Triumph Repair: Opposite clutch problem, clutch slave cylinder, clutch disk

Question
Hi, I have read a lot of your answers...Very helpful.
I have a 71 Spitfire that had been sitting in a body shopfor 10 years. I have recently got it running and cleaned up.
I am having trouble ENGAGING the clutch. Master and slave Cyl seem to be working fine but I cannot get the clutch to engage. With the car running I can go through the gears, or start it in gear without the car moving at all.
Can it be frozen disengaged?
Thanks Brian

Answer
Hi Brian,
There are several things that can make a car have no drive.
You first need to check to see that the clutch slave cylinder does not have any hydraulic pressure in it when the clutch pedal is released. Just loosen the line from the master cylinder to see that there is no pressure. (bad  master cylinder) If not go down to the slave cylinder and remove the mounting/pinch bolt that holds the slave cylinder into the bell housing. If the piston were stuck on the outer most area due to rust, then the slave cylinder will be forced out of the bell housing when the mounting bolt is removed.
Another possible is that the clutch release bearing slider is stuck on the sleeve due to rust and will not return.
Other things that can cause the car to have no drive is the center clutch disk hub can be broken out of the disk.

I believe you will find one of the above as the cause.
Howard