Neutral Safety Switch / Reverse Lights / 69 FB
 

I need some help understanding what I need to disassemble/reassemble to get these items repaired to pass inspection.

69 FB conv. that the reverse lights have been out for years (constant on) and the metal rod that connects from the steering to *whatever?* has been off for years.

The steering wheel column must be turned to the left to start the car so I'll assume that this mechanical bar went to the neutral safety switch?

I need some help.

Even if you have a floorshift car, there is some linkage going from the transmission to some sort of pivot on the subframe and a rod goes from that pivot to the bottom of the steering column, engine side of firewall. Actually the neutral/back-up switch is bolted to the column, inside the car, near the firewall. The two purple wires are for the neutral swich, and the pink/light green is for the back-up lamps. Frank.

As far as i've found out in doing mine is that the bar seems to be used for locking the steering column via the ignition switch. The neutral safety switch (4-speed) is mounted so that when te clutch pedal is engaged it activates the clutch neutral safety switch and allows the car to start. The column turning is what activates your reverse lights. There are rods that connect from the steering column, on the firewall side, to the transmission so that when you put the car in reverse these rods will rotate the column and engage the reverse lights via a switch, also on the lower steering column. Hope this helps. Many people in this forum say that these Firebirds didn't have a neutral safety switch, but i beg to differ since mine has one, and has had it since built. Below are links for the backup light switch, and one for the clutch safety switch (auto & 4-speed), a schematic for 4-speed linkage, and a pic of the one out of my Firebird that's attached to the pedal mount.

http://www.classicindustries.com/fir...s/3943657.html
(Reverse Light Switch)

http://www.classicindustries.com/fir...s/c934341.html
(Neutral Safety Switch For Automatics)

http://www.firebirdcentral.com/1969_..._p/das-296.htm (For 4-Speeds)

http://www.tpocr.com/67-69linkageipc.html (Linkage schematic-See part #35)

AFter looking at the 69 shop manual I think the rod that I have is the "Back Drive Linkage Rod". If that is so I think that this would have turned the reverse ights off correct?

Is the Neuatral Safety Switch the one that controls the reverse lights? Can I also assume that the neutral switch makes it so the car cannot be started in gear?


ETA:

I was wrong. The linkage rod is there. The gear selector rod is the one that I have that needs replacing.

Sorry for the dumb questions but I have never worked o these parts before.

the reverse lights turn on and off with the column, as well as the locking, and the starting. The backdrive linkage on an automatic floor shift car is what turns the column to different postions. Its very adjustable as well as the switches bolted to the column itself
The backdrive linkage goes from the transmission to a swivel on the subframe and them a second longer rod to the steering column. for a floor shift auto, whats yours?
69 set up http://www.frankspontiacparts.com/en.../456bc4960.jpg

Sorry its a Saginaw 3 speed Hurst manual.

I took the shifter boot off (I cannot get under the car at the moment) and can see the linkage rod move when I shift the gears. There is an open bar and hole at the steering column on the engine side of the firewall. I cannot see where the rod would connect from that bar and some swivel point? Should it be more obvious?

Also, I did look up under the compartment side of the steering column and see the neutralizer (Pontiac words) switch. It is MUCH smaller than the pictures make it appear and I cannot feel or see any wires attached to it.

On your car the safety start ( neutralizer) switch is on the Clutch pedal frame and the clutch down allows a start.
The reverse lights are on the column still. The pic above is , or should be on your car. there is a rod that goes from a hole in the bottom of the reverse/first gear lever on the transmission, and that rod goes to the swivel, and then the long adjustable rod goes to a grommet on the tab sticking out of the steering column. Many times these are removed due to headers.You should be able to turn the column by hand ( if no backdrive linkage)and get reverse lights working , if the switch is there and the wires on it.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ic/shifter.jpg

Really appreciating the help here.

The car is an OHC Sprint and has never had headers. The original exhaust system is still on the car.

Here are a few pics of what I can see.

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...626_232525.jpg

missing the swivel and the long back drive rod, probably the rod to the reverse tab on the shifter plate. Is that the original shifter? is there an extra hole for a rod?
See the hole in the tab on the column?
I may have what you need

X2 on What Bruce said, I would guess that the trans was swapped out at some point, and a non-F-body saginaw 3-speed was installed, you either need to get the correct back drive linkage, and possibly the shifter (bracket of plate?) that has the provisions to mount the linkage.
I got around this on my 69 Sprint by installing a T-5 trans with a internal reverse switch an wiring it up to the existing neutral safety switch, and locking the lever out of the way underhood.
If you cannot find the original parts, you may be able to mount a lever activated switch near the shift linkage that acts as your neutral safety switch. Just a back up plan.
Something like the clutch depressed switch for the starter on your car.

I have those linkages here on loan and if you cant find it,I may be able to duplicate.

Look at your picture. See the tang that sticks out of the column? It has a hole in it, and the hole has a hard plastic like grommet. That's where the rod hooks onto.

Grab that tang, pull it upward as much as you can, and solves lots of problems.