Hello.

I'm doing dash and instrument panel work on my '69 and encountered an issue mounting the steering column back in place. There is not enough clearance between the the bottom of the instrument panel and top of the steering column. Everything is perfectly aligned on the instrument panel -- it cannot be raised any further to make clearance.

A prior owner had swapped in another column. I suspect the replacement column and/or column mounting bracket are the issue.

Are the 1st gen column brackets deeper than a typical GM bracket? Meaning, the distance from the dash mounting surface to the bottom of the cradle where the column rests? The reproduction pieces I see online look the same as mine, that is, shallow. A deeper column mounting bracket would move the column further away from the instrument panel.

Thanks in advance.

Lawrence F.

Are you missing the aluminum wedge shims that go between that bracket and the dash mount? The aluminum pieces in the picture of your mounting bracket are not what I am talking about. Listed on page 55 in the interior section of Ames performance engineering's catalog part # FA70D https://secure.amesperf.com/catalogs/F25.pdf

Barnbird,

I saw those on Firebird Central but they're shown being place on the third mount hole of the '67-'68 3-hole steering column mount. I need to check but I don't believe my '69 has this third mounting bolt.

If I were to use a shim, the existing bolts would need to be longer. There is very little thread passing through when the column is lifted to the point of touching the instrument panel.

Ya sorry I missed the part about it being a 69. I don't know if you have seen the parts diagram http://www.teufert.net/partbook/67-76/10-i.pdf group 10.000 illustration 14. that picture sure looks deeper than your bracket but looks can be deceiving without measurements. One last thought are the mounting rod top mounting holes slotted? I believe they are and if so you might be able to make up the difference by dropping them all the way.

Thanks, Barnbird.

These are really great parts sites you've shared. Thanks very much.

I'm going to take a look at those mounting rods this evening and take some measurements.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Here is the main page with all the parts group sections. It's a revision from 76 so some part numbers are supersessions. http://www.teufert.net/partbook/index.htm

I took some measurements:

- Bracket cradle depth, ~2.5"
Outside bracket bottom to flange. Does not include spacer/mount block.
- Column body,~3.4"
Diameter where column meets instrument panel. Same as original.

The rod bolts are not slotted at the top.

That is interesting on your support rods not being slotted on top, After I posted I went back to that parts manual and blew up the picture of the support rods and they are definitely slotted. Hopefully someone with a 9 apart or a good memory can shed light on this. I am not sure if you are doing a concourse resto but if not and you have welding skills I would just take measurements cut and lengthen the rods if it becomes to much of an issue, should only be a half hour job and if done right would look clean. Good luck and let us know what you find.