Tilt/telescopic column vs just tilt. Please help
 

Gentlemen,

I'm a semi-regular lurker in the for sale sections, but it's mostly to dream. I do however have a legit questions for you guys in here right now though.

All through my youth, my dad had a 72 vette convertible. In about 89 he sold it and went with a street rod. Missing going topless, he sold the rod last fall and just picked up a fairly sweet 72 cutlass convertible.

So the problem we have is that he's a pretty dang big guy and the seats don't go very far back. We're going to relocate the front seat a little ways back, but it may not be enough and he also wants to add a tilt wheel.

We know a person with a 72 olds that added a tilt and telescopic wheel out of an 80ish vette and are thinking of doing the same.

My question is this:

With the telescopic wheel, can the steering wheel be FURTHER away from the driver than just a regular tilt only wheel? We ask because if they share the same base point, and the telescoping mechanism ONLY brings the wheel closer to the driver, then there is no point in us getting one. However, if the tele in its furthest away position would give the big guy more belly room, well then that's what we'll need to do.

I know it was probably too wordy, but I hate it on other forums when some noob turd barges in and demands answers to a question that isn't even asked correctly. I'm just trying to be complete.

Thanks in advance guys. I really appreciate it.

John in Flint.

The tilt/tele column from a 79 Vette moved the wheel several inches inward from the original column on the 72. I can't guarantee that the same thing would happen on that 'foreign' car, but there is definitely a difference in length between the standard Vette column and the tilt/tele column. You could look at Ididit columns also. They make a lot of columns for all kinds of GM vehicles.

:cheers:

Rick B.

Send Jim Shea a PM with a link to this thread. He is the cat daddy when it comes to GM steering. I believe he is a retired engineer that did a lot of the work to the GM steering. If anyone knows the answer, it would be Jim.

Jim Shea

Thanks guys. I really appreciate the help.

I dont know about the cutlass, but I did the conversion for my '71 Corvette and its much better now, I can estimate the steering went back towards dash about 1 1/2 inche in the min column length setting.

Yes, it did, I have a '78 up vette TT column/wheel assy in my '72, and it was a bitch getting it in there, some years ago, I put a 3/4 inch spacer between the flange and the firewall, reversed the aluminum top flange mounting tabs, and slipped it in place....now the wheel is in a decent spot towards me, so my arms are comfy when driving...

I believe that you are asking about a 1972 Cutlass conversion. The 1972 Cutlass came with the standard (non-adjustable) or with the optional tilt steering column. It was never available with a T&T.

I believe that you could take the Cutlass tilt column and replace the "guts" of the column above the plastic tilt spheres with Corvette or Cadillac T&T parts from the same basic vintage column. However, that conversion would not place the steering wheel any further away from the driver.

Sorry,
Jim