Straight up ..Will a 1976 tilt tella column direct fit into a 1973? And will the wiring plugs fit and all that kinda stuff?.............Thanks

 

The actual 1976 T&T steering column will bolt right into your 1973. The thing that is different about a 1976 is that the steering wheel, horn button, and telescope lock parts (at the steering wheel) are unique to that one year.

So for instance, if you just need to replace the 1973 T&T steering column in your 1973 Vette, you can install the 1976 T&T column and install all of your 1973 steering wheel, horn button, and telescope lock parts right onto the 1976 column.

This link outlines exactly what parts you need if you are installing a 1976 T&T column into your 1973 car that has a standard column:

http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/T&T69-...To76Column.doc

 

BTW, it would be very helpful if you would put just a bit more description in your post title. There are so many postings every day, I almost missed your post because it didn't reference that it was a steering question.

 

What about doing it the other way?? Taking a 73 steering column and putting it into the 1976???

 

Something you might want to consider is the 77 up T&T st. column is shorter. I would put it in an early model & would have in 77 though at that time it was faster to get a new 77.

 

I have a 73 t&t column in my 76. Bolts right in.

 

1FUNVET,
No problem putting a 1973 column into a 1976. The same steering wheel, horn button, and telescope hardware issues apply.

Ganey,
A 1977 through 1982 column will bolt into earlier Vets (1969-76). However, I have never been able to get a good answer as to how well the 69-76 lower plastic instrument panel plate fits under the later column. The steering column shroud (the plastic column part that enters the clearance hole in the instrument panel) is slightly larger in diameter on the later columns. The early lower plastic closeout plate does not match the later column shroud diameter. I don't know if you could use a 1977-82 close out panel or not.

The following link has my paper on this very installation (including a photo at the end showing the plastic panel problem).

http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/77+Col...3Rev11NO03.doc

 

Does this mean you have a 77 tilt tella sitting around some where?

 

Jim
The dash was changed in 78, the lower cover below the st. column was also changed & is a different shape for 78-82. 80TexasC3 interior pic. of 78-82 design:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...i/DSC02308.jpg
So it won't work in a 68-77.
Maybe the 77 column is not significantly larger than the previous ones where it meets the dash. In 77 it is a very tight fit. The outside circumference over st. column cover of 77 is about 11 5/8".
SS armor on column in the way of measuring, probably about center of cover. Will remove SS armor if needed to get more measurements so this can be resolved.

 

No, it means just what it says.

Something worth looking into is a possibility for a column is one from a 79-85 Eldorado which has a tele./tele. like the Corvette.

 

Ganey,
It just dawned on me!!!! The 1977 steering column was the first one with the dimmer switch. But it still had to adapt to the 1977 instrument cluster that carried over from previous years.

I got out my drawings and I see that for one year only (1977) the steering column shroud that normally extends down into the instrument cluster was much shorter than later columns. The length was only 2.2 inches from the edge that meets the tilting head. This is only year that the column had this short shroud. The next year (with the new instrument cluster), there was a new long shroud (5.0 inches long).

I think that someone could carefully cut off the shroud at the 2.2 inch dimension without tearing the steering column apart. This should allow the original plastic panel to be used under the column.

Therefore, if my reasoning is correct:
1). A 1977 column should bolt right into early C3s and the original plastic closeout panel should work.
2). 1978 through 1982 steering columns should bolt right into early C3s as long as you cutoff the shroud at the 2.2 inch dimension.

I will make a separate post to determine if the 1977 AIM book specifies the same plastic panel as previous years.

I should have thought of this a long time ago. Must be old age setting in!!!

Jim

 

Yes. That's what I have thought since 77. If I had bought what I was looking for like a 70 BB, would have ordered a 77 column & went for it.

 

Still lookin for one, thanks for the info though now I know what I can buy.

 

Straight up ... yes bro