Arizona Swinger
The lockout linkage installed after painting.... it fits and looks and works pretty much like OEM! The only difference I see is that the rod that adjusts the whole mechanism, which is located coming off of the steering column arm, adjusts at the top of my linkage, whereas the OEM adjusted at the bottom, where the rod attaches to the cross shaft. So, it looks like with a little bit of work and a couple of parts from Brewers, the lock out linkage can be made from the OEM automatic column shift linkage rods and cross shaft with some modifications! One note: we could not drill the metal in the cross shaft.....really hard metal....we removed some of the metal from the arm and welded the end of the arm, with the hole, back to the shortened arm and then finished to look untouched.
The first photo shows the OEM auto. column shift cross shaft. The piece of linkage in the background, by the computer mouse, which originally was the lower shift rod attaching from the cross shaft to the auto.transmission, was used to connect the arm on the column to the cross shaft.
The list of parts purchased from Brewers were the lower rod with a special reverse linkage swivel, (E body small block application), the bellhousing bracket and a small parts kit which included the washers, spring clips and white cross shaft bushings. Everything else came from the OEM auto. column shift linkage, although heavily modified for use. NOW I have a column lock, which allows the key to be removed only when the shifter is in 'reverse', and cannot be removed in neutral or any other gear. Also, when the car is in 'reverse' and the key is removed the shifter cannot be moved out of 'reverse'. Ben