i was looking at my steering column today and was trying to figure out it originality. its a four speed but as i look down from the top, just right under the brake booster, there is an arm that stick out like it was used for an automaic column shift. there is no column shift in the interior but as i look at my reference material, on pg 190 of camaro restoration guide by jason scott, there is a pic of four speed interlock linkage. there is a rod that goes from the steering column to a swivel. what is this used for?
angelglo
That lever that sticks out in the engine compartment operates a tube inside the steering column that rotates the "collar" between the cluster and the steering wheel; unless that "collar" is rotated fully counter-clockwise, you can't turn the ignition switch to "Lock" so you can remove the key. That tube also operates the backup light switch on top of the column just rearward of the dash panel when the lever is all the way up (and the "collar" is fully counter-clockwise).
There is an adjustable rod from the lever at the bottom of the column to a bellcrank that's bolted to the subframe, and a fixed rod runs from the bottom of the bellcrank to the reverse lever on the side of the transmission. The system is designed so that when you put it in reverse, the motion goes through the rod from the transmission to the bellcrank, then through the upper rod to the lever on the column, which rotates the "collar" at the top of the column so you can't turn the ignition to "Lock" and remove the key unless the car is in reverse gear.
Headers interfere with the bellcrank/rod arrangement, so it gets pitched when headers go on. When this is done, you have to turn the "collar" manually to get the key out (or to turn on the backup lights); most header cars have the lever on the column wired all the way in the "up" position to the booster bracket (so they don't have to fiddle with the "collar") - this makes the backup lights stay on all the time, so those cars also usually have the backup light bulbs removed, or disconnected at the backup light switch on the column.
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JohnZ
CRG
'69 Z28 Fathom Green
There is an adjustable rod from the lever at the bottom of the column to a bellcrank that's bolted to the subframe, and a fixed rod runs from the bottom of the bellcrank to the reverse lever on the side of the transmission. The system is designed so that when you put it in reverse, the motion goes through the rod from the transmission to the bellcrank, then through the upper rod to the lever on the column, which rotates the "collar" at the top of the column so you can't turn the ignition to "Lock" and remove the key unless the car is in reverse gear.
Headers interfere with the bellcrank/rod arrangement, so it gets pitched when headers go on. When this is done, you have to turn the "collar" manually to get the key out (or to turn on the backup lights); most header cars have the lever on the column wired all the way in the "up" position to the booster bracket (so they don't have to fiddle with the "collar") - this makes the backup lights stay on all the time, so those cars also usually have the backup light bulbs removed, or disconnected at the backup light switch on the column.
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JohnZ
CRG
'69 Z28 Fathom Green
Yes, that applies to '69 4-speeds; if your car has never had headers on it, someone probably just removed the linkage when it got out of adjustment and they didn't know how to fix it.
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JohnZ
CRG
'69 Z28 Fathom Green
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JohnZ
CRG
'69 Z28 Fathom Green
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