[165th]

Congratulations STEVE! You certainly deserve the coverage.

[Norwood]

Wow, that is great and deserving. Make sure that they get a good picture of your hood latch...LOL

[CaptCrunch]

congrats Steve.........your car is VERY deserving......... you could do a decent book on that resto.....

[njsteve]

Well, since no project is ever really finished...

The tilt column that came in the car when I bought it, (it was a non-tilt car originally) has been making noises like a bell ringing whenever I'd take the car out for a drive (I have about 700 miles on it now). So I went on the hunt for a non-tilt column and actually found one on ebay. It was listed as a Camaro column but they are the same from 70 to around 76.

The 70-76 columns have a splined end while the 77-81 columns have a D-shaped end that interlocks with a similar intermediate shaft.





I disassembled the column and soaked the steel end in the safestrustremover liquid along with my trusty aquarium heater and pool sump pump and let it circulate or a few hours.

[njsteve]

I would imagine I am not the only husband out there who's wife always complains about my inability to throw anything away. My standard response is "I may use that some day."

Well, I finally got to "that day!"

The wife came downstairs over the weekend and laughed hysterically when she saw the old wooden flag pole that I refused to throw out ten years ago. Guess what? It fit the column perfectly as a rotating spindle for paint purposes.

[njsteve]

Here's something I just learned: the columns are dated coded. According to the seller, this column was from a 72 Camaro. The date code confirms that: 10th month of 1971. Pretty lucky score for my December built car.

[njsteve]

After spending a few days cleaning and reassembling the new column, I installed it. Of course I learned that the standard columns are clocked differently than the tilt ones. The splines have the intermediate shaft alignment notch at the 3 o'clock position, while the tilt column had it at the 6 o'clock position. So the wheel was 90 degrees off when the tires were straight ahead.

[njsteve]

Using my kids' sidewalk chalk and an unused book shelf, I traced the exact position of both front tires.



From these two lines I was able to establish the toe setting with a tape measure. Sure beats trying to get the exact same spot on the tire treads.



Took a few tries keeping the book shelf steady while tracing with the chalk, but in the end it looked like 1/4" toe in.

[njsteve]

I then raised the car and loosened the tie rod ends and turned both tie rods an equal amount to get the front wheels to match each other as well as the steering wheel when it was in the correct position.

It took several test drives and subsequent chalk tracings and readjustments, to get the wheel exactly straight but in the end I got the toe-in to 1/8" (the factory spec is 3/16" + or - 1/16").



By the way, I did partially disassemble the old tilt column to get the original turn signal switch out in order to use it in the new column as it had the correct color-coded wires in it that matched the dash wiring harness. During the disassembly I found that the upper bearing had come apart in the tilt column, hence the ringing sound of the races rattling against the housing.

[Formulabruce]

WOW STEVE!! I wish I knew ya needed a regular column, have a couple nice ones, oh well, yours looks great!, PS so, How long ya been saving that BOOKSHELF!!?? :P

[njsteve]

That's not a book shelf...it's an PETA-approved, organically produced, bilateral front end alignment fixture.

P.S. thanks for the offer...had I known you had one, I would have bugged you, but I saw this one on ebay and I was the only bidder at $50. It turned out to be a unadulterated, original column with the original 1972 key switch still in there. If anyone has ever tried to remove the ignition switch from a disassembled GM column, it is pretty easy if it has been removed before. but if it's the original key switch, you have to locate and punch out the pot metal flashing from the exact spot to locate the internal release tab on the key switch. Quite entertaining to say the least, especially when I then installed a defective key switch that had no accessory position and had to get the new one out!

Almost as much fun as fishing the two original turn signal harnesses and connectors up though both columns after I discovered that the two turn signal switches had incompatable wiring schematics and I had to use the one out of the tilt unit. It was kind of like the full-contact version of the Milton Bradley game OPERATION.

[eaglesan13]

Dude! wipe those feet off before you get in the car (LOL)

Originally Posted by njsteve

After spending a few days cleaning and reassembling the new column, I installed it. Of course I learned that the standard columns are clocked differently than the tilt ones. The splines have the intermediate shaft alignment notch at the 3 o'clock position, while the tilt column had it at the 6 o'clock position. So the wheel was 90 degrees off when the tires were straight ahead.

[njsteve]

You're right! That darn concrete dust does it ever time.

[BertMac]

Steve,
If its not already spoken for...I would like to buy the tilt from you..
let me know please..
[email protected]

[Formulabruce]

Originally Posted by njsteve

That's not a book shelf...it's an PETA-approved, organically produced, bilateral front end alignment fixture.

