You can say, ‘Hey, I wish it would release higher off the floor, or it was faster, or whoa, whoa, it’s too fast, slow this thing down,’ and you can do that by moving the pivot point.”
This kit is a great option for manual-transmission 1994-2004 Mustangs, especially those undergoing engine swaps or drivetrain modernizations where clutch cable routing and underhood clearance are challenges.
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