You will likely have to replace or convert your existing column in order to remove the knuckle on the collar that currently holds the shift lever. There is no way to remove this collar w/o pulling the entire column from the car. You'll then need to locate the replacement part, (also having to remove the column from the car to get it off!). The next issue is that the collar from a non-tilt column will likely not be a direct swap for the one you currently have, this means finding a floor shift tilt column, sending yours in for a proper conversion, or replacing it with an aftermarket column.
Yes, all of this just to remove the silly little knuckle that holds the shift lever in place. The other option is to simply punch the splined pin up through the knuckle to remove the lever, then disconnect the shift linkage underneath by the transmission and leave the current collar in place. This is what I did until I find the correct parts for my setup.
I've seen where folks "converted" a column by grinding off the knuckle and using body filler to make it smooth. This is a poor choice since the knuckles are hollow and grinding them off leaves big holes. Such a modification is definately the short-cut and should be avoided.
Good Luck.
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