Clutch Rod Boot, 3 Rib Style
 

As discussed in the recent thread on this subject, the early '64 Manual Trans Tempest used a 3 rib style Clutch Rod boot.

It appears that around April or May '64, the Boot was revised to a 2 rib style and the opening in the steel retainer enlarged.

There is a currently available repro from Metro that is not even close to matching the original 3 rib boot and worse, does not fit in the original early retainer. I don't know the price.

I have contacted a vendor who is able to reproduce rubber parts, by his own claim, fairly inexpensively.

I sent him pix that Tony & Don posted in the earlier thread and reposted here. My own '64 has a beat up 3 rib boot, so I am interested in pursuing this, unfortunately my boot is too rough to use for the mold.

He has replied by saying that accordion bellows type parts tend to be more difficult to copy. He would have to see our "best example" in person to determine if he could copy it well.

If he can do it, the price is $160 for the mold and $18 each for the part.

He is in Hesperia, Cal. (about 60 miles east of LA?). Anybody close by with a good 3 rib boot?

Looking for input here. I think the price is fine. But I don't know how to pursue it. If I had a very good one, I'd tackle it myself. I don't know what the demand would be. But I gotta believe 10 of 'em could be sold in a heartbeat for $30-$35.

Anybody with a reasonably complete one wanting to volunteer the sample?

John if you think there is enough left of the one pictured you can use that one. Don

Having done a few reproduction parts, I can say that the price you have to reproduce these is quite decent.
You should break even without a problem. To sell them efficiently you have to get PY and Ames to carry it in their catalog. Unfortunately the market for these is so limited as it appears to be one year only, and only for part of the year, and only for manual transmission cars.
I did the Hurst Wheel clips several years back, but because these are so limited in needs, the parts houses did not want to use space in the catalogue for them. As a result, I end up selling them by word of mouth. Maybe 5 sets a year if I am lucky.

Back in 2003? we did the windshield washer clip sets and cowl screws. These are correct for 64-7 A body- Pontiac Buick Olds, but the clips are not used on Chevy. PY and Ames has these in their catalogue. I think we wholesaled about 800 plus sets in 8 years, and there is still demand.
The clips were a highly visible item, but to have only sold 800 sets is not as many as I thought we would have sold.

Apart from the folks who participated in this discussion, I am not sure how many more people would get too excited about the 3 bellow piece.
I am not saying that you should not reproduce it, but I would be tenuous as to how many you decide to make.

I am in for $30.00 , it would cost someone that to buy the 2 rib rubber and the steel retainer . Well worth the small investment , we are not talking 100's or even 1000's of dollars , Go for it .

i need to double check my situation... think i ran into this trying to install an aftermarket boot couple years ago. i'll confirm, and i'll be in.

I'm in for one.

Me too.

Bellows support
 

Just to add some support to John`s project, the bellows style seal is also shared by the Chevelle folks, 64-67 # 9776826 and retainer 9776829, as listed in the Chevelle parts catalog, Rev. 12-1-68. This reflects the same numbers as my Rev. 66 Pontiac catalog. No mention of a 2 or 3 rib design, or first or second design, a very common note in Chevelle catalogs. My original 66 SS396 uses the 2 rib design. My KC built gto, was broadcast on 6-4-64, and still retains the original 3 rib bellows design. I would bet that the Olds and Buick A body guys might also have interest in a correct repro boot!! Now if we could get some correct vacuum hose, properly extruded with ribs and red stripe paint, we could really be correct. None available from our vendors as of now.

I would buy one just to have a spare and to also help on the project.

Tom Vaught

Guys, these 3-rib boots were also used on the 65 Buick GS. Still unsure if they were used thru the whole production year, but we'll find out.
I put a post up at 65GS.com about your repo's. I'm sure we'll be adding to your order list!
Thanks!

I ran across a copy of Bob's Pontiac Parts Catalog today. The catalog is dated 1986. On page 17 of the catalog Bob lists a Clutch Rod Seal as part number P425 and says that it is for 1964-67 GTOs. It is the 2 rib design. Bob typically bought most of his parts right from the factory so I would say that the 2 rib seal was offered sometime in 1964 or he would not have listed it that way. No mention of a 3 rib seal so I would assume that the 2 rib design covered the 3 rib cars on a part that needed to be replaced in the GM Parts Book.

Tom Vaught

The steel retainer is different from the 2 rib boot , 3 rib the id hole is different .

Not the first time I have seen Pontiac parts advertised in a catalog or on the web as 'fitting xxxx and not being correct at all.

Never thought much of "Dr. Bob's" actual Pontiac knowledge one way or another until this topic. Either he was screwing over people and knew it or he did not know the parts very well.

Tom Vaught

I will take two THANKS!

I've been away, just catching up.

Prairierust, interesting to know that the Chevelles may also have used the part.

I contend the p/n 9776826 will prove to have been the late style 2 rib design. You can check the other thread for my take on that based on the chronolgy of release of this Pontiac p/n.

But if the Chevelle used the same late style boot, could very well have used the early 3 rib boot also, at least thru April or so '64, same as in the Tempest.

Retlaw66, it would be odd that the 3 rib boot was used by Buick at all in '65 if Pontiac improved the design at mid year in '64, but if they did, I'd welcome the opportunity to offer them up to anybody interested.

I am attempting to discover if the early '64 p/n will turn up in the '64 MPC. If it does, that will help solidify the idea that there was a mid year redesign.

Just so everybody understands, until the vendor gets a chance to look over the part, he isn't sure he can reproduce it. But if he can, I will go forward on this.

The clutch rod seal is listed in the 64 assembly instructions (Chevelle), as 384239. The retainer is 384240 until 4-17-64 and changes to 384457 on 4-17-64.
Both the 7-1-64 and 10-1-64 editions of the Chevrolet Parts Catalog, list 384239 and retainer 384457. The 12-1-73 Parts History Index says 384239 was replaced for service by 9776826 2-67 and 384457 and 384240 replaced for service by 9776829 on 12-66.

Any good news on the update ?

Old thread, but did the 3 rib boot reproduction ever happen?
The subject came up again in our 65gs.com forum.
We would likely add to the orders if they become available!

Okay, I can't believe it has been so many years since I first looked into this. But now that my GTO is nearing completion, I am resurrecting the thread.

The first challenge remains to find a boot in better condition than my own.

3 Deuce 64 (Don) had the one in the pic. I have talked to him off and on about having him pull it out of his parts car. But still hasn't happened, not sure if he can still help.

So if anybody has a 3 pleat boot that wants to help out, please PM me. The condition doesn't have to be great but what I need is one that has an intact nipple at the end where the rod comes thru (or at least as intact as the one in the pic of Don's).

Mine is missing the entire nipple.

Let me know if you have one I could use.

Closest i have found