Power and Manual Pitman Arms - Joe Lucia

[Jim S.]

This question might best be directed to Joe Lucia the part number guru!

I know that the manual pitman arm has the part number 3829451 cast on the arm. That would be the actual raw casting number. When it was machined was the actual part number (as it was assembled on the gear) 3829452?

Likewise, the power pitmam arm has the part number 3741383 cast on the arm. When it was machined I believe that it became 3741384.

I know that it is very easy to just refer to the arms by the number cast on the them. But I am equally sure that you would have to order a service part by the machining part number.

Were these two numbers 3829452 and 3741384 good for the life of the C2/C3 Corvettes? (i.e. good from 1963 through 1982?)

Thanks in advance,
Jim Shea

[Joe L.]

Re: Power and Manual Pitman Arms - Joe Lucia

This question might best be directed to Joe Lucia the part number guru!

I know that the manual pitman arm has the part number 3829451 cast on the arm. That would be the actual raw casting number. When it was machined was the actual part number (as it was assembled on the gear) 3829452?

Likewise, the power pitmam arm has the part number 3741383 cast on the arm. When it was machined I believe that it became 3741384.

I know that it is very easy to just refer to the arms by the number cast on the them. But I am equally sure that you would have to order a service part by the machining part number.

Were these two numbers 3829452 and 3741384 good for the life of the C2/C3 Corvettes? (i.e. good from 1963 through 1982?)

Thanks in advance,
Jim Shea

Jim-----

The manual steering pitman arm did carry the forging number GM #3829452. The finished part number for this piece was GM #3829451. It was used for 1963-76 Corvettes and no other applications. Beginning with the 1977 model year all Corvettes were equipped with power steering, so this arm was no longer used. It was discontinued without supercession in August, 1987.

The power steering pitman arm carried forging number GM #3741383, usually with an "A" or "B" suffix. The finished part number for this piece was the same as the forging number----GM #3741383. It was used for 1963-82 Corvettes with power steering. However, it was also used for all 1958-62 full size passenger cars as well as 63-64 full size passenger cars with power steering. It was discontinued without supercession in June, 1995.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Power and Manual Pitman Arms - Joe Lucia

I think I changed a manual steering 73 to power steering and may have not changed the pitman arm. What problems should I have noticed?

[Paul D.]

Re: Power and Manual Pitman Arms - Joe Lucia

Lyle, I KNOW I changed my 71 from manual to power many years ago without changing pitman arms. Until recently, I wasn't aware of the different arms. Over the years, I have had several people tell me that my car drives "better" than other C3 cars they had driven. Since my experience with other C3 cars is very limited, I really couldn't say. I am in the process of overhauling my front suspension, and will probably change to the correct pitman arm. I also would like to hear what problems I should have experienced by using the wrong arm. Chip.

[Jim S.]

Re: Power and Manual Pitman Arms - Joe Lucia

Joe,
Thank you for the info.
Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: Power and Manual Pitman Arms - Joe Lucia

I think I changed a manual steering 73 to power steering and may have not changed the pitman arm. What problems should I have noticed?

Lyle-----


The difference in configuration between the 2 pitman arms is not very great. Using a manual steering arm with a power steering car is a fairly common sort of thing due to conversions and I've never heard of any problem created by it. I don't know if there would be a problem if one tried to use a power steering arm on a manual steering car since I've never run into that.

The 63-76 manual steering pitman arm is harder to find than the power steering arm, most likely since the manual steering arm was a Corvette-only piece. However, it's not what I would call "rare".