I've gone back to working on my '68 Cutlass. I was lucky enough to acquire a tilt column for my car this past winter. I just got it painted and was transferring the hardware from my standard column when I noticed a couple of differences.


Tilt column has what looks to be a factory square hole in it.
IMG_6955_zps0b09d052.jpg


Standard column doesn't.
IMG_6956_zps47828861.jpg

Does anyone know what the hole on the tilt column is there for?


Standard column has a spring near the bottom inside
IMG_6959_zpsaed1c6ca.jpg

Tilt column doesn't seem to have this
IMG_6958_zps0f5acce7.jpg

Anyone know why?



Thanks,

 

The square hole is for a column shift indicator for an automatic, does the top of the column have a spot for a shift handle. As for the spring at the bottom not sure hopefully someone can chime in for that.

 

Just a different type lower bearing/retainer. BTW there is a company on ebay (cj's rods) that makes HD delrin replacement retainers. They are an improvement over 40 year old brittle plastic stock retainers.

 

Olds1968, no, it is not for a column selector. Maybe it was changed over at some point and a floor selector bowl was put on it. It makes sense that the hole is for that though. Thanks for the info.

Joe, thanks for the tip on the retainer. I will check them out.