Paul74

Can a steering column from any other GM car be put into a 1972 corvette? If so, what cars will work? I don't care about tilt/telescopic options. Another option would be to repair the broken parts in mine. It currently is not t/t. Where can I buy parts to fix the broken ones?

Jim Shea

There are no other full steering columns from any other makes that will fit your Corvette. However, any Corvette steering column from 1969 through 1976, either standard (non-adjustable) or T&T will bolt right in! The thing that makes the Corvette steering column unique is the stuff you can't see under the dash. The collapsable jacket, steering shaft, back-drive shift tube, toe pan bracket, and breakaway capsule mounting bracket are all specific to the Corvette.

The good news is that the T&T head, lock cylinder, ignition switch, turn signal switch, and a lot of other parts are shared with a lot of other GM cars and trucks. Go to: http://www.corvettefaq.com and look under Suspension and Steering. There is a paper entitled: Steering Column Replacement Parts. It lists a great number of interchangeable steering column parts as well as several companies that could assist you in purchasing or rebuilding your column. There are also several papers that I authored on how to disassemble the standard Corvette column as well as the T&T.

The thing to remember is that the function locking, energy absorbing steering column was invented to help prevent people from stealing your car. This by definition makes the steering column somewhat difficult to disassemble and service. But it really isn't all that bad.


[Modified by Jim Shea, 5:07 PM 1/29/2002]

Charlie BB

Jim: Any suggestions of where to get a good T&T steering column for my 1971 Vette?

Thanks, Charlie

Jim Shea

Charlie,

CorVette Steering Service Inc
(864) 287-9990
Anderson, SC http://www.cvsteering.com

Steering Columns Galore Inc
(888) 326-5866 http://www.columnsgalore.com

These are two companies that specialize in rebuilding steering columns but I am sure that they would sell complete T&T assemblies as well.

A lot of Corvette suppliers; (i.e. Paragon, Eckler's, Rik's, Zip Products) sell complete columns. The T&T's run $400 - $500 but you should shop around.

There are even more suppliers that sell individual components for the enthusiast to do his/her own work.

mrvette

Jim, did you design, for do you know the primary designer of that GM TT column used in the shark era???....
whoever did that was sure into mind expansion....tell you what, it's a real trip working on one of those, my first time on one was a true mental excercise....but the design won my respect in fact, for truely fitting 4 pounds of sh it into a one pound bag, and making it work....;-)))

GENE

Jim Shea

Saginaw Division, GMC (now Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems) designed all the energy absorbing steering columns for all General Motors vehicles. The engineering department was divided into different product groups. There was the steering column group (both standard and adjustable); the power steering pump group; the steering gear and hose group; the propeller shaft and drive axle group; a steering systems group; as well as advanced engineering.

I was in the advance engineering group when the 2nd generation energy absorbing steering column was developed. Later I had responsibility for the flexible coupling and power steering hoses (during the C3 era). Then I was assigned to the Saturn Corporation with the responsibility of releasing the original Saturn steering system. Finally I had responsibility for Steering System competitive analysis and the Noise, Vibration, and Acoustics Group.

So I had a lot of different jobs at Saginaw before retirement. But all of them were in the steering systems area.

The Saginaw function locking, energy absorbing steering columns are a real engineering marvel. They have many clever and ingenious mechanisms to provide all the functions that are required.

You comment that the C3 T&T column is complex. Just think, since the C3 Corvette, Saginaw has had to incorporate even more functions and mechanisms into the steering column. The later year steering columns incorporate PASSKEY, MATS, Air Bag Inflatable Restraints, BTSI (Brake, Transmission Shift Interlock) mechanisms, and steering wheel mounted controls.

So it could be worse! At least most of our stuff is just good mechanical, electro-mechanical, and hydraulics engineering!

One of the things that I did before I retired a year ago, was to accumulate all the information on the C3 Corvette steering components that Saginaw manufactured. So I have a pretty good service library on the Saginaw parts. I have supplied Terry Rudy with a large number of papers describing the Saginaw components and systems. You can find a lot of my core "dump" at http://www.corvettefaq.com. Look under Suspension and Steering.

Have a good day.
:cheers: