Stuck Clutch after Winter layup

[A7novice]

4 speed 1933 RP. Car garaged for over-Winter late November 2018. On taking out of moth balls today, 1st March 2019, Clutch would not disengage. Clutch pedal travel feels normal, I can see the release 'oiler tube' is moving forward as normal.
I suspect the clutch linings have bonded to the splined-plate, possibly result of rust developing and forming a bond.
I have chocking wheels, handbrake hard on, and tried turning over with pedal depressed, both on starting handle and via starter motor. I  have also tried rocking car back and forward with clutch depressed. No joy.
Anyone got any suggestions (short of dropping gearbox and physically separating the clutch components?)
Any ideas will be welcome (I really don't want to remove the gearbox if I can avoid it)

[bob46320]

Tow the car with another, select 2nd gear and tow at 20 mph, keep the clutch depressed, ignition off. Hopefully it will disengage after a bit. Have some sort of communication with the tow car.

[dickie65]

Hi,
You should be able to take the cover out from under the carpet then remove the flywheel cover.
Next loosen the 6 clutch cover bolts without removing them. ( If you can swap them one at a time for longer ones )
You can lock the flywheel by dropping a peg down the hole in the outside and stopping it against the crankcase.
Use a wooden wedge to protect the case.
Engage fourth gear then rock car against the peg do not rock the car too far backwards and forwards or the peg will hit the opposite side of the crankcase.
If you have some longer 1/4" bolts swap them one at a time, the clutch cover should then be no longer holding the cover against the centre plate.
Your Seized Clutch means congratulations are in order, No oil on the clutch or flywheel. !!!!

[Hedd_Jones]

if you have a car trailer. put it in the car trailer. put it in gear. 1st or reverse. wedge the clutch pedal down. tie it on well. but loosley. go for a drive down a bumpy road. when you.get home clutch will be disengaged

[andrew34ruby]

Drive the car. Warm the engine up then switch off. Start it in first gear using the starter motor and a push. Then match the revs to go through the gears. In top gear keep driving and hold the clutch pedal on the floor. Accelerate on a slight uphill and it should come free.

[A7novice]

Thanks very much to all the folks that replied, much appreciated. Over the coming days I will give the suggestions a go (tied up with domestic duties over weekend !)
Looking on the pessimistic side, if none of these suggestions work, and I am faced with having to manually separate the 'glued' clutch plates, is it possible to remove the gearbox from the car leaving the engine in situ in a 1933 RP with 4 speed syncro gearbox?...I really don't fancy having to remove engine+gearbox…..I did that last year to overall the engine....fitted new clutch linings at same time, adjusted clutch fingers etc. not a five minute job !

[Zetomagneto]

Andrew, exactly my thoughts, and what I would do, but not wanting to take the blame if the starter burns out

[Chris KC]

I'm with Andrew and Zeto, I'd get her moving and look for a few potholes to drive over.

Must say I've never heard of an A7 clutch sticking like this. Are you quite sure you are getting the full stroke of pedal & levers?

[bob46320]

You wouldn't have to take the engine out, just undo the bell housing bolts and slide the engine forward a little, just enough to loosen bolts and "manipulate" things (Radiator out etc etc), but try other things first.

[John Mason]

I am with Dickie65. Take the flywheel cover off and slacken the bolts. Turn the engine over to bring all the bolts to the top in turn to enable all bolts to be loosened. Then start the engine and take off with a bit of a jerk. If this works there is no need to remove either gearbox or engine.

John Mason

P.s. Don't forget to retighten afterwards.