As I put it into first gear and tried to slowly let out the clutch, it was very hard to keep gradual, it just bit and lurched forward. I have barely driven it a few yards but at least the clutch is not seized and I can engage 1st and reverse gear. The problem is the clutch pedal needs more pressure than any other car I have driven and in particular at the biting point. Is this normal and if not what could it be,( note the car had been unused for about 20 years).
Firstly, I'm surprised that after such a long time the clutch works, I've often had to free mine off after only a winter of sitting in the garage.
Trying to compare with a modern car is tough, mainly because my version of "harsh" might be someone else's "normal". But I'd say that the TC Europa clutch is heavy, certainly compared with the same engine and virtually the same clutch in the Elan and definitely compared with a modern car.
A couple of things - firstly it's a cable clutch with a relatively long cable run whether or not you have the outer cable stopped at a chassis-welded bracket or the engine mounted one. With the cable layout on the Europa there's got to be some friction even if it's small compared with the force your foot exerts. It's a personal thing but I find hydraulic operation tends to be smoother than cable even if cables are still used in some modern cars. Going back to the Elan, that has hydraulic operation and feels "modern".
Secondly, the pedal leverage and pedal platform are small compared with most modern cars (and even the 1960s Elan) so the pressure on the ball of your foot will seem higher. I could imagine anyone thinking it's "all or nothing" in operation.
My clutch is relatively new and I'd say it's more difficult to manoeuvre slowly than other cars we own but it's just a learning curve. Once you've driven the car around a few times it becomes "that's what this car feels like" and your mind copes accordingly. Once you're moving along I don't notice it as unusual, it's just starting off that my mind says "heavy clutch".
Brian
