Finally got the shroud off my 79 tilt and teli steering column.
The dip/main beam pivot has broken and it either needs replacing or welding. I have an idea that it will probably not weld up as it is a cast aluminium piece and has broken where it is particularly thin.

I know that this is no longer a part that GM supply but someone once gave me a contact that has reproduced them, can anyone shed some light on who or what company might be able to sell me one, unless someone has a spare they wish to sell.

 

Is this the part you're talking about? Also, is it pinned or bolted to the steering column lock housing. The photo is of the 2nd design pinned. I don't have this part, but if it's just the bracket part that is broken I may a few GM part numbers of switches the bracket could be removed from and used on your 79.

 

Hi, Yes that is the part I require. It is pinned into the aluminium upper steering column shroud. I had someone look at it today with the view of getting it welded but he said that the make up of the aluminium is not good enough for him to repair properly and that he wouldn't think it would last long even if he could.

 

There are a couple ways to go about this,

1. From GM that part was a kit called "Pivot Kit W/Pin, Dimr Actr" GM# 7833283 1979-1982 Corvette W/T&T Column. Somewhat rare and expensive.

2. This is what I would do, I would purchase one of these switches GM# 7831417 (link below), drive the solid steel pin out just enough to remove the electrical switch part from the bracket. Drive the solid pin out of your broken bracket and set aside the plastic actuator.

Inside your plastic dimmer actuator there will be a small double sided pin, spring and a plastic end cap. Make certain "IF" you remove these they remain just as they came out. You need to use them again as they are the correct components needed to hold your turn signal lever in the socket.

The end of the bracket that the pin pushed through will mushroom out a little, when you reassemble the new bracket simply peen that mushroomed part over the solid steel pin.

This bracket is a little stronger then what your 79 came with. GM used these brackets on a lot of Tilt columns over the years. Your only reusing the metal bracket part, toss the wiper electrical.

I have no interest in the sale of any of these items LINK: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...31417&_sacat=0

Plastic actuator and or switch removed your bracket and inner actuator pin, spring & cap will look like this.

I will also add this, Once you replace the broken pivot bracket you need to check the position of your dimmer switch for the correct setup.

 

bmotojoe. Thank you so much, that is brilliant and I can see that the part I require looks stronger than the original. I did eventually find a company called steering column services that actually supply the part I need but it is way more expensive than the ones you have shown me and it looks as weak as the original. I will be going your route for this.
Once again a big thank you.

 

Ouch, Saw there prices!
Use a 1/16" punch so it just strikes the pin not the casting leaving the original form of the bracket as a stop when you reinstall the pin, take your time, support that area over a deep socket or something (a extra hand always helps). It will take a sharp blow to bust the pin through the casting but not excessively hard. Once through a little the pin should move easily.
Hope this works out for you...

 

Thanks once again, yes I will support the area before hitting anything. I will report on how it all goes but that won't be for a couple of weeks as the part has to row over the pond to me first. Sometimes items arrive really quickly others you think will be quick end up taking weeks, hey ho.

 

Well it has taken longer than expected, partially due to having to wait for postage from the USA but also a few other bits on other daily cars had to be sorted.

So after the excellent information from bmotojoe, I purchased a switch from a 1980's Buick of some sort.

I then removed the pin to release the bracketry that I was after.

I was then left with this, bracket on the right and everything to the left in the bin.

Then it was just a case of mounting the bracket on to my stalk mechanism, push the pin in place and tap the dome of the Ali bracket to stop the pin from coming out.

And here is the assembled steering column partially reinstalled it in the vehicle.

I have since wired everything up and can report that it all works exactly as it should and for a fraction of the cost of a secondhand unit and to my untrained eye it looks so much stronger than the original.