After a couple of years of searching and searching over a month ago in the top sponsor add by Ebay there it was: somebody selling a tilt column from a 67 Impala! To make a long story short, the price was reasonable and I bought it. Had to lube the lower bearings, open it up and tighten the 3 bolts holding the tilt mechanism together just like the seller said and voila! Now she's got tilt, even original matching color.
I know Vince posted a while back that the 67 Impala tilt is a bolt in for our Canadian Pontiacs but I still find it amazing that they look perfect when the dash is so different where the column meets it.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Nice job! Thanks for the pictures. It's something I've really wanted to on my 67 some day.
Did you have to do anything different with the rag joint? I've often heard that there is some sort of difference between tilt and non tilt.
I can't speak specifically to 1967, but I know for 69/70 the lower flange is part of the column on a non-tilt, but is a separate piece on a tilt column. I've got a tilt column to put in one of my cars one of these days, but it didn't come with the lower flange. It took me a while to find the correct flange, as there are various ones available, which provide different spacing extending the length of the column.
Leo, was the flange on your old column removable? Typically on these columns I have seen that the tilt flanges are removable, the straight column flanges are not, but it seems to go according to model (Chev, Olds, Pontiac or Buick) as well as car line, as in full size, mid size etc.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I've got a tilt column to put in one of my cars one of these days, but it didn't come with the lower flange. It took me a while to find the correct flange, as there are various ones available, which provide different spacing extending the length of the column.
I don't know that I remember seeing any of the tilts that don't have a removable flange. Your original column was a solid flange?
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Pardon my ignorance but I assume the flange you are referring to is at the bottom end of the shaft. If so, I didn't try removing it at all. However if you meant a piece at the upper end near the steering wheel, the housing is removal piece by piece. I took pictures and notes and labelled each screw # numbered it so that I can put them back (that's the only way I could do it.)
I guess if I could do it, anybody can ... but had help from my son [get under the car to work on the bolts at bottom of shaft] and daughter to hold the wheel and prevent from moving. Anyone with more knowledge & practise would probably do it 3 times faster!
I've got a tilt column to put in one of my cars one of these days, but it didn't come with the lower flange. It took me a while to find the correct flange, as there are various ones available, which provide different spacing extending the length of the column.
I don't know that I remember seeing any of the tilts that don't have a removable flange. Your original column was a solid flange?
I forgot to answer your question. They don't seem identical as the solid column seems to have a plastic clamp above it and the tilt one has a different set-up although they both "plug in" perfectly. I can take photos of both if it helps you. Now I have a spare unit if anyone needs one.
I've got a tilt column to put in one of my cars one of these days, but it didn't come with the lower flange. It took me a while to find the correct flange, as there are various ones available, which provide different spacing extending the length of the column.
I don't know that I remember seeing any of the tilts that don't have a removable flange. Your original column was a solid flange?
yes, my original non-tilt columns have the lower flange pressed on and non-removable.