67 camaro with too much play in steering column

[klbullard]

Hey everyone, I certainly appreciate any help I can get. I'm 80% through the restoration of my 67 Camaro and have run into a brick wall with the steering column. The car was originally a column shift but I have installed a Muncie. My buddy doing the body work, removed the steering column, disassemble it, then, cut and filled in the shift lever mount. It looks great...like it was never there. The problem is he couldn't re-assemble it, so he gave me the parts in a baggie and I cant seem to get it back together either. I'm thinking there is a spacer missing somewhere but he say's no.

Does anyone out there have any experience with this, assembly/dis-assembly of a 67-68 Camaro steering column? It would be a column shift, non tilt. I have searched extensively for a good exploded view but everything I find is really unclear.

I have attached a couple pic's of the gap that I can't seem to close up. I can compress it (it's under spring pressure) closing the gap but it opens up to this distance once released, catching on the thrust washer, wave washer and C-clip. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I'm about to the point I would buy one if anyone out there has an assembled column they would like to sell. Sorry if I posted to the wrong area...I'm new here and thanks for the help.



-Kelly

[Jim Nilsen]

ifI remember right you have to assemble the piece you are trying to get together before you put the shaft in or you can't wiggle it in around the areas that are stopping you from going in now.

It's frustrating but if you look at it long enough you will see it.

[DarkoNova]

There's a member here that refurbishes steering columns. Do a search in the for sale section and you'll find him. He might be able to help.

[klbullard]

Thanks guy's, I finally figured it out. There is a cam lock mechanism that has a special assembly procedure associated with it. There are three spring loaded screws that must only be tightened three turns upon initial assembly. This allows enough room for the cam lock to be twisted into place. If you happen to tighten these screws to tight there is not enough clearance to twist the assembly into place and it is not obvious what the problem is. Once the assembly is twisted into place, you then tighten the three screws and it sucks the whole assembly tight...gap gone. In all my searching (two weeks) I finally found a reference to this in a post on a Corvette site. The guy's comment was this is a little known fact and the cause of much heart ache...I would have to agree. Again thanks for your input, it was much appreciated.

-Kelly