TOPIC:

Can anyone tell me how the clutch gear on the Wild Willy One works? Please?

That is a very good question!
I did not know myself, so I took one apart to hava a look.

As you can see from the picture, the spring push the gear onto the cone surface on the shaft.
I tried to turn the gear on the shaft, but that is not possible, even with tools... So maybe it did not work as Tamiya intended, at least not after 30 years. The spring seems very stiff, considering the cone.

Thank you for the dissection! I thougt it might have some sort of safety function in case of sudden shifts from full reverse to full forward, to avoid destroying the gears. But as you say, time might have tanken its toll on the gear/cone connection. If I have got it right, this part came pre assembeled from the factory, so probably no help to find in NIB either.

Yes, they came pre assebled.
I doubt I can get mine together again because of the very stiff spring....

-Lars

If you can find a softer spring it might reveal its original mission!