ID Fork Push Rod

[Peter Ansted]

The fork push rod I just removed from my 63 4 speed doesn't look original. It is 11.25 inches long and has a single eyelet for some type of spring about a third of the way from an end. I see no numbers on the part. Any idea if this is original? Thanks Again

[Joe L.]

Re: ID Fork Push Rod

Peter------

What does the END of the fork look like? I'm talking about the end where the push rod articulates with the fork.

[Peter Ansted]

Re: ID Fork Push Rod

Joe, it looks like the fork in the 1964 Assembly Manual. Too bad my car is a 63 and the fork/rod combo pictured in the 1963 Assembly Manual is quite different. Is this a reason why my new clutch is at the end of the adjusting rod? Thanks for you prompt reply

[Joe L.]

Re: ID Fork Push Rod

Peter-----

If the clutch for end is configured like the picture you see in the 64 AIM, then it's incorrect for your 1963. If it's a 1964-81 Corvette fork, it will work for your car if the proper fork pushrod is also used. If it's a pushrod for some other application, then it's hard to say if it will work properly, at all. The only way that I know of, for sure, to determine if it's the 64-81 style fork is to compare it to a known 64-81 fork. There are no permanent part numbers on these forks. Sometimes, if it's a SERVICE piece of GM origin it will have the part number inked on the fork or a part tag. These tend to "go away" after a short while, though.

The 1963 fork and fork push rod are long-since GM-discontinued. They are available in reproduction, though. So, if you wish to convert to the original configuration (which, by the way, is functionally inferior to the 64-81 configuration), you can do it.

[Peter Ansted]

Re: ID Fork Push Rod

Thanks Joe - I can check this fork rod against a friends 64 fork rod. If no match, I can always order a 64 rod and fight the wrong fork battle at a different time. Will this fork be compatable with the TO bearing from a 63 clutch kit?

[Joe L.]

Re: ID Fork Push Rod

Peter------

Yes, assuming that it has the correct release bearing for a 1963 installed, that bearing will work perfectly with the 64 fork. 1963s originally used a 1-1/4" long release bearing as did early 1964s. L1964-80 originally used a 1-7/32" long release bearing. However, the 1-7/32" bearing was discontinued more than 20 years ago and replaced by the 1-1/4" bearing. The 1-1/4" bearing, which is likely what you have installed, will work with both the 63 fork and with the 64-81 fork. If, by some chance, you have the 1-7/32" bearing installed, it will work just fine with the 64 fork, too. However, if you had a 1-7/32" bearing installed, that would mean that it's more than 20 years old, so it would be time for replacement, anyway, and for a replacement you would have to use the 1-1/4" bearing.

[Joe L.]

Addendum

Also, you don't need to comapre the fork push rod to your friend's 64 rod. All you need to do is measure its overall lenth (from end-to-end). If it's 10-9/16", then it's the correct rod. If it's 8-37/64", then it's NOT the correct rod.

[Peter Ansted]

Re: Addendum

Joe - The pics of a C1 push rod in the doc's catalogue is dead on to this one, swivel end and all. The fork in the pic is also dead on. This is an early 63 car. Maybe the boys at GM didn't get the change memo soon enough.

[Gordon Peterson #4961]

Re: Addendum

Peter / Joe -

Maybe I'm missing something here, but this should be a no-brainer. The '63 pushrod and clutch fork are a ball and socket arrangement. The ball on the end of the pushrod rides in a socket on the fork. The '64 and later have a hole on the end of the pushrod attached with a pivot pin to a clevis on the clutch fork. Should be easy to distinguish. No?

Pete

[Joe L.]

Re: Addendum

Pete and Peter-----

Yes, that's exactly how I described the 63-only configuration in a response to a previous question of Peter on this subject. The 63-only fork and rod are as you describe. I think that, with this question, Peter was trying to identify what fork that he actually has on his car.

In the latter regard, I don't think that the car could have the C1 style fork and rod. The C1 fork arm is configured differently than the 63+ arm configuration. I don't think that the C1 arm would work, at all, with the 63+ style bellhousing. The C1 fork and fork push rod articulation is like the 64-81, though---63 was the only year Corvette with the "ball and socket" articulation. In any event, the C1 fork pushrod is a unique length---it's 9-13/16" overall length. So, if the car has this length pushrod, then maybe it does have the C1 fork and pushrod set-up. Or, it has the 64-81 fork with a 56-62 pushrod. That would be another possibility.