[Derbs24]

Hey Kevin, hope you got this fixed. I had the opposite problem on my '62 a year ago. had to stand on the turn-signal switch to get it to work and then it wouldn't auto-cancel. Also had squeaky steering bearings. It's real easy to take everything apart, the only special tool I needed was a steering wheel puller. Cleaned up and lubed the eccentric (cam) portion inside the wheel and repacked the upper steering bearings. Took off the 2 screws like Repoman said and the whole switch was in my hand. It's on top of the steering column directly above your shoes. I little traveling rod goes from the eccentric in the middle of the wheel, down the steering column and a little finger pops out and connects to the turn signal switch to push it left or right. This is one cool little switch! Took it all apart and there are 3 brass sliders inside the t/s switch, on springs and detents. I cleaned the 50-yr old grease out of them, polished everything up with scotchbrite, lubed with light oil and put it all back together...it works like 1962 again! Even the auto-cancel works now. If those little springs are squished, they will not put firm pressure against the detents and the whole switch will be loose when you slide it by hand. I played with mine to get the tension just right. I had just the switch in and out a few times. Be careful as those parts are very small. There might be a problem elsewhere too, but you'll see it for sure.
My tailights still flicker occasionally, but when I wiggle the socket against the tailight housing, they are fine again. Not the best fit, so I lose ground occasionally and they flicker. Still working on perfecting that area.
Anyway, you probably solved it by now, but I wanted to add my $.02 so someone reading this post down the road doesn't hesistate to tear into it. I learned to love my old Pontiac that much more over the turn-signal switch. So many things were serviceable back then. If I remember correctly, the T/S Switch even said "Delco" and "Made in the USA" inside the housing somewhere.

[Deadhead]

I sent you a PM to see if some parts I have might fix your Prob. Just found them Sat.

[mviker]

Originally Posted by Derbs24

Hey Kevin, hope you got this fixed. I had the opposite problem on my '62 a year ago. had to stand on the turn-signal switch to get it to work and then it wouldn't auto-cancel. Also had squeaky steering bearings. It's real easy to take everything apart, the only special tool I needed was a steering wheel puller. Cleaned up and lubed the eccentric (cam) portion inside the wheel and repacked the upper steering bearings. Took off the 2 screws like Repoman said and the whole switch was in my hand. It's on top of the steering column directly above your shoes. I little traveling rod goes from the eccentric in the middle of the wheel, down the steering column and a little finger pops out and connects to the turn signal switch to push it left or right. This is one cool little switch! Took it all apart and there are 3 brass sliders inside the t/s switch, on springs and detents. I cleaned the 50-yr old grease out of them, polished everything up with scotchbrite, lubed with light oil and put it all back together...it works like 1962 again! Even the auto-cancel works now. If those little springs are squished, they will not put firm pressure against the detents and the whole switch will be loose when you slide it by hand. I played with mine to get the tension just right. I had just the switch in and out a few times. Be careful as those parts are very small. There might be a problem elsewhere too, but you'll see it for sure.
My tailights still flicker occasionally, but when I wiggle the socket against the tailight housing, they are fine again. Not the best fit, so I lose ground occasionally and they flicker. Still working on perfecting that area.
Anyway, you probably solved it by now, but I wanted to add my $.02 so someone reading this post down the road doesn't hesistate to tear into it. I learned to love my old Pontiac that much more over the turn-signal switch. So many things were serviceable back then. If I remember correctly, the T/S Switch even said "Delco" and "Made in the USA" inside the housing somewhere.

Hey Jason!

Thanks for the breakdown. I haven't gotten into anything yet, but will do so soon. We just had a snowflake blow through here the other day and VDOT promptly began salting all of Northern Virginia in an attempt to melt it before some lucky soul hit it and caused a traffic jam. LOL! That means driving the old girl is out until we get a good rain or Spring comes along. Plenty of time to get going on this pesky problem. I hope to get going soon and will take your experience to heart when the time comes! I may have a 63 column on hand for parts as well thanks to Bruce (Deadhead). We're still trying to determine how close the two years are parts-wise, bit I'd bet both columns share at least a few goodies.

I've had my column out a couple times, but was trepidacious about tearing it apart. Guess I'll get over that and see what can be done. This has been a long time issue that I keep shoving to the back burner. This will be the year it gets fixed. Will post what happens here as I go.

Thanks for the info!

Kevin