WANTED Tilt Steering Column

[65 Dartman]

Looking for a tilt steering column that will most like be out of an M Body. Steering wheel not needed. I have a J Body floor shift non-tilt column for possible trade.

 

[Rattle Trap]

You need to be a little more specific. Are looking to also fit a J-body? From my understanding, 80 is stand alone. 81-83 will plug and play into themselves. Are you looking to go to tilt, column shift? Do you have all the associated column shift linkages and different than floorshift kickdown? If so I could help and would also be interested in trades. Or are you simply looking to add tilt to a floor shift car and require another floor shift column? In that case I can't help but maybe with more details, another can.

 

[65 Dartman]

Thanks for replying. This is what I have going on : 65 Dart wagon that I was going to use the 65 833 and all associated 4 speed stuff. I already have mocked up a modified J Body underdash harness (forgot from what year) to work with my modified engine harness. The plan was to use a J Body steering column w/o shifter that I have (an 80 I believe) that my underdash harness will plug into the ignition parts on the column. My clutch leg has worsened to the point I can hardly lift it up to even clutch pedal height, so I’ve made the decision to go to an automatic, a rebuilt A500 to be exact, since that’s what I have on hand. It would be no problem to use the floor shift column I have and use an aftermarket automatic floor shifter. But since the wagon is heavily modified inside and out - custom dash, swap to factory AC including the firewall, complete 66 Barracuda interior, power door windows, power door locks and on the exterior, conversion to a 2 door sedan delivery, it would be great to have a column shifted tilt column, which the ignition parts would have to integrate with my underdash harness. I am not worried about the shift linkage from the column to the trans since it’s likely going to need to be fabricated anyway. That’s where I’m at right now.

EDIT: pic added

 

[Rattle Trap]

Cool looking Dart! There's a pair of those being neglected on the other side of the country block from me along with a few mid 50's Packards. Given that the relationship of the firewall to back of engine should remain very similar across models, you shouldn't have linkage issues. The column length would be my concern. The Mopar units are slightly modified GM Saginaw's and longer than a standard column which you could set at the desired angle. That's why they only came with the flat "blade" steering wheels until the 80's wheel redesign. You just can't put a standard dished wheel on them without rubbing your gut or, other protrusions while reaching the pedals. Some guys have found that if you use a Grant GM adaptor to mount a Tuff Wheel, it actually places the wheel back so far that you need to shim it out to get it off the turn stalk and shifter tho. If your harness is an '80, you may be a little screwed on parts availability in any case. My suggestion would be to use an 80's M tilt column and swap wires around as necessary to make the plugs work. Most likely you'd want to grab it from some junkyard car and cut the harness side of the plugs and splice the pigtails into your new column. I assume you have access to the occasional 5thA's and Dippy's coming thru local yards yet today? That would sure be cheaper than paying myself or another to hunt one down and grab your needs.

 

[65 Dartman]

Thanks for you insight! I “think” my dash harness might be from an 82 as all the colors and location of wires to the ignition components seem match the 82 FSM. I save my FSM AS I had an 82 Miranda a few years back. Another FFMJBodies member sent me the schematic for the ignition components for an 80 and although the colors are different, placement in the connectors are the same. A FABO member and Happens to be a personal friend saw my FABO ad and said he can source a tilt column. There are still a few M Bodies in yards around where he lives in IA. So we shall see what he comes up with.. if you have something I’d be interested in, do let me know as well.

