Thanks Pete. I may be giving you or Jim Shea a "holler" when I start installing it.
I'm switching the pedals over to a stick shift setup at the same time so that change should be easier with no column in the way.

Dep

 

Found a few "junkyard" suppliers that list T/T

www.carolauto.com 69-76 Steering Columns (tilt-telescopic) - $350
http://www.contemporarycorvette.com/ $500
http://www.corvettejunk.com/75vette.htm $750.00

Others to check with:
http://www.vipercarparts.com/max.html

 

sfallison: You can scratch off Contemporary Corvette. I called them first. They have NONE in stock, and the guy told me if they get any in they will be $1000.

Dep

 

Got my steering column out tonight. Did it on my own with no help. Only ran into two glitches. One was I didn't seperate that pinch bolt split enough. Had to hammer a big screrwdriver in the slot and LEAVE it in there. Took the screw out completely to do that. Then manuvering the plate around the brake pedal was kinda a PITA but I finally got it. Next I yank out the pedal bracket. More work standing on my head

Dep

 

FYI, I bought a used column on EBAY for $200. With a lot of help and advice from Jim Shea I rebuilt it myself for much less than $500. Look at all the articles Jim has on corvettefaq.com. One major peice of advice about working with the column. DO NOT drop it on its end and cause the shaft to collapse!!!!! If you buy one that already is collapsed it is a major PITA to get it pulled back out to the correct length. Since we just moved into our new house and my car is still at my parents I have not had time to fix this issue yet but hopefully will this weekend.

Another thing that would have helped me is to take pictures as you are pulling stuff apart. This job is not that bad for the do it yourselfer as long as you go at it the right way.

Hope this helps..

 

Black: Since I already bought a rebuilt column, I don't have to mess with rebuilding it. I know about not dropping or even standing the column on the splined end. However, I have some "doubts" about the required lengths of the shafts, as described by Jim Shea. I know he's the expert and everyone goes to him for advice. But I did some investigating last weekend at the Lars tuning session. The measurements I took of various C3s from 1968-1972 and a 1979 all lead me to believe his suggested lengths for uncollapsed columns are incorrect. On EVERY column I inspected on a 1968, 1969, and two 1972 Vettes, 11/16s of the splined part (about 1/2 of the splined section) was visible outside of the coupler. This matches the length showing on the column I removed from my Vette and will match the column I am installing. So either there are a WHOLE LOT of Vettes running around with collapsed columns (not likely), or the measurements Jim is giving are incorrect for early C3s. The 1979 Vette I looked at had the splines completely hidden under the coupler.

As to pictures...I have a photographic memory. Wait....I HAD a photographic memory back in 1967. At least, I think I did.
Anyway, I have a bunch of books that show exploded diagrams. So I think I'll be okay. Too bad Jim's pictures he includes in his articles can't be viewed by me. I don't have Wordperfect and the basic Word that came with Windows XP won't show the illustrations.

Dep

 

I haven't read any of the replies to this post but I feel it is NOT a 2 man job and only takes a short time. I would not touch the steering wheel assembly.
Everything just unbolts or unplugs from under the dash.
After doing the engine bay just unplug all electrical plugs and remove the required bolts from the firewall and the bracket under the dash and the wheel lifts out as an assembly.
Taking the wheel apart is adding to the problem of something going wrong.
Lift if out as a unit. This really was simple and easy to do alone.

 

I agree 100% I did mine and without referencing any material did it in about 10 minutes, I didn't even break anything!!! That is a big triumph for me!

Anyways it can be done by one man, I reinstalled it myself as well. Not hard at all!!

 

Norval: I agree, now that I have done it once it's pretty easy and wouldn't take long to do. Since I have to switch steering wheels, taking the wheel off was gonna be necessary anyway. So removing it made things a LOT easier. It really wasn't complicated to take the wheel off either. Pop the horn button, take off 3 phillips screws, take off the horn
spring, and then take off the 6 phillips screws that hold the wheel on.
Maybe I'm a bit "bulkier" than you are, but working around that dang wheel was a major PITA in the past
If I have to do any more work where the steering wheel is in the way, I wouldn't hesitate to remove it. But with the T&T that shouldn't be the case...I hope

Dep

 

Just curious....what is the condensor attached on top of the steering column by the ignition switch plug for???? Radio suppression????

Dep

 

I have searched the forum every way I know how and can't come up with the source of why I thought that a Vette T&T column was also used in other GM cars. I know that I read this somewhere, but the old brain just doesn't work the way it's supposed to.

On a different note, I apologize for taking so long to respond to the message. We had some family issues that took precedence. My sister-in-law had a bad crash with her two daughters (2 and 4) in the back of her SUV two weeks ago. Happily, everyone was buckled in, the air bags and child seats worked and the little ones were both fine. My sister-in-law had a pretty bad concussion but is well on her way in rehab. Just a reminder to all of us who love our cars and driving: always buckle up. You never know when this can happen. Fortunately, this story has a happy ending.

 

Dep,

I forgot the exact measurements that Jim recommended but my column is collapsed to the point where I cannot even mate the coupling. Current length is about 3 inches from the lower shaft bearing to the end of the shaft. I am going to need atleast another inch to an inch and a half of length for mine to work and that will give me roughly 5 inches total. Unfortunately I don't remember the origional position of my standard column when installed. I would think that as long as you have enough thread installed on both the shaft coupling and the steering box end to securely attach the shaft you will be ok.


Wade

 

Wade: I think you are EXACTLY right about having enough spline inside the coupler. Jim Shea says that the length of the shaft from the bearing face to the end of the shaft was SUPPOSED to be 4.7 inches (1969-76). Mine is 4 3/16 and that measurement has been consistent on every early (chrome bumper) C3 Vette I've measured. I'm not worried about it. With that many Vettes running around with no problems and the same setup, I should be okay

Here's the specs from Jim's FAQ:

1969 through 1976 31.0 inches
1977 through 1982 30.1 inches

1968 2.21 inches to edge of clamp
1969 through 1976 4.70 inches to brg retainer face
1977 and 1978 4.90 inches to brg retainer face
1979 through 1982 5.00 inches to brg retainer face

I question the 4.7 inches spec. I think it's less than that.

Steering column sure came out a lot easier than my pedal bracket! I am converting from auto to stick and have to install pedals and stuff.
What a mess!!!

Vette Gator: Hope everyone is doing okay after that accident. I ended up getting a rebuilt T&T column from E-Bay, so no sweat.

Dep