steering column question

[BOHICA-Chevy68]

So I did a search, but this is something that may be hard to search for so I fgured I would give up and ask. I put a Automatic Trans in my 68. It origin had a 3 speed on the tree and the P.O. put in a TH350. Then I put in a 200-4r. However when the P.O. did the swap, he just welded on the orig steering column (and did a horrible job) instead of switching the columns.

So i found a 69-72 colum that is a automatic column, but this style column has the two peice shaft, were as the 67-68 column had a different desing for the "weak" point when involved in a accedent. So my question is; can i remove the two piece internal shaft from the 69 column and replace it with the shaft from the 68 column, instead of buying another intermediate shaft to complete the column?

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by BOHICA-Chevy68

So I did a search, but this is something that may be hard to search for so I fgured I would give up and ask. I put a Automatic Trans in my 68. It origin had a 3 speed on the tree and the P.O. put in a TH350. Then I put in a 200-4r. However when the P.O. did the swap, he just welded on the orig steering column (and did a horrible job) instead of switching the columns.

So i found a 69-72 colum that is a automatic column, but this style column has the two peice shaft, were as the 67-68 column had a different desing for the "weak" point when involved in a accedent. So my question is; can i remove the two piece internal shaft from the 69 column and replace it with the shaft from the 68 column, instead of buying another intermediate shaft to complete the column?

Since I do not quite understand your ?, I'll change the ? to one I can answer!? You do know you can collapse that 2-piece steering shaft?

Take it loose from column and just drop it from chest-high straight down onto concrete floor--maybe 2-3 times, sometimes--and that plastic pinlike stuff protruding from what look like roll-pin holes breaks loose where shaft will slide completely apart or adjust by collapsing, smaller up into larger, to whatever length you need.

Some people I've seen drill out that plastic hold 'em stuff. Naturally, it's designed to collapse in a wreck to prevent driver from being speared or impaled. At that point you can enlarge holes and secure with a 1/4-inch bolt & nut & washer; 2 schools about whether to use this bigger high-grade bolt for strength(not mine) or an el cheapo from Taiwan that hopefully will break easily(mine: I even like installing a smaller stovebolt that merely locates length and then will snap upon light impact.) The single-D or double-D shafts provide the torque strength. **If you happen to be working on older, round shafts, then I would use only the bigger, stronger 1/4-inch diam bolt, Grade 5 or more. I usually then brad the end of the bolt just beyond the nut.

Hope this different ? with answer helps.
sam
sam