As far as any FMJ’s in any yards around here - all long gone at least 20 years ago!
Don

 

[Rattle Trap]

There's a few 5thA's remaining in my local yard. But they've all been there at least 20 years, so not 100% certain I'd trust their electrical to be good, or which years which one's even are. But I am half way closer than IA. Personally, in that range I only have my 84 and 89 5th's, and also 86 and 87 columns hanging from the trusses. I'm not entirely familiar with the later M's despite owning them. But I was told the columns changed in 81 and 84, then some time in 88, and again in 89 for the air bag. I didn't know the plugs would work despite the different colored wires, but according to another friend an 81 turn signal switch wouldn't work in an 80. How true all of that is, or maybe where he went wrong, I've no idea. Just what I'm told. So if my friends are correct any 81-83 should work for you and provide a decent range of years to maintain it. And if yours doesn't come through for you I could try climbing into some of the local ones through which ever window is open and kick the doors til the frozen shut latches give so I can check the door stickers for the right year range of build. As long as the driver door window isn't down or the windshield missing, they might be OK.

 

[Rattle Trap]

Hey you won't believe what I found while cleaning the garage yesterday. Do these connections look right? I remember when I got this in a load of parts F &M parts now, but never identified it to hang it upstairs. It's got wipers and cruise on the turn stalk, and this coffee brown color had to be an early 80's thing cuz I dont remember seeing it in the late 80's is all I know.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

GMs use the the same type of column. A mopar buddy of mine had one in his LeBaron k-car for years. I forget if the plugs were the same or not but that should open up your search a bit.

 

[BudW]

Even the '80-early '90's pickups and front wheel drive cars used the same mid to upper column parts. where they all differed was at the firewall and lower end of the column. A person might be able to take an A-body lower half and (well anything '80's) mid/upper half and make a good working column - but it will take a bit of work to do so.
Also - many GM cars might be a consideration.

The key to look for - for Chrysler's, is the turn signal switch/cruise switch. It needs to have the visibly noticeable pull-off end (part chrome, part color) for it to work.

In about '90 (or so), Chrysler went to a completely different column design that has a different looking turn signal stalk. I would think anything with this design of turn signal – the column will not be of much help.

BudW

BTW, that is a nice looking project!
Sorry to hear about the knee/leg - it sounds like that sucks.

 

[BudW]

Even the '80-early '90's pickups and front wheel drive cars used the same mid to upper column parts. where they all differed was at the firewall and lower end of the column. A person might be able to take an A-body lower half and (well anything '80's) mid/upper half and make a good working column - but it will take a bit of work to do so.
Also - many GM cars might be a consideration.

The key to look for - for Chrysler's, is the turn signal switch/cruise switch. It needs to have the visibly noticeable pull-off end (part chrome, part color) for it to work.

In about '90 (or so), Chrysler went to a completely different column design that has a different looking turn signal stalk. I would think anything with this design of turn signal – the column will not be of much help.

BudW

BTW, that is a nice looking project!
Sorry to hear about the knee/leg - it sounds like that sucks.

 

[80mirada]

early front drive and Dakota columns lend themselves to hot rod use quite well. many have jointed shafts under the dash

 

[65 Dartman]

A FABO member and a personal friend said he can source a tilt column.

Bringing this ad back from the dead as the day after my last post (mar 26th) I spent 2 weeks in the hospital that resulted in a difficult gall bladder operation! As it also turned out my friend in IA never found a tilt column and ended up moving to MN. So the search is back on - looking specifically for a 79-81 tilt column with column shift, steering wheel is not needed. Let me know what you have including a price

 

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

I think I have an 80 F tilt column shift in storage.
80 F has the wipers on the column. should be complete.
if that'll work I'll go check storage tomorrow am when its not 100*+

 

[F body Deconstructor Jim]

my mistake...not an 80 F....an 88 M column...tilt cruize hi/lo

 

[65 Dartman]

Thanks for the info on it - electrical connectors look different than what’s on my harness.

 

[BudW]

Chrysler changed the electrical connectors about every 2 years. Why - I don't know.
If column is correct (except for electrical) then I would carry over what electrical items you can or change the electrical connector(s) itself.

The F & M-body tilt column is the same from '80-89, with exceptions of floor shift (vs. column shift) and/or manual vs. P/steering - again except for the electrical connectors. the Switches themselves look the same, just they changed the connectors, for some odd reason, every couple of years or so.
BudW