The gas pedal on my 69 vette barely opens the throttle on the carb, I have the pedal assy. removed and can't really see anything wrong, suggestions , stretched cable something bent ??????? help please and thanks.

 

Hi f,
Is the proper linkage on the carburetor and is the throttle cable installed on it properly?
It's unlikely the cable is 'stretched', it's possible the lever is bent.
Is this a new problem? What have you done in that area recently?
Regards,
Alan

 

The pedal arms bend over time. Need to rebend it back to raise pedal. Gotta lay in the floor, put a wrench or something on it to get leverage.

JIM

 

you were right the lever was bent badly, removed all under dash mechanism, cable etc. put lever in vice straightened, lubed cable etc. reinstalled and works fine, thought the lever would be stronger than it is. Thanks for the help.

 

thanks for the info you was right the lever the cable attaches to was badly bent, I removed everything under dash straightened the lever lubed everything reinstalled and works as it should, was not the greatest of technology back then Huh!

 

[QUOTE=Griff2002;1594633235]Perhaps GM didn't realize how hard we would mash these pedals to the floor when they designed them.

 

[QUOTE=Griff2002;1594633242]yes sir well said and since it was only the second year for that design.

 

As I understand it, there were 2 styles of linkage above the pedal for '69. The stamped metal bracket that connects the pedal to the cable, and then they upgraded to a single continuous rod that replaced the bracket.
My July '69 ("late"?) has the bracket, which as others have also discovered, is somewhat under-designed (weak) for the application.
I was root causing my suspected lack of pedal travel and throttle performance this afternoon, when I noticed that my throttle was only opening about 2/3 when I floored the pedal.
The cable had very little slack at the carb linkage, so I ducked under the dash to check the pedal.
What I noticed was the joint between that vertical bracket and the rod that is the pedal hinge, had some slop in it, causing my pedal to have about 1-2" of travel in the pedal before it started to actuate the bracket. There is a flat on the rod end that fits a flat on the bracket hole, but it wasn't a tight fit.
There was a nut and bolt wedged in that "loop" in the bracket that evidently had been an attempt to tighten up that joint. It was loose but threaded together. When I tightened up the nut on the bolt, it also snugged up the fit of the rod in the bracket hole, and (viola!) the pedal raised up to have no more slop, and the throttle would actually reach to wide open when I mashed on the pedal!!
Well, I COULDN'T WAIT to get out on the road to see if there was a noticeable difference in top end performance.
I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that the car felt to me like it went from my 350/300 small block, to a 427 big block!!
I guess I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I wasn't sure if my slight disappointment in power since I bought the car last September was just due to my minimal familiarity with this engine's expected performance level. I thought it was quick, but had a nagging suspicion that my secondariies were not kicking in fully (or at all) Was thinking of checking the vacuum actuator for the secondaries or having the Holley re-built.
But after just getting the dang pedal to pull the cable through its full stroke, this feels like a 25-30% boost in giddy-up at the top end.
I know you BB boys will smirk a bit, but I think my car went from "pretty quick", to what I would call "scary fast"!! (At least to me!)

What I do want to find out, is how to properly secure the joint between the pedal pivot rod end and that bracket. Or maybe it's supposed to have a bit of play in it, and my bracket is somewhat bent out of shape like that of the OP?
Someone have an image of how that are is supposed to go together? Is there some kind of fastener to secure the rod into that "loop" in the bracket's lower end?
Also - is the upgrade GM made, going to the full length rod to replace the bracket, compatible with the bracket arrangement that I have? I'd be interested in upgrading to the rod, as it seems more robust to "pedal mashing".
Thanks!

 

I've never liked the feel of pedals that pivot from the floor. I converted mine to a "hanging" pedal with a cable years ago. I used one from a Chevy Citation.

JIM

 

Here are 2 different images of the stamped brackets (called accelerator levers) that I found. These are not even addressing the upgrade to the full rod type.

It looks like the bolt squeezed the sides of the loop to tighten the joint of the squared hole to the squared rod end.
The throttle cable fits into the single hole.
I will go back out tomorrow to see if my bolt is doing its job by snugging up the fit and eliminating the slop.
Then I need to readjust the cable on the carb end, because the tighter bracket and cable is also giving me a high idle.
Thoughts?


BTW - Both these are "hangers' per Jim's reply above.

 

I took the slop out of mine by bending the bracket slightly (about 1/2"). So far, no more problem.