Tilt column swap ideas

[Critter]

I am converting my 72 Blazer from the original 350/th350 over to a 6.0/nv4500 5 speed setup. I know, I know, swapping from an auto to a manual is a little backwards for most, but it's what I want and I plan to keep this Blazer forever. My question concerns my factory auto tilt column. I want this K5 to be very nice, bordering on a show vehicle that gets driven quite a bit. Do I convert this original column over to a standard style by sanding down the shifter "nub" and repainting? Do I search for a very hard to find original floor shift tilt column? Do I go find a van tilt to hack up and make it look like a floor shift tilt? I guess I could also get an after market column but I am somewhat partial to having an original one. I will have other projects down the road that this original tilt column would fit nicely in I'm sure. What do the masses think...