[freebeard]

Vacuum-controlled, hydraulically actuated with engine oil pressure. From the AMC Forum:

Re: Rambler E-Stick
Reply #1 - 01/07/09 at 21:53:56
E-stick was only on six cylinder cars, 62-64 Americans and Classics with the 196 OHV or L-head. It used engine oil pressure to activate the clutch through a series of mechanical and vacuum switches. A high volume oil pump was used with a special pressure plate and bell housing. The clutch arm was on the right side and worked in reverse of a normal clutch. A hydraulic cylinder that ran off engine oil pressure pushed on the arm and ENGAGED the clutch instead of disengaging it. The more engine speed the more oil pressure, the more oil pressure the more pressure holding the clutch engaged. A special cover for the oil pump held a valve assembly which fed the hydraulic cylinder. Switches on the shift linkage prevented oil pressure from being applied to the cylinder unless the trans was in gear. Trans was a standard T-96 three speed manual, but it could also be had with overdrive.

The system worked fine until the engine got enough wear that oil pressure started to drop. So for the first 80-100K miles, depending on how well it was taken care of, it was fine, after that the clutch would slip some whenever the car was under a load. The clutch slipped more than a normal clutch by design, and was accordingly a bit bigger in diameter and had a little more mating surface than the standard 196 clutch disc. It worked in principle like an auto trans clutch, except no fluid to keep it cool. An auto trans has some type of throttle cable or linkage (TV cable, kick-down rod, or vacuum modulator) to control internal pressure. The E-stick just used engine rpm.
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Frank Swygert
Publisher, American Motors Cars
www.amc-mag.com