60-66 steering wheel column swap

[Sixty2Chev]

what's up crew!! looking for tips or ideas . Anyone who has done a steering wheel column swap for a 60 to 66 truck

[GMDad]

I installed a late 70s Chev G series van with tilt in mine as the key is still on the dash. Had to cut the lower shaft and install a u-joint when we did the power steering conversion. Works and looks good. Happy with it.

[Palf70Step]

I used a floor shift column & intermediate from a 69 C10. You can see what I did starting with around post #62 in my build.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=627495&page=3

[Clyde65]

I used a 71/72 c10 tilt and it went in easy using the 65 mount and 71/72 intermediate shaft. I also used the cruise control stalk from a mid 70's van as well.


Good luck!

[65chevysub]

I have a 72 tilt column in my 65 Suburban and was lucky enough to be able to use my original deluxe wheel. And as stated above, key is still in the dash. I'm thinking of having the end from the 72 shift lever welded to a 64-66 lever for a little more original look.

[64shortbox]

I also used a 72 Van Tilt in my 64. I bought it off eBay for $99.00 + $20.00 shipping. I was the only bidder. I had to move the neutral safety switch down the column a few inches to clear the mounting bracket. I slid the column down as close to the dash as I possibly could for more gut room and I always leave the wheel in the full tilt up position - again for more gut room. I'm not a big man - 5' 9" & 187 LBS.

[Sixty2Chev]

Very nice ! looks clean .. That's the look Im shooting for as well.. Did you have trouble mounting it using the stock E brake plate ?

[AustinBelair]

I have a beautiful van column I bought years ago but I just bought a new Ididit tilt column. I'm kind of tempted to run the van column. How do I do it? Or is there someone I can ship it to that can modify it?

[Sixty2Chev]

im currently working on mine .. I bought the Column swap kit for my truck .. Came with everything I need to install. Seams like everything will be straight forward swap. However i suspect I'll need to do some drilling and small adjustments.. Nothing is ever a bolt on swap as they say it is. I'll send you some pictures as I go along. I just started it yesterday... The remonval was easy !
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[Thiessen1960]

I also have the van column, but now that I am using a 1987 truck with cruise control on column and the motor and tranny I may just use it and sell the van column.

[WOLFMANmike]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

I also used a 72 Van Tilt in my 64. I bought it off eBay for $99.00 + $20.00 shipping. I was the only bidder. I had to move the neutral safety switch down the column a few inches to clear the mounting bracket. I slid the column down as close to the dash as I possibly could for more gut room and I always leave the wheel in the full tilt up position - again for more gut room. I'm not a big man - 5' 9" & 187 LBS.

where did you get those heater vents ? and are they functional ? if so i need a set of those

[64shortbox]

WOLFMANmike,
The A/C vents came off a 64 Chrysler New Yorker & yes they are functional. When I bought the truck it already had Vintage Air but it had the plastic cheap looking vents. I just didn't like the look of them. I found these during a half off day at a local self service yard (like Pick N Pull) for $6.00 each. I just found a center vent on eBay but that one cost me $26.00. I just installed it this past weekend.

[64shortbox]

sixty2Chev,
sorry it took me so long to get back to you. No there wasn't a problem mounting the 64 E brake assembly. I used the 64 column mounting bracket. Is what I did was take the idea from GM on the way they mounted the 68 column. On the 68 trucks they used a centering pin that went into the column housing and then used a 2 bolt U clamp to hold the column up & centered. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the top of the column and a matching hole in the underside of the dash lip. I then ran a 3/8" grade 8 bolt down through the dash and used a thin 3/8" jam nut to hold it. This left about 3/4" of the bolt sticking down. I cut a piece of 1/2" thick rubber (if I remember correctly) to go over the column and punched a 9/16" hole in the rubber to clear the jam nut and bolted the 64 column in place the rubber keeps it from squeaking and the bolt acts as a centering pin and column stop. I hope the attached pics help explain what I'm trying to say. The first pic shows the bolt & jam nut in place, my center line and the matching hole in the top of the column. The second pic shows my hunk of rubber cut, hole punched & installed. The 3rd pic shows the factory bracket installed and the 2 vacant mounting holes that would have attached to the original 64 column - now no longer needed because of my center pin - if this makes since.

[WOLFMANmike]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

WOLFMANmike,
The A/C vents came off a 64 Chrysler New Yorker & yes they are functional. When I bought the truck it already had Vintage Air but it had the plastic cheap looking vents. I just didn't like the look of them. I found these during a half off day at a local self service yard (like Pick N Pull) for $6.00 each. I just found a center vent on eBay but that one cost me $26.00. I just installed it this past weekend.

do you think its possible to run those as heater vents in that location with the stock heater ? mine is the 1 knob style so i think thats the economy heater ?

[notsolo]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

sixty2Chev,
sorry it took me so long to get back to you. No there wasn't a problem mounting the 64 E brake assembly. I used the 64 column mounting bracket. Is what I did was take the idea from GM on the way they mounted the 68 column. On the 68 trucks they used a centering pin that went into the column housing and then used a 2 bolt U clamp to hold the column up & centered. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the top of the column and a matching hole in the underside of the dash lip. I then ran a 3/8" grade 8 bolt down through the dash and used a thin 3/8" jam nut to hold it. This left about 3/4" of the bolt sticking down. I cut a piece of 1/2" thick rubber (if I remember correctly) to go over the column and punched a 9/16" hole in the rubber to clear the jam nut and bolted the 64 column in place the rubber keeps it from squeaking and the bolt acts as a centering pin and column stop. I hope the attached pics help explain what I'm trying to say. The first pic shows the bolt & jam nut in place, my center line and the matching hole in the top of the column. The second pic shows my hunk of rubber cut, hole punched & installed. The 3rd pic shows the factory bracket installed and the 2 vacant mounting holes that would have attached to the original 64 column - now no longer needed because of my center pin - if this makes since.

Thanks for the photo's ( 64shortbox ) perfect timing, I am right in the middle of same swap. Adding power steering and newer column to my 62.

[Lugnutz65]

I have a 1974 PS gear box and the intermediate sleeve with DD shaft. Not installed yet. Just bought a 3/4" X 3/4" (DD both ends) steering universal joint too. My plan is to join the 1974 intermediate shaft to my 1965 shaft with the U-joint. My 1965 shaft is 3/4" round and so I'll cut it to the proper length and then have the machine shop make the end into a DD shape so it fits into the U-joint. The U-joint has bolts that go though the DD shafts so they can't pull out. I will post pictures once I get to that point.

It doesn't give me a tilt column but I can always get a tilt column later if I'm not happy. The U-joint was only $30.

[par4tom]

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[64shortbox]

WOLFMANmike,
I'm not sure about the Economy Heater. When I bought my truck it already had the Vintage air in it. The Chrysler A/C vents have 2" hose inlets. I just swapped out the plastic Vintage Air vents for the Chrysler ones. If the Economy Heater has 2" outlets for heat I'm pretty sure they would work though.

[WOLFMANmike]

Originally Posted by 64shortbox

WOLFMANmike,
I'm not sure about the Economy Heater. When I bought my truck it already had the Vintage air in it. The Chrysler A/C vents have 2" hose inlets. I just swapped out the plastic Vintage Air vents for the Chrysler ones. If the Economy Heater has 2" outlets for heat I'm pretty sure they would work though.

OK ty .... Happy Truckin

[Auctioneerhere]

One thing, I grabbed a column out of a md 1980's GM 1/2 ton van & the hook up for the transmission is on the oppisite side of what I needed. I'm not sure it will work, just tossing it out there.