M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

[James W.]

Per the 1965 TIMJG it states that the shift linkage, rods, swivels, nut and clips have a black phosphate finish. Are the 1-2, 3-4 and reverse close ratio gear levers that are attached at the transmission side case part of the TIMJG description as black phosphate or should they be a different finish?


Thanks,

James West

[John H.]

Re: M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

Per the 1965 TIMJG it states that the shift linkage, rods, swivels, nut and clips have a black phosphate finish. Are the 1-2, 3-4 and reverse close ratio gear levers that are attached at the transmission side case part of the TIMJG description as black phosphate or should they be a different finish?


Thanks,

James West

James -

They're phosphated.

[Michael H.]

Re: M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

James -

They're phosphated.

I thought the clevis at the end of the shift rods and the transmission mounted levers were natural? I looked at an old original shifter from a 66 a few weeks ago that came with a friends project car and this was the case. The shifter was removed from the car in the first year of it's life and kept by the original owner.

I have several NOS levers for 65 and newer. Most are natural and one was dipped in black with a part number tag????

[Wayne M.]

Re: M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

'65 TIMJG description as black phosphate or should they be a different finish ?
James West

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I dunno James, does black phosphate wear off, leaving a shiny steel surface ? These are off my early '65s original tranny. Replaced a few years ago with an NOS service 3-4 which was dipped/sprayed ? in semigloss, and had the blue and white GM parts sticker.

Notice the Greek (?) cross stamped just below the 3-4.

[John H.]

Re: M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

I thought the clevis at the end of the shift rods and the transmission mounted levers were natural? I looked at an old original shifter from a 66 a few weeks ago that came with a friends project car and this was the case. The shifter was removed from the car in the first year of it's life and kept by the original owner.

I have several NOS levers for 65 and newer. Most are natural and one was dipped in black with a part number tag????

Michael -

I agree on the clevises - they were natural. All the original levers I've seen were phosphated, but service levers I've seen were painted; I suppose they could have been natural as well.

[Michael H.]

Re: M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

Michael -

I agree on the clevises - they were natural. All the original levers I've seen were phosphated, but service levers I've seen were painted; I suppose they could have been natural as well.

Pretty hard to tell anything for sure from this pic of an early 66 chassis on the line at the plant but the levers appear to be unplated, or at least, not black or dark grey phosphate. The lock washer behind the attaching nut definitely does look black which would be a good comparrison if the levers were black.
I called the guy that has the original shifter that was removed from his 66 when the car was almost new. The shifter is still in the Hurst box from about 1967. He said the levers are definitely unplated. I'll try to get him to take/send a few pic's.
The levers in my early 66 appear to be natural also.

[Chuck S.]

Re: M21 Side Case 1-2, 3-4 and Reverse Gear Level Finish

Pretty hard to tell anything for sure from this pic of an early 66 chassis on the line at the plant but the levers appear to be unplated, or at least, not black or dark grey phosphate. The lock washer behind the attaching nut definitely does look black which would be a good comparrison if the levers were black.
I called the guy that has the original shifter that was removed from his 66 when the car was almost new. The shifter is still in the Hurst box from about 1967. He said the levers are definitely unplated. I'll try to get him to take/send a few pic's.
The levers in my early 66 appear to be natural also.

I don't know if this is any help, but by late 70, I recorded my M20 1-2 and 3-4 shift levers as "dark gray" phosphate; the reverse lever, and most of all of the attaching hardware including the lever attaching bolts, 1-2 clevis, clevis pin, jam nuts, washers, and all the shift rods as "medium gray phosphate".

By 70, the 2-3 shift rod and reverse shift rod did not use a clevis, but a part the AIM calls a "swivel" made with a hardened pin that fit into the shift lever. These swivels are adjustable for shifter rod length with a jam nut front and rear. and are retained in the shift lever by a flat washer and a spring retainer. I recorded the swivel finish as black oxide.