Hi - I am changing from PG to Manual in my 65 Malibu. I have 65 clutch pedal set and it is installed, I just need to know where the hole should be drilled for the clutch pedal pushrod to Zbar.

Thanks! Burke

I have worked on camaros and novas and they have all had the holes there already even on factory automatic cars. They were just covered with a plate.
In any case the hole is about 2" in diameter so you could start out small enough for the rod to just go through and trim it out so the rod can clear through complete travel, then trim it perfectly round and buy a boot from a restoration company.
Or wait for someone who has a more specific answer http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

My experience is with 66 Chevelles, but I think it should be the same...

For mine, the upper linkage rod (pedal to Z-bar) goes through the lower steering column plate. This is the sheetmetal plate that screws to the firewall and the steering column goes through... The pushrod goes through the outboard side of that plate where there is a flat area... So no actual firewall cutting is necessary...

The factory hole is rather big because the boot will cover the hole, but I don't think its quite 2-inches, and its kind of oval, being wider than it is tall...

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"Once you go RAT, you never go back..."
TC #1366
Tony
The Chevelle (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleA.jpg)
Dual Quad 396 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleC.jpg)
Side View (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/1966_L78/ChevelleD.jpg)

[This message has been edited by 1966_L78 (edited 01-27-2003).]

I recently did a four speed conversion on my '65. 66_L78 is right. The hole goes through the steering column mounting plate. When I did mine, I pulled out the steering column. Using the boot retainer, you can figure out exactly where to cut. It's a little hard to explain, but once you start working with it, you will see what I mean. The hole is an irregular hex shape. After marking the hex shape on the steering column mounting plate, I just drilled a small hole at each corner of the hex and played connect the dots with a saber saw.

Have you figured out where to attach the frame side bracket for the z-bar? If you are interested, I figured out an easy, fool proof way to locate the right spot. The assembly manual is not very useful on this point, unless you just happened to have stripped your car down to a bare frame.

Thanks for the replies you guys are a huge help! I am so glad I found this site!

Tedixon - I dont have the perfect spot for the bracket. I have the inner fenderwell out and after looking at it I thought I would wait until I installed the transmission and got the block at the correct angle. I would hate to weld the bracket on and then have to grind it off because it needed to be 1/8 inch higher or lower. I dont know, I am and have always used my best judgement with this car and as long as I take my time it seems to work. While it is not rocket science it is still quite technical and we all want our cars to be dependable, fast and unique because we built them.
(I will take all the free help I can get!)

tedixon,

I too would like to know your foolproof way. I need to weld one onto my 65 for my manual conversion. Does your solution work with the engine in, or out, of the car?

Thanks,

Tim

This method only works with the engine in.

You take a piece of threaded rod that is the same diameter and thread size as the block side pivot ball and at least as long as the distance between the block and the outside of the frame. Then, you screw the threaded rod into the boss in the block. Since the z-bar (bell crank, countershaft) is straight on a '65, frame side of the threaded rod should be in exactly the same place where the frame side bracket and pivot ball need to be.

As an additional check to make sure you are in the right place, the top part of the frame side bracket should be square with the thread rod. On a '65, the frame side bracket mounts on a curved part of the frame. The bracket has a little twist in the top of it to adjust for curve in the frame. When you test fit your frame side bracket, you should notice that if the bracket is off a little, the top part of the bracket is not square with the thread rod.

This isn't exactly doing it by the book, but it worked for me.

I'm also converting to a manual in my '66. In the '66 factory assembly manual on page 142 it shows the location for the clutch bracket.(1.80 inches aft of a "guide hole", +/- .12) I'll probably mark it out and then try tedixons route and compare the results... Unfortunately it's going to be awhile before I'm ready for that step. What a great idea for locating the bracket though,I never would've thought of it!!!

Find a manual shifted lower column plate, they have the factory hole aready in them and then the upper push rod boot with fit perfect.

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Brett
'67
L6 malibu [just looks and runs like a SS396]
13.73 @ 101.58 G7014wideovals,M20,full exhuast w/tailpipes
The'67 (http://www.thenebula.com/carpics/pics/Mvc-067s.jpg)

Here are some photos that may help. One shows the bracket location on the frame and the other 2 the plate and boot for the clutch pedal rod.

lower column plate (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/64elcamino/plate.jpg)

boot (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/64elcamino/boot.jpg)

frame bracket (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/64elcamino/framebracket.jpg)

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Philip #42
1964 El Camino
1964 Malibu SS FOR SALE
1978 El Camino

[This message has been edited by 64elcamino (edited 02-01-2003).]