P.S. thanks for the offer...had I known you had one, I would have bugged you, but I saw this one on ebay and I was the only bidder at $50. It turned out to be a unadulterated, original column with the original 1972 key switch still in there. If anyone has ever tried to remove the ignition switch from a disassembled GM column, it is pretty easy if it has been removed before. but if it's the original key switch, you have to locate and punch out the pot metal flashing from the exact spot to locate the internal release tab on the key switch. Quite entertaining to say the least, especially when I then installed a defective key switch that had no accessory position and had to get the new one out!

Almost as much fun as fishing the two original turn signal harnesses and connectors up though both columns after I discovered that the two turn signal switches had incompatable wiring schematics and I had to use the one out of the tilt unit. It was kind of like the full-contact version of the Milton Bradley game OPERATION.

>>PETA<>ORGANIC> *laughs hehe) WOW, I just went through that, a REPOP ignition switch, and NO ACCY!!. I ended up putting a nos 72 switch in, which now( the key)does not match the doors, UGH, I do have a REMOTE elect locks, trunk release though, so doubt Ill be using the door keys ( possible scratches with more keys on the ring was the logic)About 60 bucks , easy install if you have PDL and or PTR, and since I dont have a dash switch, nobody knows! I had a GM lock guy tell me the repop cylinders are too short. Glad yours worked out.

[njsteve]

I actually used an old original lock cylinder from years ago that I pulled from a car I bought. I make it a habit of changing all lock cylinders in any car I buy. It's just a sensible thing to do. Same goes for buying a home or renting an apartment. Always change the locks because you just don't know how many old keys are out there.

[Transamric]

Originally Posted by njsteve

I actually used an old original lock cylinder from years ago that I pulled from a car I bought. I make it a habit of changing all lock cylinders in any car I buy. It's just a sensible thing to do. Same goes for buying a home or renting an apartment. Always change the locks because you just don't know how many old keys are out there.

Especially a good idea when we so freely post pics of PHS invoices &/or Build Sheets, which often have the key codes clearly shown.

[Held for Ransom]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Here's something I just learned: the columns are dated coded. According to the seller, this column was from a 72 Camaro. The date code confirms that: 10th month of 1971. Pretty lucky score for my December built car.

I'm not so sure thats a date code stamping. Were there any switches still attached? Did you re-use your old floor/firewall seal or buy a new one?

[njsteve]

I used the new seal that was on the old column. I ended up buying a new ignition electrical switch and lock cylinder and moving the reverse light switch from the old column since the one on the non tilt unit didn't move smoothly. I also replaced the lower bearing which is still commonly available as a Jeep part.

[njsteve]

Update on that ringing sound that was allegedly from the column. Well, since the new non tilt column started making the same noise, I began the usual search and destroy mission to locate the source.

I unhooked the reverse light/ignition lock back drive linkage...no improvement, then removed the entire backdrive bell crank assembly...no improvement, retightened everything under the dash...no improvement..finally took it for the 10th test drive loop of the day and noticed that the ringing disappeared when I touched then clutch pedal. AHA! I have you now!

Hung upside down under the dash and noticed that the clutch rod had a washer behind the cotter pin that was just dangling there. Removed it and greased the moving parts. Took her for another test drive...noise still there but slightly less. Came in at around 3000 rpm. Touched the clutch pedal and it went away again.

Pulled her back in the garage and checked the other end of the clutch rod. Yup, another really loose washer behind the cotter pin. Of course this was rather impossible to get to but after loosening up the steel brake line bracketry I was able to access it. Removed that washer and hooked the clutch rod back up. Took her for another ride...noise still there but reduced. Went away, again, when slack in clutch pedal was removed.

Finally, I noticed that the clutch rod still jiggled when mounted up. While there is a hard rubber bushing in the pedal bracket under the dash, the bell crank end in the engine compartment however, is metal to metal. The final fix was to use a thick washer and a Hurst shifter linkage clip instead of a hair pin style clip. The shifter clip applies pressure to take up any slack in the rod. That finally worked...

So it turned out that the tilt steering column wasn't bad, it was just acting like a megaphone, transfering the location of the noise up into the column instead of under the dash. DAMN GREMLINS!!!

Now, to find a new cast iron proportioning/combination valve since I discovered that the original is seeping from the internal o-ring. At least I already have the brake lines moved after playing chase the clutch noise, all day. http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=648361