Looking for someone with a parts truck . . . I need

[PetesPonies]

the steering wheel column pieces so I can remove  my column shifter, since I went to the floor. So if you have a floor shifted parts truck, you have what I need  :)

[Rembrant]

Pete,

I grabbed one of these pieces at the Junkyard a while back for the exact same reason. Well...sort the of the same reason...I went from 3-on-the-tree to 5spd on the floor. Thought I'd post up some pics so that others knew what you were looking for. It's a plastic trim ring that is held to the steering column with three tiny little sheet metal screws that are about 1/4" long.

[PetesPonies]

Thanks for posting that. Now, at least, I see exactly the piece I need  :)

[Rembrant]

Pete,

The other thing you can do is to remove the automatic shifter collar, remove the shifter handle (Well, you have to do this anyway to remove the collar). Cut the shifter lug off the collar, and then fill in the hole. I did this with a 3-on-the-tree collar, and it's the same as the auto shifter really. I filled the hole full of Quik Steel putty...but anything would work....body fill even? I finished off filling the hole with JB weld and then just sanded it smooth and painted it satin black.

This is the stuff I used...

https://www.autozone.com/sealants-glues-adhesives-and-tape/epoxy-compound/quik-steel-steel-reinforced-epoxy-putty/515416_0

[Rembrant]

Oh...and for another idea if you haven't done anything with it yet, this is what I did to the engine bay end of the column. I removed the shift levers (two on my 3-on-the-tree, but only one on an auto column). To cover the hole I had a small piece of sheet metal curved to fit the column snugly, and then I stuck a couple pop rivets in it on the under side where they can't be seen. Painted it black, and now you can't even tell...it just looks like a floor shift column.



I wanted it sealed up for appearance mostly...but also so that dirt and debris didn't enter through that hole and get into the lower column bearing.

[PetesPonies]

That looks good. I don't want to remove the column, not sure I could do all that with it installed?? One a 3 on the tree once, I just put a rubber plug where the shifter arm stuck out. But the Auto, is shaped differently. I know I can fill it as you did, thats a choice. Thanks for the idea.

[PetesPonies]

Rembrant, when you removed the ring from the column, what was involved? I have the column dropped, have the tuen signal switch moved out, unscrewed the upper hub ( which TS switch is in ) and removed 3 allen heads from the back side of the piece I want to remove . . still no budge.

[Rembrant]

Hi Pete,
It’s been a while since I had a column disassembled but I can’t for the life of me remember any Allen head screws. Is this a tilt column by any chance? I’ve not seen the inside of one. I know with the regular non-tilt columns there’s just a couple t-bolts holding the ignition housing on there. Maybe 10mm or 3/8 hex nuts and then the t-bolts basically fall out. If the column you’re working on is a tilt unit then it could be completely different from what I’m used to.

[PetesPonies]

Yes tilt.