Who sells dropped center Links?

[BillyGman]

Hello, I'm new to this board, and I'm from Connecticut. I have a 1970 chevelle SS clone. The oil pan on my 632 C.I. engine had to be made so deep to clear the connecting rod caps because of the massive 4.75" stroke, that the steering linkage center Link ( aka "Drag Link") won't clear the oil pan.

So before I go ahead and heat this thing up with a torch and try to bend it enough to put more of a drop in it, can anyone here tell me of any place that offers dropped center links for GM A-body cars ??? It looks like I'll likely need an additional 1.5" of drop in the center Link. I already had to cut the crossmember to make room for this monster, and I now have the engine installed. below are some pics...

[BillyGman]

...and here's another.....

[Z Ya]

Hey, welcome to the site! Nice looking Chevelle and engine ya got there! I can't help ya with the drag link question though...I have no idea. :dunno:

[BillyGman]

well thanks for the warm welcome anyway. Hopefully someone else will chime in. BTW, that's one serious wheel standing car in your avatar. I mean the blue one ofcourse. I can't make out what kind of car that is though. That isn't your car is it?

[Jason Hart]

well thanks for the warm welcome anyway. Hopefully someone else will chime in. BTW, that's one serious wheel standing car in your avatar. I mean the blue one ofcourse. I can't make out what kind of car that is though. That isn't your car is it?

I had the same problem & went with a rack & pinion.

[BillyGman]

I had the same problem & went with a rack & pinion.The only place that actually is even close to a rack & pinion set-up specifically designed for GM A-body cars that I know of is "Steeroids" and their development department told me 2 weeks ago that they won't be finished with the prototype for another 6 months minimum.

The only other ones that I've seen for Chevelles are really universal ones, and will require more cutting of the crossmember and fabrication, and will likely still cause clearence issues, but instead of them being with the oil pan, they will be with the big headers that I'll need to use with this engine. So that doesn't sound very promising for my set-up unless you know something that I don't about that.

I think that if I'm going to choose a rack & pinion, then I'll just have to wait until next spring for this "Steeroids" place to finish developing theirs. but I'm trying to get this car on the road by mid October of this year.

[ICON]

try www.ajeracing.com
maybe they can help you out.
hope this help

congrat on becoming a posting member

[BillyGman]

Thanks, but unfortunately, by the looks of their website, they are the typical fabricator or race car part distributor, that offers mods and parts for the popular race cars such as late model Mustangs, early model Camaros and Novas. But when it comes to Gm A-body cars like Chevelles, or most any coil springed cars, they are left out.

Today, I found a place called Howe racing on the net which advertises a dropped center link for Chevelles, so I ordered one of them though Summit racing, however judging by the pic of this thing, I'm not sure if it has much more of a drop than the OE center link does. But I guess I'll find out when it arrives. if it doesn't do the trick, then I'll just have to make one myself.

[Z Ya]

well thanks for the warm welcome anyway. Hopefully someone else will chime in. BTW, that's one serious wheel standing car in your avatar. I mean the blue one ofcourse. I can't make out what kind of car that is though. That isn't your car is it?


Hey Billy, yea that's my car....actually from a couple years ago. It's a 3rd generation Z28. Still got the car just need to get an engine back into it. :yup:

Glad to see you found something that might work for ya! :yup:

[Jason Hart]

That would be cool if the dropped link would work. The rack & pinion you have to do some fabricating. make mounts, adapt steering arms to heims ends, reroute steering shaft ect. I mounted mine just infront of the pan & used a Chris Alstons custom width rack. Worked out very good, if you go that route & need any advice feel free to PM me.

[BillyGman]

That would be cool if the dropped link would work. The rack & pinion you have to do some fabricating. make mounts, adapt steering arms to heims ends, reroute steering shaft ect. I mounted mine just infront of the pan & used a Chris Alstons custom width rack. Worked out very good, if you go that route & need any advice feel free to PM me.Thanks very much Jason. BTW, from the looks of that pic, it appears that you did a top notch job. Did you have any trouble with the header tubes and the custom steering shaft making contact? And is that a 65 Chevelle?

[BillyGman]

Hey Billy, yea that's my car....actually from a couple years ago. It's a 3rd generation Z28. Still got the car just need to get an engine back into it. :yup:

Glad to see you found something that might work for ya! :yup:That car was moving!! Nice!!! Hey, I just sent you a PM. ;)

[Jason Hart]

Thanks very much Jason. BTW, from the looks of that pic, it appears that you did a top notch job. Did you have any trouble with the header tubes and the custom steering shaft making contact? And is that a 65 Chevelle?

I ran the stock shaft most of the way so it wasnt bad. 1 tube was up against the shaft...but they were 2 3/8 tubes & it would have rubbed with stock steering as well. Its a 64.