Choosing a replacement steering column

denpo

denpo

Carburated Nihilist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
2,522
Location
Montreal, QC
My steering column have too much issues (no warning, flasher don't come back on their own, it has too much play in it, the telescopic part don't work anymore), I decided to change it altogether.
I have the option between a 77 and a 80, is there a difference between them?
I already know about the wiper and bright light control,, those are a plus for me.
Which on would you choose?
 
denpo said:
My steering column have too much issues (no warning, flasher don't come back on their own, it has too much play in it, the telescopic part don't work anymore), I decided to change it altogether.
I have the option between a 77 and a 80, is there a difference between them?
I already know about the wiper and bright light control,, those are a plus for me.
Which on would you choose?
Click to expand...

'80 for a later shark, the 68-76? was a skinny shank on it, had the totally round/early shark dash....77 was a changeover year, and I never can remember the combo of instruments, but it's a 1/2 step, I dunno about the column, but I THINK that was they year they used the Vega? wheel, not Vette specific, but by '78 they had the thicker shank column, and back to a smaller Vette specific wheel.....I have a '78+ column I highly modded into my '72, done when I got the car 15 years ago....a rather crazy list of cuts and shit got it done, gotta look close to see it.....

that old buss driver wheel they put on the early sharks was a bad news PIA bear for me to deal with, especially on that fixed column, so it was one of the very frist mods to this car....I"m 6'5" and need the damn room....it's a TT column, obviously....:lol:
 
mrvette said:
'80 for a later shark, the 68-76? was a skinny shank on it, had the totally round/early shark dash....77 was a changeover year, and I never can remember the combo of instruments, but it's a 1/2 step, I dunno about the column, but I THINK that was they year they used the Vega? wheel, not Vette specific, but by '78 they had the thicker shank column, and back to a smaller Vette specific wheel.....I have a '78+ column I highly modded into my '72, done when I got the car 15 years ago....a rather crazy list of cuts and shit got it done, gotta look close to see it.....

that old buss driver wheel they put on the early sharks was a bad news PIA bear for me to deal with, especially on that fixed column, so it was one of the very frist mods to this car....I"m 6'5" and need the damn room....it's a TT column, obviously....:lol:
Click to expand...
Thanks, it's so good to get first hand experience.
The vega column year was 76 (http://100megsfree4.com/corvette/1970/vet76.htm), the one I have, yet another reason to get it changed.
If I understand you well, the change of size of the column shank it tied to the new '78+ dashboard design. Meaning that the 77 would have the correct shank size for my early vette dash board. Correct me if I'm wrong.
 
denpo said:
mrvette said:
'80 for a later shark, the 68-76? was a skinny shank on it, had the totally round/early shark dash....77 was a changeover year, and I never can remember the combo of instruments, but it's a 1/2 step, I dunno about the column, but I THINK that was they year they used the Vega? wheel, not Vette specific, but by '78 they had the thicker shank column, and back to a smaller Vette specific wheel.....I have a '78+ column I highly modded into my '72, done when I got the car 15 years ago....a rather crazy list of cuts and shit got it done, gotta look close to see it.....

that old buss driver wheel they put on the early sharks was a bad news PIA bear for me to deal with, especially on that fixed column, so it was one of the very frist mods to this car....I"m 6'5" and need the damn room....it's a TT column, obviously....:lol:
Click to expand...
Thanks, it's so good to get first hand experience.
The vega column year was 76 (http://100megsfree4.com/corvette/1970/vet76.htm), the one I have, yet another reason to get it changed.
If I understand you well, the change of size of the column shank it tied to the new '78+ dashboard design. Meaning that the 77 would have the correct shank size for my early vette dash board. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...

denpo said:
mrvette said:
I"m 6'5" and need the damn room....
Click to expand...
6'5'' too here, welcome to the club of the Giants-in-a-Vette.:friends:
Click to expand...

Sorry man, my mammory is not good on all those changes, I used to know, but no way I giving advice on my shitty memory....

and yes, being tall is a PIA many times...the extent of my mods to this shark because of it would fill a dictionary....short form for you and other tall guys...

my backbone has a extra lower lombar vertebra...so it's perpetually sore, most days are tolerable, others not so much....

