Tilt column , is it pickup or van ?

[RSRXION]

Hey guys , I bought this column on ebay a few days ago and I'm needing help identifying it. The seller claimed it was original to a 72 pickup, but... The hazard button is red in color and I'm thinking it may be a van. Any help out there from the forum members ?

[c-1072]

thats a van colmn allright . The only problem is he might have pulled it from a truck and didnt know any differnt . It looks as though the steering shaft has already beed colapsed .

[RSRXION]

When you say the shaft has been collapsed... are you speaking of the intermediate shaft ? There is a lot of slop in the intermediate shaft up and down. It is pretty tight as far as slop but the shaft moves up into the booted area quite a bit. How long should this shaft be ? How long should the column be ? Will everything else work ? Can the hazard switch be changed out ? Thanks, Dean

[Ironhorse]

Judging from the look of the stub at the lower end of the shaft I would say it is from a van. To much length, should only be about half that much stub showing in a true truck tilt. The tilt and turn signal levers are newer mid to late 70's style. Original tilt and turn levers for 69 (1st yr for tilt as far as I know) thru 72 trucks are a hard tapered plastic barrel that is fluted or grooved all around it. Others with more knowledge than I feel free to chime in. I think it is from a van.

[Longhorn Man]

That IS a van column, no questions. The font on the perndle (PRNDL) lens along with the levers look like mid 70's to 81, but, the red hazzard button (which is correct for our trucks) and horse shoe harness connector, date it as much earlier. I've seen red buttons on 72 van tilts, but no later. I have a 73 right here and it apears to be all original (low wear, 50,000 mile old van) that has a black button. So you may well have a later column with an early switch. Does it have a hole for the neutral safety switch down low, about an inch from where the rust starts on the bottom of the shaft? That is another charachteristic of an early (pre 75 or so) van tilt.
Did you get a shift lever too? If so, how long is it? The early vans (72 - 74 or 75) had a long shifter, much like what your truck probably already has, the later ones are shorter and look better when an aftermarket (smaller) or late model wheel is used.
The intermidiate shaft that was supplied, is the key toi making the van unit work. Install the collumn, place it where you want the wheel (as in how close to the dash/far from your belly) and clamp it down, then instal the intermidiate shaft.
The only real concern of being misinformed as to it being a truck tilt, or a van tilt (other than for a 100% resto) is the price. Van units are worth 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of an truck unit in the same shape.

[Longhorn Man]

Here's some of the things I was refering to. This is a 1973 Van unit.
Long shifter... trucks style Along with correct levers for the truck style. The small black round thing is the hazzards.



This is the early style font...and if not mistaken, the truck style too.



The left to right slot is for the neutral safety switch. On the later van units, it was placed 1/2 way up from where it is on this one.
Also notice the length of the shaft sticking out the bottom.

[Rod]

van