isosceles

This is a big admission on my part: I didn't realize my steering wheel not only tilts, but telescopes.

Saturday at the Corvette Challenge, I line up for my first qualifying run to choose a dial in time. I creep up to the line. 1st bulb lights, then the second. The tree starts and I start to powerbrake. I tach up to 1200 rpm (stock convertor). The 3rd yellow lights and I nail the gas and let go of the brake. The rear squats, the front end rises and as I am pressed against the seat, my steering wheel comes back about 6 " :eek: :eek:

I thought the thing fell off in my hands!
I gave it a little twist left and right and the car responded OK. I pushed back in toward the dash as I was driving down the 1/4, never letting off the gas the whole time! :rofl: :rofl:

When I got home, I dug out the owner's manual rather than take it apart, because the action seemed too smooth for it not to be engineered in. I found the lever that locks it in place. Now the car is much more comfortable to drive since I can tilt it lower without it hitting my knees.

Oh and the owner's manual mentions the ability to change the tilt and telescope of the wheel while driving! How dated it THAT? :eek:

Eddie 70

I would bet that was a helluva surprise. Now that all is ok, I laughed when I read it. Kinda funny. :lol:

Greg

Whoa! And check this out dude, if you push those silver buttons by the emergency brake handle the glass in the doors actually goes up and down!
:lol:

tbwstingray

:rofl: :rofl: :lolg: :lolg: :eek: :cheers: :steering: :flag

79VetteMike

If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? Very entertaining by the way. :lolg:

72GACRZR

My brother can feel your pain. When I first got my car, I took it to show them and his then 13 year old daughter was using a rag to dust the interior. I gave the keys to bro and said take her for a spin. He comes back 10 minutes later and says no way he wants one of these with the steering wheel moving in and out all the time. the daughter had knocked the lever loose. :yesnod:

427V8

My lock was loose for a while, it would pull back a scare the poopie out of me all the time...

But you da man if you never backbedaled even with thinking there was no steering! :smash:

Disco_Mike

I kept looking for the switches for tele/tilt.
took a while before i realized my 79 was a 'rare' tilt/tele-credit.
Vinyl steering wheels rule!

Alwyn678

:rofl: :rofl: The previous owner did not tell you :eek: :rofl: And you could not figure it out :lolg:


[Modified by Alwyn678, 8:30 AM 7/30/2003]

Fuzzy Dice

Man, I'm dying over here Mark.. :lolg: ...heckova driving job with all that going on... :D ..I feel your pain though...I had a Caddy once with tilt/tele and while driving down the street the entire column dropped in my lap :eek: ..I could steer so I drove straight to the dealer..with every left turn my nuts went right and vice versa... :lol: ..the faces on the people I passed by were classic though.. they couldn't see the steering wheel in my lap as I drove by them... :rofl:

p.s. glad you're AC is good to go... :thumbs:

AD2VET

No way!!!! :lolg:

MYBLU71

:lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :jester

Stewart's74

I hope nobody I know sees this but what is powerbraking? I put a 2400 stall converter in the car. What should I be looking to do?

isosceles

I'm not even sure if I'm doing it right, but I just hold the brakes and give it gas until the motor gets up to about 1200 rpm. On yours you could do it up to 2800 or so before the rear tires start spinning while the car is held in place. If I go much higher than 1200 either my rear tires will start spinning OR the rear tires will grab and actually make the front tires slide while locked by the brakes. That would cause me to red light.

RLaFarge

Is the tilt and tele rare as well on the 79 L-82 or was that standard equipment?

isosceles

according to the Corvette Black book, there were 47,000+ tilt/tele wheels and 14,500 L82's that year. I would expect that people upgrading the power plant would spring for the wheel. That same book shows 53,000 total cars that year, so I would say the tilt/tele wheel DELETE option is rare.

Jvette73

The tension on the tele-lock can be adjusted. At least its that way on my 73. When I got the car you could push the lock lever all the way over tight, and if you held tight to the wheel with stiff arms on launce it would pop back. Eventually i figured out when I had the wheel off for other work that I could tighten the tension. Theres a set screw that goes thru this circular star sorta thingy. Remove the screw, then turn the thingy one notch and put the screw back in. Now it locks tight and I can hold on tight under hard acceleration and the wheel stays put.

aurik

:lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg:

Andrew

:lolg:

Oh, I did the same thing on the road when I first bought my 79. :leaving:

Blankman

How much of the steering column do you have to take apart to get to that? I wouldn't mind tightening mine up, but forget it if I have to take the whole column apart!