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Well I have a new lockout switch linkage rod mocked up. I made it from a piece of stainless steel hook rod that is normally used to support a curtain in the middle of it's run. It was almost the perfect diameter rod compared to the old one. The little "Doo-Dad" lever that connects to the shift rod must have been repaired in the past as its as crooked as a politician.

The push on rod retainer clips fell apart on removal, so I need to replace those, but even without the clips in place the rod linkage works through the entire shift range from Park to Reverse with no binding. I will have to see if I can find those retainer clips at Lowes.

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If not Lowe's, then Orchard in the fastener section with all the pull out plastic bins.

Kevin, that looks really terrific and you should be very proud of the work. Now if I could only convince you to replace that alternator with a generator.....

The clip you refer to, is it like one of those carburetor rod clips with two eyes, one each side of the lever, and a portion that clips over the rod shank? If so I have a modest assortment of them. If so let me know the rod diameter and whether it's left or right-handed and if I have one, it's yours.

Dave the clip is a push on type. Basically a circular piece of spring steel with a hole in the center.

They look like these (found in the Restoration Supply Catalog). But I need to measure the shaft size.

Thanks!

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Alrighty...I was able to get several things done. First I got the heater box back on the firewall. I left the rear screw of the heater box lid off, as now I can remove the heater box lid, without having to remove the entire unit from the firewall (which on '54 and prior has to be done under the dash). The other 5 screws will hold the lid in place just fine.

I also remounted the throttle linkage assemble, parking brake assemble, fan and water-pump pulley, and also the trans-cooler.

The biggest challenge was remouting the sway-bar. First I thought the sway-bar was 5/8" when I ordered the sway-bar bushing from Energy Suspension. But the bar is actually closer to 3/4". So I had to bore out the bushings to the correct size. That only took a few moment on the drill press. The biggest challenge was the end bar bushings. The bushings went over the bar ends ok, but I could for the like of my could not bed the retainer clips back in place on the control arms. If I had a big enough C-Clamp then I could have squeezed them in place by force. It can down to the shape of the clip, compared to the shape of the new bushings. So I slightly trimmed the outer edge of the bushings to match the shape of the clip, and then I was able to strong-arm the clips into snapping back in place.

The solid spacer blocks I made to replace the Packard swaybar backets worked perfectly and allowed me to use the Energy Suspension bushings and brackets, and maintain the same spacing and placement.

Anyway here are the pics:

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That clip is designed to BIGHT into the metal a little bit to keep it from working off. U used SS for the rod so keep a close check on it to be sure it doesn't try to work off as the linkage is moved.

What's SS? Sorry I am not understanding what you are talking about.

Oh, your taking about the Lockout-Switch linkage. I thought you were taking about the the Sway Bar clips.

Thanks for the advice. I am going to file a thin groove in the end of the switch linkage bar I made to give the clips something to bite into. I think that should address the issue.

SS = Stainless steel.

Yes, a groove should cure any problems of the clip slipping off. Best to avoid using SS tho for any automotive applications except things like trim or EXTREME heat conditions.

Go ahead run the SS link u made and try it. My guess is that it will break after 200 - 300 cycles and break directly at the inside corner of the bend.