[Gus_Mahn]

My partner at work owned a 69 RA III Firebird for about 5 years in the early 90's. He recalls having to put the car into reverse to pull the keys out. I've owned/driven lots of domestic stick shift cars. I've only seen this feature on Saabs. Is he remebering this correctly and on what cars do you find this "feature"?

Thank You

[PMD1969]

Hmmm ? I have not hear of that before but that certainly doesn't mean that it isn't true. My 69FB DID have the steering lockout that is mechanically attached to the transmission.

Maybe that is what he is thinking of?

FWIW - if you know of someone that has a set of this lockout let me know!

[trmjr1]

On manual transmission cars this was the case as long as the reverse lockout rod was hooked up to the trans and column selector mechanism. If the rod was not installed then the column would have to be rotated by hand to remove the key. Same thing happened when putting the car in "Park" on an ATM car.

[Gus_Mahn]

Originally Posted by PMD1969

Hmmm ? I have not hear of that before but that certainly doesn't mean that it isn't true. My 69FB DID have the steering lockout that is mechanically attached to the transmission.

Maybe that is what he is thinking of?

FWIW - if you know of someone that has a set of this lockout let me know!

So, you are saying if the steering wheel is locked then so is the shifter? This must be the anti theft feature I've read about. Will it lock, and can the keys be removed in any gear?

Originally Posted by trmjr1

On manual transmission cars this was the case as long as the reverse lockout rod was hooked up to the trans and column selector mechanism. If the rod was not installed then the column would have to be rotated by hand to remove the key. Same thing happened when putting the car in "Park" on an ATM car.

So from the factory the rod should have been hooked up, and as a new car the car would have had to be put into reverse to remove the keys? His car was a very stock original, and this would agree with his recall.

[PMD1969]

The steering lockout made it so that the transmission had to be in Neutral to start the vehicle.

[jmt455]

You could start the car in gear, as long as the clutch was full depressed.

Reverse lockout was introduced on GM manual transmission (floor shift) cars in 1969.
It was touted as an anti-theft device. You had to put the car into reverse to lock the steering column and enable the key to be removed. I don't remember if it worked the same way with a column-shifted manual transmission.

PY sells the reverse lock-out components for the 70 and up F body, but I don't see the 69 parts in the catalog.

Ames Performance offers the 69 F body linkage in addition to the later style. Their part number is FR684C.

[einstein]

The Back-up lamp switch was part of that system also. It utilized a "back-drive" rod from the reverse lever on the trans that rotated the steering column barrel (esesntially the same as column shift cars), which illuminated the back-ups and placed the barrel in position to fully turn the key cylinder to the "lock" position.

But the "neutral" safety device was a switch that was depressed when the clutch was fully engaged, did not really need the trans in neutral. Harness used the same pair of purple wires that did neutral safety in automatics.

[spb350]

Can somebody post pics of the lock out rods and swival? Thanks

[Peter Serio]

This is an original GM lock rod I got off of a 69 4 speed Firebird 400 years ago. It is is a 1969 part only, Muncie 4 speed only and Firebird specific. (The 69 Camaro rod is not the same.) The rod has long since been sold and all I have saved now are these 2 photos. It is a very, Very rare part.

[Engine-Ear]

My '69s (one Firebird 400-4 speed, one GP/J-3 speed) both have this function.

Kind of aggravating to use, actually...plus you can simply turn the switch to OFF and remove the key (...and then restart it as if it were keyed).

[Firebob]

I think after years of use the keys get ground down to the point where they can be pulled out at any time. At least that's the way mine is. I kind of like the reverse lockout feature. Most of the rods were removed and tossed because they couldn't be used if you installed headers. That's why they are so rare.

Robert

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by Peter Serio

This is an original GM lock rod I got off of a 69 4 speed Firebird 400 years ago. It is is a 1969 part only, Muncie 4 speed only and Firebird specific. (The 69 Camaro rod is not the same.) The rod has long since been sold and all I have saved now are these 2 photos. It is a very, Very rare part.

My 69FB had the lockout but it was removed. I have the rod in your picture but the rest was missing. I bought a Camaro swivel and steering rod but the pegs on the rods are bigger than the Pontiac style. this menas that I am hunting for the proper bushings for BOTH styles to make it work again. FWIW mine is a Saginaw 3 speed.

Originally Posted by Firebob

I think after years of use the keys get ground down to the point where they can be pulled out at any time. At least that's the way mine is. I kind of like the reverse lockout feature. Most of the rods were removed and tossed because they couldn't be used if you installed headers. That's why they are so rare.

Robert

Yep. The ignition key on mine will simply come right out hen the car is running LOL.

[Bet Winner]

Originally Posted by PMD1969

Yep. The ignition key on mine will simply come right out when the car is running LOL.

I used to pull the ignition key out of my Dad's 69 LeMans when it was running, and it did not have that many miles on it either. This was in the 70's.