My 67 chevelle has a steering column for a automatic, however I'm putting the shifter on the floor, I would like to do one of a couple of things....I dont want the column to have the shifter mechanism on it or change it out with the least amount heartache. aftermarket columns sound like they arent a bolt on deal, and modifications are needed. also my present column has a bad lower bearing......
is there anyplace out there that rebuilds old gm steering columns ?
thanks in advance :rolleyes:

This company in New York is known for being able to build and rebuild steering columns. Their websight is: www.columnsgalore.com (http://www.columnsgalore.com)

They have a good reputation. They are not cheap.

I would contact them and ask if they can modify your steering column to a floorshift.

Jim

Currently 9 on ebay in various configurations including tilt priced from $25 to $300. Search for "chevelle steering column". Note that cutlass/442, tempest/gto, skylark/GS will also fit in some cases.

Some people may think of this as crude, but done right it looks good and is cheap. Cut the shifter off your column and fill in the hole. If you are detail oriented you can cut the shifter arm off on the engine compartment side of the column. My '65 was originally a three on the tree - but you can't tell by looking at it now.

Thomas

So, if my '68 Chevelle was once a Column shift automatic and is now a four speed, what can I do to get rid of the doopey looking "knob" were the shifter once went? Do I need to actually replace the entire column? Are you saying there is a way to modify it?

This is my opinion. General Motors and Saginaw Steering Gear spent millions of dollars developing the energy absorbing steering column for all GM passenger cars that went into production for the 1967 model year. The steering column was designed to collapse and absorb energy in a severe frontal collision. The 1967-68 columns were the first generation design and are unique in all GM passenger cars for just those two years only.

So you need a 1967-1968 A-car floor shift steering column (either standard non-adjustable or a tilt column). The bad news is that I just went to ebay and looked under Chevelle Steering Column. I didn't find any 1967-1968 steering columns of any type.

I really don't recommend installing anything but the original equipment A-car type steering column in any cars that are driven on the public highways because of the above safety issue. The aftermarket tilt and standard steering columns were not designed as part of an energy absorbing system.

So I recommend either finding a used A-car floor shift steering column; or that you modify the shift bowl on your column yourself; or have someone else replace or modify the bowl.

You can remove the column from the car but you still will most likely have to perform this modification with the bowl as part of a partially assembled steering column.

The shift bowl is a press fit into the shift tube which extends down inside the steering column. The shift tube is rather delicate since it is designed in two pieces and is supposed to telescope onto itself in a collision.

I don't know of any easy way to get the bowl off of the shift tube without special GM tools. However, you can get the steering shaft out of the column and remove the turn signal switch and other loose parts. So you can work on the bowl with those parts missing. But the bowl and shift tube assembly will still be trapped inside the mast jacket. I would think that this probably will not be a big deal.

I bought my rebuilt floor shift tilt column from Gary's Classics (http://stores.ebay.com/Garys-Classics) on eBay. They have 67 floor shift columns with or without tilt. The tilt column for the 67 is pretty pricey.

I am as we speak changing the column from column to floor shift. I am using parts from a camaro colum of the same year(1968). The parts are all the same. You could also remove the shift arm, cut off the boss and fill the hole with epoxy or j b weld. :D

Bent, it is not very difficult to remove and take down the column I replaced my small block auto column shift column with a big block floor shift manual column and installed a GM NOS 396 steering shaft and bottem bearing and a GM nos mast jacket.
I bought a couple used bb floor shift manual columns and the nos pieces and completey tore down the columns and rebuilt/restored one and it looks mint it did take some time to dissassemble/reassemble the upper portion as there are a lot of pieces that you won't want to loose. I have some extra cups/bowls with out the column shift nob which are fairly easy to replace.

Brett,
I tried to eMail you but my message came back. You must have changed your personal address.

Anyway, here is my question:

How did you remove the shift bowl from the shift tube and then install the correct floor shift bowl since they are press fits? Removing the original bowl should just take the correct size bushing to press out the shift tube. However, the shop manual specifies a special GM tool J-23073 to reach down inside the shift tube and pull it up into the new floor shift bowl.

If you have a clever way of accomplishing the reinstallation without the GM tool, I would like to add it to my Disassembly & Repair instructions.

I have A new pc and havn't hooked up a server yet, anyways the bowl is held by three screws and compressed with springs you have to remove the retaing clip on the shaft and loosen the screws and twist and push down to remove the bowl off the mast [notches catch the bowl and mast and as you tighting the spring loaded screws, after turning it to catch the notches it tightens up] no press fit at all it is a challege but not really that difficult I tore mine completely down R&R removing everything,inc. upper bearing and all related pieces and replacing lower bearing,mast, directional assy and shaft.All my columns are '67 only. I'am on a friends pc and will check back asap.

Hey 72sprint,
thanks for the info on Gary's classics..!!
but I've tried to contact him before to talk about this column, but he is unresponsive...
was he he pretty fair? I've already been burned on some ebay stuff, and I'm a little cautious...