I have a hell of a head clearnce problem, took out the rear brackets on the '72 seat tracks...worth 1.5", took out padding from front seat track mounts...worth 1/2 a inch or so...reused the OEM padding on seat recovering, removed the black plastic seat belt cover for clearance,to the seats with me in them....

Had the car down for a major o'haul winter 01-02...already had the TT wheel, but moved it back off the kick panel 3/4 inch to get better feel of the wheel, arms not so far extended....cut across the lower width of the foot well, and up to the height of the steering column on each side, moved the dimmer switch and bulge long since to the new column BTW.....so swung the firewall plastic forward about 3" and reglassed the whole mess, but the brake pedal lever, bent to where I liked it, and same with gas pedal....a buddy welded the brake lever but good....

the T/Sig lever was bent upward toward the wheel way back when....

so the resulting changes mean I can extend my feet forward about ~3" and that drops my knees off the fucking WHEEL, I can slouch down to my back is comfortable, and it's a breeze to drive it NOW....even longer trips....

and with the lowered seat, I can actually get in/out of the damn thing without breaking my head/neck....

IF I have to move another mountain, so be it.....

:rofl::rofl::rain::tomato:
 
What year is the car? The 77 is a one year only column so unless you have a 77 your really do not want that on. The 78-82 Column had little changes, but nothing to be concerned with. If you have a 69-75 then you can use a 69-76 Column, the Vega wheel on the 76 will come off and you can use the hub and cover parts off a 69-75, they will all bolt right on. If you want new, I just say and add where Flaming Rive reproduced the 69-75 Corvette steering column, no idea how much it is.
Thanks
Justin
 
J. Abbott said:
What year is the car? The 77 is a one year only column so unless you have a 77 your really do not want that on. The 78-82 Column had little changes, but nothing to be concerned with. If you have a 69-75 then you can use a 69-76 Column, the Vega wheel on the 76 will come off and you can use the hub and cover parts off a 69-75, they will all bolt right on. If you want new, I just say and add where Flaming Rive reproduced the 69-75 Corvette steering column, no idea how much it is.
Thanks
Justin
Click to expand...
Allright, very good info, I though my 76 had the one year only column. Good to know, I was about to make a mistake. Say I put a '80 column in my '76, what would be the modification to make, any link/article/pictures?
 
denpo said:
J. Abbott said:
What year is the car? The 77 is a one year only column so unless you have a 77 your really do not want that on. The 78-82 Column had little changes, but nothing to be concerned with. If you have a 69-75 then you can use a 69-76 Column, the Vega wheel on the 76 will come off and you can use the hub and cover parts off a 69-75, they will all bolt right on. If you want new, I just say and add where Flaming Rive reproduced the 69-75 Corvette steering column, no idea how much it is.
Thanks
Justin
Click to expand...
Allright, very good info, I though my 76 had the one year only column. Good to know, I was about to make a mistake. Say I put a '80 column in my '76, what would be the modification to make, any link/article/pictures?
Click to expand...

Hard to remember what I did myself in the garage 15 years ago to make a 78+ fit in my '72, I know I had just two columns, the OEM fixed wheel, and the TT to work with.....

I now know where my mammory got messed up....I have the chrome buttons/tele lever on my car....'77? only, 76?.....it's the set Nader in his infinite wisdom though reflections from sunlight would blind a driver....

so needless to say, if Nader hates it, I automatically LOVE it....

:stirpot::lol::clap:
 
Why did the car companies even listen to that fool. What about the sun blinding you, but tint is illegal in like 45 states. I guess he never thought about that one.
I am glad he has successful run for president, that should have opened his eyes a little.
You can make a 78 column fit a 72. They are not that far different from each other.
 
denpo said:
J. Abbott said:
What year is the car? The 77 is a one year only column so unless you have a 77 your really do not want that on. The 78-82 Column had little changes, but nothing to be concerned with. If you have a 69-75 then you can use a 69-76 Column, the Vega wheel on the 76 will come off and you can use the hub and cover parts off a 69-75, they will all bolt right on. If you want new, I just say and add where Flaming Rive reproduced the 69-75 Corvette steering column, no idea how much it is.
Thanks
Justin
Click to expand...
Allright, very good info, I though my 76 had the one year only column. Good to know, I was about to make a mistake. Say I put a '80 column in my '76, what would be the modification to make, any link/article/pictures?
Click to expand...

