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have a 72 Vette with telescopic steering which is fully extended and an trying to get it back down,there is no ring below the steering wheel,have slid the cover down on the column and turned the big silver ring to the right about half a turn and the wheel still wont go back down can someone help with this problem Thanks Alan
Is it an original equipment steering wheel or aftermarket? Some aftermarket wheels do not allow the column to telescope. Otherwise, post some pictures. Possibly you are missing some parts.
Is it an original equipment steering wheel or aftermarket? Some aftermarket wheels do not allow the column to telescope. Otherwise, post some pictures. Possibly you are missing some parts.
Jim
Hi Jim thanks for for all the info,i don't have tilt on my wheel, the big silver ring in photo turns clockwise about half a turn [ I presume that is the locking mechanism ] have enclosed pics the car is original Thanks Alan
There were only two types of OEM steering columns available for a 1972 Vette (actually 1969 through 1982). One was the tilt and telescoping type. The other was the rigid (non adjustable) type. Your pictures shows a non-adjustable type steering column. It will NOT telescope. The telescoping (only) steering columns were available from 1966 through 1968.
What is really confusing to me is the natural colored collar in the top picture and the full black steering column picture that follows. Also I am not sure where you feel the steering column has been moved (rearward) somehow.
Jim
I'm taking a rookie guess that the light-colored piece is an "inner sleeve" or "collar" that is now pulled "out"......and will not slide inward toward the firewall for some reason????
There were only two types of OEM steering columns available for a 1972 Vette (actually 1969 through 1982). One was the tilt and telescoping type. The other was the rigid (non adjustable) type. Your pictures shows a non-adjustable type steering column. It will NOT telescope. The telescoping (only) steering columns were available from 1966 through 1968.
What is really confusing to me is the natural colored collar in the top picture and the full black steering column picture that follows. Also I am not sure where you feel the steering column has been moved (rearward) somehow.
Jim
thanks for the reply ,i'm a tall guy and the wheel seems very close to my body it just feels like its fully extended and uncomfortable to drive,but if its a non tele wheel I will have to live with it for now,still doesn't explain the big silver ring rotating half a turn !!!I checked at corvette columns and a rebuilt tilt/tele column is $1125 will one of these fit in my car without any modifications, the column has a small screw underneath and I just took it out ,slid down the cover and exposed the big silver ring which turns Thanks Alan
The plastic cover was used on your 1972 column to hide the movement of the rotating bowl (cover) as you shifted into PARK (auto trans) or into REVERSE (manual shift).
I have a suggestion. You say that you want more reach to the steering wheel. If you can find a 1977 Corvette standard (non- adjustable) steering column, it should bolt right into your 1972 Vette and gain you about 2 extra inches of reach to the steering wheel. A lot of people converted to T&T columns through the years and you might be able to find someone with an old standard 1977 column just laying around.
Another advantage would be the 1977 column does not require the backdrive cable system to connect the column to the transmission. The 1977 and later Vette columns have a small lever next to the ignition lock cylinder that you have to trip in order to remove your ignition key. With a 1977 column, you could also change from the foot-controlled floor mounted headlight dimmer switch to a turn signal lever actuated dimmer switch.
Standard columns were also available in 1978 and just a few were available in 1979 before the T&T column became the only column available.
The reason the 1977 column will bolt right into your 72 is that the instrument cluster in 1977 was the same as the cluster in your 72. In 1978 the cluster was changed and the steering column had a shorter plastic shroud to reach from the column to the new cluster. I would think that you could easily modify the plastic shroud on a 1978 column if that was the only available steering column you could find.
Hope I have explained your option well enough. Otherwise send me an eMail or a PM.
Did you just buy this car? My father-in-law just bought a 77. The steering wheel would not telescope. When I took it all apart to replace the blinker switch the previous own had put PVC pipe over the shaft so it would be in place. Looking at your pictures You are missing Part 6 and 7. You have to turn 7 to the left witch turns the screw to loosen the inner rod witch releases pressure on the key way and allows the steering to go up and down. I had to call Davies Corvette to order new parts for his. Waiting for them to call me back to see if they have the upper shaft now. Your inner rod may be missing or putting pressure on that key way. Get a small magnet to put in the hole to remove the inner rod or remove the steering wheel, and try to pull the shaft out. The key way may be rusted in place.
See the star shaped srew in the middle. That pushes on a rod as you turn the the brown lock ring there.
your right the locking star screw is missing, someone has rigged your column into its current configuration.
I would suggest fully dissassemble and see whats going on,
and whats missing and/ or any added parts.
The column can be left in place and dissassembled.
You will need a lock plate puller for dissassemble, they can be rented or bought cheap,
@ any auto parts store.
you can temp thread a bolt into the column if the ext pin is still inside the column.
the bolt (correct Thread) would do the job of the star adjuster, and release the colum to allow adjustment.
The op doesn't have a tele column so it won't use the star bolt or the locking ring. His column is a fixed standard column. The part he is turning only turns because it's part of the interlock system for locking the column.
If he is tall (I'm 6-4) he'll have some serious issues without a tele column, I can't drive a non tele car without opening the door.
69 I may have a upper shaft if you still need one. I'll have to check to see, but let me know by emailing me at. Support@willcoxcorvette.com.
I am slightly confused. We all agree that the current steering column is a non-adjustable, standard type. Why are we now talking about an upper steering shaft?
A 1969 thru 1975 Corvette T&T steering column should bolt right into your 1972. Just make sure that the T&T that you purchase has the tilt lever, the steering wheel hub, extension, telescope lock and horn parts. Your current steering wheel should transfer right over.
A bare 1976 T&T steering column will fit, but the OEM steering wheel, extension, tele lock and horn parts that came with the 1976 are different for that one year. So unless you have all the additional parts to fit the Vega steering wheel for that one year, forget 1976.
Through the years I have read nothing but good reports on Columns Galore. One thing, they aren't cheap. Also parts are becoming rare to rebuild old Corvette steering columns, therefore their rebuild may not be exactly NCRS correct. (But the column will function correctly to your expectations.)
Jim
Through the years I have read nothing but good reports on Columns Galore. One thing, they aren't cheap. Also parts are becoming rare to rebuild old Corvette steering columns, therefore their rebuild may not be exactly NCRS correct. (But the column will function correctly to your expectations.)
Jim
How true about prices! I installed a $400! aftermarket tilt-column in my '34 street rod project...worth every dime.
After reading this thread and learning a lot, an original/rebuilt Corvette column is only 25% more than aftermarket. If I needed a "new" column for my project, I would spend the extra 25% (rookie thinking out-loud )
I am slightly confused. We all agree that the current steering column is a non-adjustable, standard type. Why are we now talking about an upper steering shaft?
Jim
Jim.. 69 posted (changed now) that he was waiting for a upper tilt tele shaft from another vendor... I have one... but he must of received one.
Sorry.. more confusion.. lol
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; 08-01-2014 at 12:59 AM.
Thanks for the clarification. There are virtually no parts (except the steering wheel itself and the lower steering shaft flange) that will interchange between a standard (non-adjustable) steering column and a T&T. So save your upper steering shaft for someone with a T&T column.
07-26-2014, 03:34 AM
steering column
Thanks Alan
)
I have one... but he must of received one. 
