'70 Z-28 starting features, etc

[Verne_Frantz]

I have an old time friend who just bought a '70 Z-28. He called to tell me how thrilled he was from the drive home from the delivery truck. He said the car needs to be in reverse to get the key out and the clutch needs to be in to start it. Is this a standard feature?
Let's say you're tuning it up in the driveway. You can't just reach in the window and turn it off and take the keys? I'm clueless so I thought I'd ask. He owned a '69 Z many years ago and those features weren't there, as he remembers.

He says the car is REALLY nice and I'm expecting pictures soon. All original drivetrain.

thanks
Verne

[TDW]

That's the way they are Verne. My 69 Chevelle is the same way. The anti-theft device locks the steering wheel. That's why the collar on the steering column rotates, it's hooked to the reverse arm on the trans, via a rod and pivot that is connected to the collar.

[SuperNovaSS]

Yes, it is part of the reverse lockout feature. They rare are working as many components got taken off for modifications like headers and others got discarded because they were annoying like you said.



Jason

[Lynn]

Hi Verne,

If his 69 didn't have that feature, it was because someone removed it. Happened almost any time headers were installed or any time afer the first few days of ownership that someone thought it was stupid. It is the feature most folks inccorrctly call a "reverse lock out". It does not lock out reverse. It makes it so you must put it in reverse to get the key out. It is more correctly called the interlock. However, you should be able to turn the car off. You just can't turn the ignition far enough counter clockwise to remove the key.

Why? Once the key is turned all the way off and removed the steering wheel is locked. Because stupid teenagers might do something like reach over from the passenger seat and turn off the car, at least the steering wheel isn't locked while you are barrelling down the highway at 70+.

Most Fords with a stick shift use a little button on bottom of the column that must be depressed before one can turn the key far enough counter clockwise to remove it.

[Verne_Frantz]

Thanks guys! I just didn't know. I consider cars from '69-'70- plus "modern" cars and I guess that's one of the reasons why. Seat belt buzzers, shoulder harnesses, key lock-outs, donut spares, door ajar buzzers, smog, etc etc. In my mind, they just lost the purity of a basic car. That's when cars stopped being designed by stylists and built by engineers and began to be designed by lawyers and built by accountants.

Anyway, his car was featured in some book as an example of a '70 Z-28. Emerald Green, white stripes with front and rear spoilers, non-RS. As soon as we have a warm Sunday, he's planning to bring it down here so I can check it out. I think he also wants me to go over the valve adjustments and a tune.

I'll try to get him to join the site and share more photos.

Verne [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[TDW]

Verne...When you adjust the valves, I suggest that you look up the article that John Z wrote about adjusting them. His method made my LT1 run a lot better. Lots of good info in the atricle too.
And I hear you, loud and clear, on the &quot;modern &quot; cars.

[TDW]

Here's the article that I'm talking about.


http://65corvette.nonethewiser.net/t...AdjArticle.pdf

[Verne_Frantz]

Thanks Tony. I've read John's article. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

[Kurt S]

A slightly updated version of John's valve article: http://www.camaros.org/302valves.shtml
Here's a bunch more of his articles:
http://www.camaros.org/articles.shtml

[TDW]

Thanks Kurt.