New guy 79 factory 4 speed wagon.

[t5montecarlo]

It is a very thick piece. The one pictured on my website I did with a stick welder in about 1991. The important thing is to get proper penetration or the part will peel away with force. The brace will do a far better job than the factory fillet weld. They must have had bad lots as I have seen a few, but don't read about the older cars having the same problem.

 

[Mighty]

Rebuild kit was delivered Monday while I was at work. Got it all back together last night and in the car. It was tough getting at the pivot ball on the engine block with headers in the way that’s for sure. Then I just could not get the white plastic pivot seats in far enough to get the snap ring in where it connects to the bracket on the frame. After quite a bit of time cleaning the bellcrank out I finally got it in and together. Then it was in a little too far so i pulled it back apart and was lucky enough to find a washer to use as a shim. Packed both ends full of grease by hand and put the new grease fitting in and threw it back in the car.

 

[t5montecarlo]

Nearly there!

 

[Mighty]

I’m going to be on the lookout for a brass bushing for the zbar where the swivel goes through it. Mine is worn and I completely forgot to ask my welder buddy what he thought about filling it in and redrilling it. Unless there’s a slightly bigger swivel that will screw on to the adjustment rod.

 

[t5montecarlo]

Swivels are all the same size. A bushing or welding/redrilling are the options.

The swivel is the consumable part. A brass bushing may wear quickly. A hardened bushing may be a better idea.

 

[Mighty]

Got it thanks. Hopefully tomorrow night when I go back out there I can have all of the clutch linkage parts back in place. I wanted to do that last night so I could start re examining the new clutch fork spring but like I said that rebuild took a lot longer than expected.

 

[t5montecarlo]

I wonder if the hardened tool stool bushings for 4-speed linkage have the same inside bore as the lower pushrod swivel diameter?
Hurst Hardened Steel Bushing and Clip Kit

Write to Paul Cangialosi ([email protected]) and ask what the inside diameter of the bushings are so see if you can use his bushing on your bellcrank (I just remembered GM calls it a cross shaft). Let him know why you are asking; he may have, or know of, a different product that will work for you.

 

[Mighty]

I like that Paul fella a lot. My dad took the old swivel one night last week and has just been aimlessly driving around trying to find one that would fit it with no luck yet. It’s not his top priority though. I want to get all the linkages in place tomorrow, try to figure out the fork spring, drop the distributor in, polish the valve covers and put them on the heads with the new gaskets. I want it to be as close to done as possible for if/when I every get my column back.

 

[t5montecarlo]

It doesn't look like Dorman makes the swivel, so I feel the swivel will be a dealer-only item or a restoration parts item. I don't think a parts store will carry it.

Search for 3840845 and you will find the best price to get it. Some vendors are out of their minds with the price they are asking.

Russ Young has one at his website:

GM's 3840845 Swiivel

A Chevy dealer has one for a bit less:

03840845 - F (S)Swivel - parts.folsomchevy.com

F (S)Swivel - 3840845. Genuine GM® Parts & Accessories. Manufacturer Warranty. From the Dealership to your Door. Experts standing by.

parts.folsomchevy.com

I recommend also looking at shipping costs to find the best overall deal.

 

[Mighty]

One more thing out of curiosity, I was messing around with the clutch fork spring last night. Assuming I’m using the correct hole in the frame, should that sucker be stretched out pretty good? That new spring is pretty tight and it took quite a bit of effort to get it hooked up.