Fwd: <VV> Steering wheel and column fit

[HallGrenn at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/26/05 4:48:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
hyarnell1 at earthlink.net writes:

> 
> FYI.  '67 GM went to collapsible steering column. Firewall mounting plate
> has a bigger footprint. All three mounting holes would have to be redrilled.
> 

Harry's points are the critical ones.  I tried out the process of swapping a 
'68 Corvair column into an early '65 with the long shaft.  The mounting bases 
are of a different design to accomodate the thicker diameter of the later 
column and the three bolts that attach it to the bottom of the dash.  It has to be 
stronger to hold the upper column while the middle accordions in an accident. 
 The mating to the steering box will also be different.  And you have to be 
sure the steering shaft is "true" (in a straight line with the box's stub 
shaft.  If not the steering shaft bends/twists everytime you turn it and it will 
eventually break (as it did on one car belonging to someone I know).  I'm not 
saying is can't be done, because it can--but anything but a well planned job 
with metal fabrication and welding would be a no-go for safety reasons.  We got 
enough untrue bad press in the '60's without creating new press for the yahoos 
in the 21st century.

Bob Hall
Group Corvair