I'm looking into a 68 tilt column, and I'd like to stick to stock. Has anyone bought one of these lately? What is the going rate for a good one? Anyone rebuild them? Are the parts easy to get, or very expensive. Suggestions....buy a nice rebuilt one, or a used one and rebuild it? I know there's got to be someone on the board that does this on the side. Thanks.

if you have one to rebuild then do so. if your looking to purchase one, i think tyson has one. and if your not sure then stay with what you have. if your main concern is the steering wheel position ( where it sits between you) then i would try a pair of bill edmunds seat extenders. they move the seat back two inches and give you more room to get into and out of the car. just my 2cents

andy

Good used ones can go from $200 to $500.

Rebuilding a '67-68 tilt column is a bit of a misnomer. There are very few parts that are available. I confronted one of the major rebuilders on this and they admitted that they basically clean and repair rather than rebuild.

I completely dissassembled, cleaned and repaired mine and here's what to look out for. First, it's not a job for someone who is not skilled.

1. There are many brittle, irreplaceable plastic parts that must be handled (i.e. bearing cages & retainers).
2. The lower bearing exposed to the elements is the most common problem. I found that you can actually disassemble it, clean it and replace the balls and felt (McMaster Carr). Some folks machine the retainer for the '69+ bearing. Cost ~$10
3. The second most common problem is getting a column with the Boyne type switch rather than the Delco type. The former is supposedly being reproduced (call M&H Electrical Fabricators) but is otherwise unobtainable. It is prone to breaking and NOS versions go for $200+ As a rough rule of thumb, columns in Firebirds came with the Boyne switch and those in Camaros came with the Delco switch. To convert to Delco, you need to move the Hazard switch hole in the sheetmetal housing. I converted mine.
4. The tilt pawls, internal tilt lever (NPD Only) and spherical joint (GM) are the only parts that you can readily buy. None are prone to wear. The pawl parts do get broken.
5. In disassembling, removing the sheetmetal housing is a pain to do without mangling it. The proper tool, a slide hammer with three claws that can be pressed outward is ABSOLUTELY necessary. Removing the lower bearing housing is risky and unnecessary. Everything else takes patience and care.
6. If you repaint anything, becareful to not get too much buildup where tolerances are tight. You do not want to force the collapsable parts back together, the nylon break aways are much easier to break than you might think.
7. Get a factory maintenance manual which has a parts breakdown. It will make life much easier.

I'm sure there are some things I forgot, but I'm happy with my results. To Drew's comment, I'm 6'2" and find myself adjusting it one stop off center. It's nice, but my car came with one. I don't know if I would've forked over the $400 that they seem to be going for these days.

I've got a set of Bill's extenders, they are great. I'm not a tall guy, but with the factory wheel it is a pain to get in and out of the car, and I must admit I'm one of those guys who likes to wheel a certain way when I drive. I've thought about getting a 1" diameter smaller steering wheel (I'm running a 3rd generation FB steering box) thinking this will give me a bit more room to slip into the car. What size wheels are guys running out there. I'm not sure what the stock steering wheel size is, because I haven't measured mine. Tyson, do you have one for sale?

Thanks

Can I use the harness from my non-tilt column and put it on the tilt one? What about using the bearings, and other brittle pieces. Will they interchange?

This link will take you to an illustration that will give you the info on what's the same/different.

http://www.1968firebird.org/illustrated/front/strcol1.html

Thanks Jim, I forget about those sites sometimes.

You have to remember that the tilt column has a couple extra bearings because of the tilt joint. As for the others, I'm pretty sure the lower bearing is NOT interchangeable. The pigtail is no problem on the other hand. How bad is this tilt column you're looking at? You might check with one of the rebuilders to see how much they'll charge.

Thanks John, I've PMd Tyson to see if he's got one.