I know that some people must have done it, but you should really know what you are doing before you cut your steering shaft and try to splice something new into it.
Your 1966 Chevelle does not have an energy absorbing steering column. Your steering shaft is solid and is not designed to collapse or telescope onto itself in a collision.
The 1967 Chevelle steering column was designed to collapse and absorb energy. It had a two or three piece steering shaft that was designed to telescope. There was a telescoping section under the hood between the firewall and the steering gear. There was a second telescoping section up inside the steering column. The whole dash, brake support bracket, etc behind the instrument cluster was redesigned to accept this first generation, energy absorbing, collapsible steering column.
The 1968 and later Chevelle steering columns changed again. The actual steering column was basically the same as 1967 but the steering shaft part became two seperate pieces. There was an intermediate steering shaft under the hood in place of the telescoping shaft. It had a univeral type "pot" joint where the shaft connected to the steering column under the hood near the firewall. It had a typical flexible coupling where the intermediate shaft connected to the steering gear. The shaft between the pot joint and the flex coupling was in two pieces that were designed to telescope over each other.
I imagine that you are thinking about installing a intermediate steering shaft.
I think that the original pot joints were designed to assemble to a 1 inch diameter splined steering shaft coming out of the steering column. There was a clamp with a cross bolt that squeezed the pot coupling onto the column shaft. The cross bolt passed through a notch in the column shaft for additional safety.
All I can tell you is that you are steering your car through this connection. Please be super safe in attempting to splice any non-standard parts or connections into the steering system.
JIML82
Your 1966 Chevelle does not have an energy absorbing steering column. Your steering shaft is solid and is not designed to collapse or telescope onto itself in a collision.
The 1967 Chevelle steering column was designed to collapse and absorb energy. It had a two or three piece steering shaft that was designed to telescope. There was a telescoping section under the hood between the firewall and the steering gear. There was a second telescoping section up inside the steering column. The whole dash, brake support bracket, etc behind the instrument cluster was redesigned to accept this first generation, energy absorbing, collapsible steering column.
The 1968 and later Chevelle steering columns changed again. The actual steering column was basically the same as 1967 but the steering shaft part became two seperate pieces. There was an intermediate steering shaft under the hood in place of the telescoping shaft. It had a univeral type "pot" joint where the shaft connected to the steering column under the hood near the firewall. It had a typical flexible coupling where the intermediate shaft connected to the steering gear. The shaft between the pot joint and the flex coupling was in two pieces that were designed to telescope over each other.
I imagine that you are thinking about installing a intermediate steering shaft.
I think that the original pot joints were designed to assemble to a 1 inch diameter splined steering shaft coming out of the steering column. There was a clamp with a cross bolt that squeezed the pot coupling onto the column shaft. The cross bolt passed through a notch in the column shaft for additional safety.
All I can tell you is that you are steering your car through this connection. Please be super safe in attempting to splice any non-standard parts or connections into the steering system.
JIML82
