As I go through the 1971 PIM I have I don't see any breakdown of parts and assembly information for said W-37 option.
I have had the clutch rebuilt, both discs redone, the plate that is sandwiched between the two discs is now getting ground on a surface grinder (a light dusting off).

What I am looking for would be a minimum thickness for said plate and some torque specs. Maybe a location where I could find info in a '71 service manual (or copy of)?

 

You’re talking about the floater plate. There are no known specs on this plate. A clutch rebuilder will test your clutch and shim accordingly. There are specific shims that are used this clutch asm. Hope this helps.

 

Where did you get your clutch discs relined? I have a couple W37 setups and Im going to get going on one for 72 W30 4 speed car. I only have the one dual disc flywheel which is very specific for the option.

 

Not to be a Negative Nelly, but how much does it cost to refurb a factory clutch? For about $1000, you can get a brand new, twin disc McLeod RST that's already balanced and shimmed as an assembly.
Will a judge pop the fork dust boot to spy the clutch cover color? Maybe it's just knowing you made the effort to get it as close to factory as possible? I don't get it.

 

That’s what makes this a hobby. I like to do projects and stay busy and my brother had the factory W37 option in his car. The clutch was butter smooth. Buy a McLeod if that works for you. I would like to restore the original W37 setup. Room for all of us.

 

Some people prefer to keep their cars original.

 

I prefer Center Force myself always had great results
Alain platinum 442 4 Spd factory A/C

 

Everything about a W-37 is special…sold mine and got a Centerforce, much better clutch IMHO.

 

I don't remember any shims either time the clutch has been out, unless they are in the clutch itself. Both times it has gone to the same local company. This time (third), it again went to the same company, but they no longer do the clutches, just relined the discs. The clutch was sent to someplace in Oregon, the only local clutch guy that Cascade Friction in Tacoma, WA. knew of.

I researched and looked at other options from $1000 - $2000, no particular reason I went this way, maybe just to throw the original setup back in. I have just under $400 into the relining and the work on the clutch.

 

The floater plate uses shims between the clutch cover. Your service manual illustrates where the shims are. Hope this helps.

 

Yes, I have those three shims (one on each bolt). I have not mic'd the plate to see how much came off during the grind on that mounting side. Although I did wonder if those were what you were referencing.

The service manual is what I don't have, I only have the PIM.

 

I’ll look at a clutch that I have and measure the floater plate. This clutch has never been rebuilt. That’s odd that you’ve had to rebuild your clutch so many times? Most of them really outlast the cars themselves.

 

I think it's cool that you are rebuilding it. The W-37 option never got the respect it deserved, while the W-27 got respect that it didn't deserve. Don't get me wrong the W-27 is a cool option but the W-37 does more for drive-ability. If you get the chance, I'd like to see a few pictures of the finished product.

 

Here’s pics of the W-37 clutch shown in the ‘71 Oldsmobile Service Manual, note the .027 washers…

 

joesw31:
In '85 we had the engine rebuilt and we only had the discs relined nothing done with the clutch that I remember. My dad passed in '87 @ 52 years old (leukemia). The car was actually my moms daily since new. Around '94/'95 my mom complained about it starting to hang up a bit going into second gear. I dropped the transmission and sent it to a recommended transmission guy and had it gone through for her, relined the discs again (because it was apart). So in reality, it really wasn't burning through clutches.

v8al:
I will do that once it is back. All of the clutch setup right now is at the engine builders, I just got home from dropping off the floater plate to all be included in the balancing.

dc2x4drvr:
Thank you, perfect those are what I wanted to see. Yep those are the washers I have.