I just purchased an OEM wood grain steering wheel for my 65 Malibu SS 4 spd. I am going to replace the after market wheel currently on the car. The repair manual cautions that 1 3/4" of the steering shaft must show above the top of the mast housing. It mentions that the mast can be adjusted but I cannot see where the adjustment is located. Can anyone help?

You need to loosen the bolts which clamp the mast to the dash. The brace that goes to the firewall has a tab which goes into the mast. This gets you close, but there is some room for adjustment. The idea in the end is to get the right spacing between the steering wheel and the turn-signal housing. Too little space, and the wheel hits the housing when you push on it (rag joint has some give). Too much space would be unsightly. Also there should be a spring right behind the wheel which puts tension on the rag joint and limits how much the shaft can be compressed. Good luck --- Carl