66 custom camper tilt steering column

[66camper]

Hello fellow classic owners. Ive recently picked up a 66 chevy custom camper and have been browsing ideas to give myself more breathing room behind the wheel. I'm 6'2" and 300 lbs. So when I am driving I have the issue on either kicking my door open when trying to use the clutch or when turning I unbuckle my seat belt. So my question is any other manly fellows have this same issue and possibly tried installing a tilt steering wheel to help alleviate the pain? Thanks in advance.

[Clyde65]

I installed a 71/72 c10 tilt steering in my 65, I'm the same size as you and we are just bigger than the folks back then. I also suggest an automatic for driving pleasure.

[65chevysub]

X2. I had a 72 Tilt column put in my 65 Suburban. I don't use the tilt much but my wife does. And if you have the deluxe steering wheel, it will fit on the column, mine did.

[66camper]

Thanks for the replies i will have to start looking for one.

[jocko]

Let's see some pics of that Custom Camper!! Welcome to the site.

[66camper]

I'll grab a couple pictures and post soon. Thank you again!

[64shortbox]

I too added a tilt column from a 72 Chevy van. I also didn't like having to raise my right foot up so high to step on the brake pedal so I added a thicker rubber bumper stop - placing the brake pedal a couple of inches closer to the floor. I still have plenty of brake pedal travel. I realize your truck is a stick but you still might try adding a thicker rubber stop to your clutch pedal to bring it down a little. Hopefully you should still have enough clutch adjustment to disengage the clutch completely when you depress the clutch pedal. I'm not sure about these trucks but on my 3 stick shift Pontiacs I had plenty of travel left of my clutch pedal after the clutch disc disengaged but I like my clutch adjusted right off the top with only about 1/4" or so of free play in the pedal.
I slid my van column down as close to the dash as I possibly could and I keep my column in the full tilt up position. I'm not a big guy at 5' 10" 181 LBS but no more gut rub on the steering wheel (I also added a smaller steering wheel) and I don't feel like I'm lifting my leg 3 feet off the floor just to step on the brake pedal.
There is a lot more than just bolting a 72 or so van tilt in our trucks. Since yours is a stick you don't need to worry about the neutral safety switch but you will need to modify it to fit the mounting location. I did mine - 1967 Chevy truck style - drilling a 3/8" hole dead center in the top of my column then using a 3/8" - 24 bolt and a jamb nut as the centering pin. As a plus you can also easily add 4 way emergency flashers since the wiring is already in the column. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to ask.
Yes, all 4 truck pics are of the same truck - just taken over a span of several years. I just can't seem to leave it alone for very long.
I also included a shameful pic of my 62 Catalina, Tri-Power, 4 SPD, 3:42 Posi, 8 lugs and Lots of clutch pedal travel. Unfortunately it hasn't seen the light of day in over 10 years. I dropped the front suspension out from under it to rebuild it & never got around to putting it back together.