The Best Kept Secret in Moparland

Here's one for ya.

I needed a new steering column when I converted from power steering to manual steering in my '73 Swinger. I had heard about extending the stock power steering column by means of breaking the plastic safety collar that allows the column to collapse during an accident. But this didn't seem safe since it may allow the inner shaft to fall out of the outer shaft.

I just happened to have an extra 1972 B-body column laying around. I measured it and the difference between it and a stock A-body manual column was mere fractions of an inch (if my memory serves me right). So I swapped the brackets where the steering shaft meets the firewall and where the steering shaft is supported under the dash (both of which were simple swaps) and the unit bolted right in. Like it was made for it!

I did end up inadvertently collapsing the column when I was forcing it into place, so I can't verify if it is exactly the right length, but I know there is not risk of the inner shaft falling out of the outer shaft, and the unit will still collapse if I happen to get in a bad accident.

Saved me about $150 on buying one of those PS to MS couplers that I see sold online. Hopefully this can help somebody else.

-Mike