69 firebird drag link same as Camaro?

[jlwdvm]

I got 8 boxes of parts from ridetech for my 69 Firebird project< one of which was their TruTurn kit. Unless I'm trying to mock things up wrong, it appears that the Firebird V8 original drag link is wider hole-to-hole than the ridetech drag link. Any thoughts? Best source for a Camaro drag link if I need one and will it work with a Pontiac V8?

[Blue Bayou]

Wow, what timing! I too just got the TruTurn kit for a '69 Firebird. I spoke with someone from ridetech on Friday and was told that it in fact will NOT work for a '69 firebird and there are no plans for making the modificatoins to the draglink piece in order to get it to work in the future. I am planning on running a Pontiac v8 as well and from what I've read the Camaro drag link will not work with the Pontiac oil pan. I am not far enough along on my project to get to test this out yet but hopefully I'm just a few weeks away from being able to do so.

Keep me posted as to your progress and what you find out and I will do the same.

[ehummelman]

Wow, what timing! I too just got the TruTurn kit for a '69 Firebird. I spoke with someone from ridetech on Friday and was told that it in fact will NOT work for a '69 firebird and there are no plans for making the modificatoins to the draglink piece in order to get it to work in the future. I am planning on running a Pontiac v8 as well and from what I've read the Camaro drag link will not work with the Pontiac oil pan. I am not far enough along on my project to get to test this out yet but hopefully I'm just a few weeks away from being able to do so.

Keep me posted as to your progress and what you find out and I will do the same.

Guys, the Camaro link will work. The PO of my 69 swapped over to all Camaro linkage and it is fine. I have a tiny bit of interference on the right side where the tie rod ball joint hits the pan at full lock but that's only because I put on a large capacity aftermarket pan. And the interference is very minor. I'm happy to take pics if you like, but this is on a 69 Firebird with a Pontiac 350 block.

[Blue Bayou]

I would love a few pictures. A good shot of the idler arm, the pitman arm and the center link would be VERY helpful! Thanks!

Do you know what power steering sector is being used? Maybe a photo of the power steering sector/rag joint connection as well.

[ehummelman]

I'll try to get some pics for you guys.

[jlwdvm]

Some of the guys on Performanceyears.com say that they have converted to the camaro drag link because of the cost of the pontiac version (camaro is much cheaper) and everything seems to work as far as I can read. The curved pitman arm was used with long branch manifolds (and headers?)...which is what I have. Sounds like the camaro linkage will work with a pontiac oil pan as well. I'm still waiting to hear back from ridetech...over a week now.

[Blue Bayou]

Any updates? ehummelman any luck with the photos?

Thanks!

[Quikbrd]

Guys, I did a complete suspension swap this summer on my 69 Firebird and the last thing I did was the steering gear and linkage. I swapped over to 69 Camaro parts due to better availability and was quite concerned from what I read online that it might not clear. In the end, everything fit and cleared just fine, No Problems! From what I understand, there might be a problem with "stock" exhaust, but I am running headers and it couldn't be better, not even close to the stock oil pan. Hope this helps,,,,Ray

[jlwdvm]

Are you running a Pontiac motor and stock pan?

[Quikbrd]

Yes, 455 Pontiac, stock pan.
Ray

[Vince Arsemnault]

I am building a 69 FB and have put LS3 in with Holley 02 pan. Managed to get everything in place but when I am full steering stop L&R I am just touching my pan. The E285 center link seems to have an indentation forward as compared to V8 original center link which is basically straight. Will this E285 give me more pan clearance, it should???