This is the way my bar came off my 71 comet gt with 302. I’m trying to put the bushing repair kit in it. The only original bushings were only on the frame side. Engine side only had the ball inserted in that end. It seems weird that the engine side has threads on the end that slides onto the ball.
Looks like someone may have modified the engine side, did not have that threaded "insert", also you have a mis-match, the engine side, lower bar is original (other than that threaded insert), with its "teeth". The frame side upper bar is aftermarket, as it has "flat" so does not mesh with the "teeth" on lower bar and sits higher, which can cause misalignment....... The threaded insert may have been added to extend the width of the Z-bar, perhaps it may have been done for different motor, other than 302? There would have been 2 halves of nylon bushing that fit around the ball stud, it was retained within the Z-bar by a spring clip that locked into the small hole on the bar. David I have to look for picture with the ball socket end, showing the nylon bushing...... here is eBay link to what those bushings look like......... https://www.ebay.com/itm/304430882301
You have no idea how much I appreciate your help. What I failed to mention, but you obviously see,is that the car was an original 302 and 3 speed on column. It was changed to a 4 speed top loader. It’s been ran like this for decades. The car was passed down to me through my family. Now I just have no idea how to fix it. I remember it being told that the original bar broke or something and one was ordered through Ford, back when you could still get them. However I’m not sure changing transmission should affect the length of the bar now that I think about it. The engine is the same so maybe they ordered wrong part back in the day. I’m gonna ask my brothers that owned it originally and see if they can remember.
Three speed or Top Loader has no bearing on clutch linkage. Bell housing should be same. Also that it has grease fittings is odd, no factory linkage I've seen had that.
I installed the grease fittings way back when, made it so I could grease/lube the bushings which lasted over 35 years before I went to hydraulic clutch set up......... Tom is correct about the 3/4 speed, same Z-bar, at one time Auto Krafters had repro Z-bar, but I do not see it on their site anymore. David
It’s weird at this point. My brother has an excellent memory and remembers buying this bar from a Ford dealer. The threaded part is welded. The ball I just purchased from Melvins for a 302. The ball itself fits into the bar but leaves no room for bushings. All I can think of is the original ball on the engine is smaller for some reason. I don’t have access to the engine right now. Anyway I bought the exact bushing kit as you show dyent, however NOTHING on that bushing kit fits me bar on either frame side or engine side. The pic of my frame side shows the type of bushing that it has.
From the close up pictures, looks like you do have the correct OEM matching upper/lower bar halves, regarding the welded threaded insert, perhaps when your brother had it, the original ball stud (one that you got from Melvin's, was actually a reproduction manufactured by a member, then sold to dealers) was damaged and he may have had that insert installed for use with a Mustang type stud, which uses a smaller bushing? The bushing kit that you purchased, should indeed fit over your ball stud from Melvins, but obviously will not fit into the smaller ID of that insert. It maybe possible to machine out that threaded insert so you can use the OEM bushing kit and ball stud you got from Melvins. I will send you a PM......... David