Instead of doing that, why not just rebuild the column in the car. Most of the parts are available for it, at least the ones that wear out. Putting the 80 Column in and making everything work is not that big of a deal, but it would by far be easier to fix what you have.
 
J. Abbott said:
denpo said:
J. Abbott said:
What year is the car? The 77 is a one year only column so unless you have a 77 your really do not want that on. The 78-82 Column had little changes, but nothing to be concerned with. If you have a 69-75 then you can use a 69-76 Column, the Vega wheel on the 76 will come off and you can use the hub and cover parts off a 69-75, they will all bolt right on. If you want new, I just say and add where Flaming Rive reproduced the 69-75 Corvette steering column, no idea how much it is.
Thanks
Justin
Click to expand...
Allright, very good info, I though my 76 had the one year only column. Good to know, I was about to make a mistake. Say I put a '80 column in my '76, what would be the modification to make, any link/article/pictures?
Click to expand...

Instead of doing that, why not just rebuild the column in the car. Most of the parts are available for it, at least the ones that wear out. Putting the 80 Column in and making everything work is not that big of a deal, but it would by far be easier to fix what you have.
Click to expand...

Unless he wants/needs Tile-Tele....the diff is the later shark sources are lots cheeper, early ones are sky high...even back when, to ME anyway...

I know I used part of the plastic lower housing near the dash, cut it off length wise and so run it around the column/ign switch levers section below the tilt pivot....wrapped it in black vinyl, split along the bottom, hold it on position with a black tie wrap....

Rube Goldberg for sure, but it works passes glance test, and has never been mentioned by anyone....

:lol::clap:
 
JIML82 said:
This paper should answer all of your questions on installing later steering columns into your early C3.
http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/77columnintoearlyc3rev11au09.doc

Jim
Click to expand...
Simply awesome, I could dream of better info than that.
Speaking of reworking my old column, I thought had too much issues and missing parts. I also like the idea of have wipers and high light on the dash, this on-the-floor switch seems just ridiculous to me.

Edit : my bad, the wiper switch is a '77 only feature.
 
the "collar" that fits under the gauge cluster is different on the 77 from the 80. If you can, grab a 77 column or rebuild your own. It's not as hard as it seems. 77s are a 1 year only deal and may be hard to find.
 
Twin_Turbo said:
If you can, grab a 77 column or rebuild your own. It's not as hard as it seems. 77s are a 1 year only deal and may be hard to find.
Click to expand...
Yes,77 column is an odd ball setup,the wiper switch is different, and no longer available from GM.(I got one some 6 or 7 years ago,had problems with it a year or 2 later,not there now) Corvette Central may have parts, I've found some there.
Gimpy
 
I got a wiper switch and some other stuff off ebay. They are on there sometimes.
 
Just received my '80 column.
As expected, It's missing the part that comes after the wheel.
I'll post a "wanted" request for the tele lock ring and locking nut.
 
denpo said:
Just received my '80 column.
As expected, It's missing the part that comes after the wheel.
I'll post a "wanted" request for the tele lock ring and locking nut.
Click to expand...

There is a 1/4 dia. black steel shaft that goes down that unit there, and actuates what looks like a woodruff key to lock the column...is all that shit there??

I have none of that but what's in the car now...sorry...

:cool:
 
I'm reviving one of my very first post, because I'm almost ready to put the column in.
I've read the Jim Shea's paper, and I'm not sure I'm getting it.

here's the two column :
16554dc5ea9bdcdcb.jpg
'80 top, '76 bottom. I aligned them from the firewall.
The '76 have been collapsed to adapt to the borgeson box.

And here is the drawing in his paper :

16554dc5ea9b56951.jpg
With the caption:
"This drawing shows the rework dimension for the Steering Column Housing Shroud so that a 1978 through 1982 T&T steering column will fit the instrument panel of an earlier C3 Corvette. It can be trimmed to the 2.20 inch dimension with the shroud still in place on the steering column. Just be very careful that you don’t cut any wires exiting the column in this area."

To be frank, I'm really not sure what I'm supposed to do here.
Did someone here already did that?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top