# Steering column - Tilt & Collapsible



## cij911 (Oct 25, 2017)

I am considering upgrading the steering column to a collapsible (safety) and tilt unit. I am curious what others have done with the GTOs steering columns. I have not found any posts on the subject, yet I know it is quite common with other cars. (I did a trick setup in my 56 Bel Air.)

Flaming River, ididit, Borgenson, other ? Thanks in advance

Chris


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## bdubya74 (Jun 17, 2016)

Have you gotten any replies on this? I'm looking to do the same in my '66 Tempest.


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## Pinion head (Jan 3, 2015)

The cleanest installation in a '66 would be to install a rebuilt '67 "Pontiac" A-body Energy Absorbing tilt column. The outer tube (expanded metal tube) as well as the bullet shaped lower bowl are slighty larger diameter than previous model (same length A-body columns). On the '66 Tempest/LeMans/GTO this will require swapping to the '67 dash bezel. The '67 bezel is slightly larger in diameter where the lower column bowl abuts the bezel. Will also need to use the '67 bolt on bracket that cradles the column and bolts up under the dash. There are actually 2 different versions of these for '67's one for factory heater cars, one for factory AC cars. Its been many years since I sold a '67 FS tilt for this swap, but the results turned out very clean, if one didn't know the slight difference in the '67 bezel from the '66 bezel, one would have never noticed.

On a '64 or '65, the same '67 Pontiac A-body column could be installed. Have ran across this same swap several times. The stamped steel toe plates are the same '64-67. The column is the same length. The only issue would be bolting the '67 column up to the under structure pf the '65 with a bracket. The opening between the pot metal trim pieces on the '65 dash, from memory, is a little larger than in the '66 which uses a molded plastic filler piece (which is part that slides up and down the '66 column tube, when one pulls a '66 Pontiac A-body steering column). Have a fairly decent supply of the stamped steel brackets that support '67 A-body steering columns, need to do some examining to see if in unmodified condition, that bracket will directly bolt up to dash understucture on a '64 or 65. Will ck. that on my next road trip as have another partscar to pick up & the owner has several earlier Pontiac A-body's w/o columns in them (I bought them previously).

Not a fan at all of the Parts Place, but they do have one of the remaining national specialty GM early tilt column builders supplying rebuilt Saginaw floorshift tilt columns for '67 GTO's. Currently on Parts Place website at $749, which honestly isn't that bad of a price, esp if it is same quality of tilt column that is being built out E Texas (Ames sells the TX vendors product). The same '67 Pontiac A-body tilt column but with correct tilt and turn signal levers is also the same as would be used in '67 Olds Cutlass and Buick Skylarks, '67 Chevelle columns are all by themselves, totally different lower bowl design.


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