Is there any difference between an auto/manual floor shift steering column? I have a 70 Stage1 4 speed car that someone swapped in a tilt column and was wondering if there was any difference. If I needed to track down a 4 speed column what years would work? Thanks, Kraig
The auto column and the manual tranny floor columns are basically the same. The manual column has the back up light switch mounted on it, and is actuated by a rod that comes from a bell crank on the frame from the tranny.
Don't Stickshift columns have that dumb interlock thing? You know, were you push the lever to release the key.
I looked at the pictures on George's site and it looks like I have an auto column. Will this work in my car without major problems? I guess what I'm asking is will be be noticeable when installed in the car? Is there a differance on the non till column floor shift columns? I have access to a non till auto floor shift column out of an 71-72 A body. Kraig
The "interlock thing" is mounted above the clutch pedal. Usually fairly hard to find in NOS. Floorshift/ stick Buick '69-72 A-body columns are very similiar to floorshift automatic versions. Other than swapable reverse light switch, the automatic Buick & Olds '69-72 A-body columns have the fishmouth in the lwr portion of the bowl. The Buick A-body stick columns for same years did not need the fishmouth cutout or pointer mtg provision & used the same same "bare" floorshift column as GTO's & automatic Chevelles/Monte's. Of course, tilt & turn signal levers differ between divisions & there were two different styles of tilt ignition switchs. Depending on the need, I usually detail & add whatever is needed to be correct before shipping. Got Posi? :3gears: Roger
Make sure the reverse lockout rod and associated linkage are attached and working propery. When its working properly, you need to shift the car into reverse in order to take the key out of the ignition. Many 4 speed cars over the years have had these items removed for one reason or another. Its a safety issue- If its not connected properly, you could shut the car off and remove the key. If your doing 60 mph, the steering wheel will lock. Case in point, a friend of mine had his 396 Chevelle out during the summer. He has no reverse lockout or "interlock" linkage attached. He wanted to race me against my 71 GS. On the second race, he wound up throwing the belts off the car. He lost bigtime anyway. With no belts, the fan stopped. He looks down and sees his temperature guage going into the twilight zone- somewhere north of 240 degrees. Naturally, he panics and turns the engine off immediately. Only he goes too far and turns the key to the off position- The position where the key comes out. As soon as that happens, the steering wheel locked with the front wheels ever so slightly turned to the right. Now mind you he's doing about 70+ mph in the right lane of a highway. There was no think time to analyze the situation. He just froze and slammed on the brakes. Luckily, he stopped the car INCHES from the concrete barrier on the side of the highway. Hd he hit, he would of taken out the entire right side of his car. Someone had removed that linkage years earlier and never replaced it. He never thought he needed it until that night. Needless to say, he located the pieces that week and replaced it. PM Mike Garrison- he repros all the reverse lockout parts. The Two other items- the rod that goes to the frame and the vertical rod that goes to the column are readily available Skylark items. Those two items interchange with the automatic cars.
