63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Thanks everyone. I think we've made progress on this. So far, the first report of the new CHECK-LUBE cover is 25 May 1963. After that, it's a mixture of yes/no through the 19,000 range with most having the new style.
I would guess that all, or most all, by the 20,000 VIN range would probably have the CHECK-LUBE style.

[Harry S.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Michael, I'm also amazed that most have the cast number on the top. As I recall from looking through the thread only one person had a cover with no CHECK-LUBE and no cast number. I think the JG says all covers in 63 did not have a cast number, can anyone verify this.

Thanks

[Chuck G.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Hi Michael.

My 19496 has the "CHECK LUBE".

It has a casting number recessed, not raised of 3666723.

I cannot see any other "dash XXX" after that number, but I can't get the hood all the way open as the car is under the lift, and my old eyeballs aren't as good as they used to be. I was using a small MagLite holding the hood open using my head.

Chuck

[John D.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Michael, March 2nd 63 does not have check lube but it does have a "casting" number. JD

[Nick M.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

I have an April 13th car with the casting number and no "check lube" and lost 1 point in Charlotte a few weeks ago as the judges said that there was not supposed to be a casting # on the cover

[John H.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

It is a little fuzzy in my memory as to how the quick ratio was specified or accomplished. I recall my buddy, who was an SCCA license holder, advised and counseled me to be certain I specified the quick steering. I know, it is only a tie rod position adjustment, and yes it would require re-aligment if it were changed from one position to the other. As we know, the C-1's had a bracket and clamp type arrangement that had to be added to attain the quicker ratio, so it followed that many expected it to be available with the newer 63 design as well. I have lived with the "truck like" steering for all these years, but others I have driven w/o the quicker ratio didn't seem all that much better - so I never changed it.

I have checked my dealer paper work and do not see any reference to they having made the change themselves, so I assume it came from the factory that way.

We run into something new on these suckers all the time it seems.

Stu Fox

Stu -

There was no factory option for "quick steering"; it was accomplished by moving the outer tie rod ends from the hole furthest from the spindle to the hole closest to the spindle (same hole used when power steering was specified). All manual steering cars left St. Louis with the tie rod ends in the outer hole, and power steering cars left with them in the inner hole, and the power steering cars had an aluminum plug in the outer hole to prevent the tie rod ends from being moved there (that could damage the seals in the power cylinder).

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

I have an April 13th car with the casting number and no "check lube" and lost 1 point in Charlotte a few weeks ago as the judges said that there was not supposed to be a casting # on the cover

Nick, I just looked at page 124 in the JG and it states that for 63, the cover is plain but 64 covers have a part number 5666723 and the words CHECK-LUBE cast into it.

I think most 63's had the casting number and most late 63 also had the CHECK-LUBE but some earlier 63 may not have either.
I would guess that ALL 64's had both the casting number and CHECK-LUBE.



This same cover was used for all Chevrolet passenger cars from 1955 to at least 1964. It's possible that some of the covers did not have the casting number, especially those cast before 1963.

[John D.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

I have an April 13th car with the casting number and no "check lube" and lost 1 point in Charlotte a few weeks ago as the judges said that there was not supposed to be a casting # on the cover

Nick, One thing we have learned here with Hansons survey is that 99% of the covers HAVE a casting number. JD

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

John;

Thanks for your post about my "quick ratio" steering. I guess it will always remain a mystery as to who made the change and when. I will continue to try and discover how it came about, but the dealer is long gone so they can be of no help. My buddy was close to the people I ordered through as the discounted price I got was thanks to him. It stands to reason that he no doubt promoted the change as well.

One thing is for sure, having quick ratio steering and J-65 metallic brakes sure kept it a "mans" car all these years. The one woman that tried to drive it, even with a lot of coaching, ran it into the back of another car (minor damage) and bounced it off a RR tie wall trying to get it stopped.

Stu Fox

[Douglas C.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Two '63's I've owned for 20 years - 12/21/62 (convt) and 6/18/63 (SWC); neither have "check lube" on the steering box cap - just part no. in recess on both

[Wayne M.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Tom-----I feel pretty confident that the "dash number" suffix to the casting number represents a pattern number. These covers were a sand casting and required patterns to make the sand mold. At some point, I expect that the existing patterns were either modified to include the "check lube" script and/or when new patterns were introduced the "check lube" script was included. In any event, I'm sure that all this did not happen "at once", so there was very likely a "phase-in" period in which some covers had the "check lube" and others did not depending upon the pattern the cover was produced from.

Not to hijack the '63 MY aspect of this thread, but just how high do the suffix #s to the 5666723 go ? So far, I've seen (in the above posts) a "48", and the pic below is off my late '65 (with suffix 55). My early '65 has a very faint cast, but the suffix looks like "[dash] 2". What is found on the '66 and 7's ?

[Joe L.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Not to hijack the '63 MY aspect of this thread, but just how high do the suffix #s to the 5666723 go ? So far, I've seen (in the above posts) a "48", and the pic below is off my late '65 (with suffix 55). My early '65 has a very faint cast, but the suffix looks like "[dash] 2". What is found on the '66 and 7's ?

Wayne-----

I have no information on how numerically high the suffix numbers went. However, these covers were definitely an internally manufactured GM part. The "wagon wheel" indicates a Central Foundry-produced casting and Central Foundry commonly included pattern numbers on their castings. My GUESS would be that these were nodular, ductile, or malleable iron castings produced either at the Saginaw nodular iron foundry or the Danville, IL foundry. Most likely, it was Danville, IL. While the "wagon wheel" applied to all Central Foundry casting locations, it was only regularly used by Danville. The other foundries used it only sporadically. I don't know why.

[Bill C.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Michael
Is it possible that the intent of the word "plain" in the JG means without the check lube that is on the'64covers??
Bill

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Michael
Is it possible that the intent of the word "plain" in the JG means without the check lube that is on the'64covers??
Bill

I wondered about that too, Bill. I just looked at the manual and it seems to be specific when describing the 63 as plain and the 64 as having the casting number and CHECK-LUBE. No mention of casting number for 63.

[Greg W.]

Re: 63 Steering Gear "Check-Lube" Survey

Not to hijack the '63 MY aspect of this thread, but just how high do the suffix #s to the 5666723 go ? So far, I've seen (in the above posts) a "48", and the pic below is off my late '65 (with suffix 55). My early '65 has a very faint cast, but the suffix looks like "[dash] 2". What is found on the '66 and 7's ?

Nov. 62 build and mine shows both "CHECK LUBE" and has a "54" suffix number.