help with sh commands inside a define inside an eval'd rule

[PATTON, BILLY \(SBCSI\)]

I have this:
define refresh_proj_bb_pub
$(1)$(sep)$(2)$(sep)$(3)$(sep)pub :
        for X in $($(call merge,$(sep),$(call uc,$(1)) $(2) $(3) pub));
do \
                $(CD) $(SRC_TREE)/$(2)/$(3)/pub ; \
                $(EXEC_LOG) $(PVCS_GET) -v$(3)$(PVCS_VER) $$X -proj $(2)
-bb $(3) ; \
        done
endef

But when it prints to the screen the location of $$X is blank
the for X in blabla has from 1 to 100+ items depending on the instance.

How do I get the value of X onto the command line?