Swapping out steering column support: Difficulty?

[69427]

How much hassle is it to swap out the earlier heavy cast steering column support for one of the later C3 stamped supports? Also, weight difference? (I didn't see the weights when I perused the Tech section.)

TIA

 

[Twin_Turbo]

You have to take out the column and pedals and easiest done with the dash removed. Not a fun job at all. Didn't weigh them but the stamped steel one is heavy but that cast thing is insane, what a lump of dead weight.

 

[BBShark]

The cast one could double as an anvil! I hear the stamped one is a chunk but maybe you could norval some speed holes in it?

 

[dzrick]

I can weigh the cast one out of a 68 if you'd like.

 

[mrvette]

I can weigh the cast one out of a 68 if you'd like.

Yeh, that is a bit of curiosity of mine....my '72 has that anchor in there, so when I have it apart next time it would be nice to know of any good reason to change that part out....

for 3 lbs, it's not worth the effort....for 20 lbs well, why not???

 

[BBShark]

I can weigh the cast one out of a 68 if you'd like.

Rick, where ya been?

The 68 column support is a one year only part (of course)! It's still an anchor but not quite as big as the 69-up.

 

[DWncchs]

Mike the book shows a bracket and a support assy. Both bracket and support assy are shown to fit 69-82. I believe the bracket is the heavy cast iron piece. I don't see in the book a different number for a later part. Maybe the number stayed the same but the part changed ? Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong picture in the book.
edit- The cast iron piece on the 73 I have in hand is 137.75 oz (3907 g) and the stamped steel piece that bolts to it is 36.85 oz (1046 g).

 

[mrvette]

Mike the book shows a bracket and a support assy. Both bracket and support assy are shown to fit 69-82. I believe the bracket is the heavy cast iron piece. I don't see in the book a different number for a later part. Maybe the number stayed the same but the part changed ? Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong picture in the book.
edit- The cast iron piece on the 73 I have in hand is 137.75 oz (3907 g) and the stamped steel piece that bolts to it is 36.85 oz (1046 g).

8 lbs....oh well, figger the stamped one weighs about 3 lbs anyway....

hardly worth tearing into anything for....course if it was apart anyway, and you got time to look around, and it's cheeeeeeeep enough....why not??

:shocking:

 

[dzrick]

I can weigh the cast one out of a 68 if you'd like.

Rick, where ya been?

The 68 column support is a one year only part (of course)! It's still an anchor but not quite as big as the 69-up.

I visit almost daily, just don't find much I can help with over here.

Good God, even the support is a one year only item?

I'm slowly and I mean slowly redoing the interior in my '68 and chopping up the parts car.

Gene, I'll weigh the 68 support and post it just in case anyone wants/needs to know.

 

[DWncchs]

Mike the book shows a bracket and a support assy. Both bracket and support assy are shown to fit 69-82. I believe the bracket is the heavy cast iron piece. I don't see in the book a different number for a later part. Maybe the number stayed the same but the part changed ? Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong picture in the book.
edit- The cast iron piece on the 73 I have in hand is 137.75 oz (3907 g) and the stamped steel piece that bolts to it is 36.85 oz (1046 g).

Mike the book shows a bracket and a support assy. Both bracket and support assy are shown to fit 69-82. I believe the bracket is the heavy cast iron piece. I don't see in the book a different number for a later part. Maybe the number stayed the same but the part changed ? Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong picture in the book.
edit- The cast iron piece on the 73 I have in hand is 137.75 oz (3907 g) and the stamped steel piece that bolts to it is 36.85 oz (1046 g).

8 lbs....oh well, figger the stamped one weighs about 3 lbs anyway....

hardly worth tearing into anything for....course if it was apart anyway, and you got time to look around, and it's cheeeeeeeep enough....why not??

:shocking:

Maybe I wasn't clear. Both parts I weighed must be on the car together as an assembly. So around 11 lbs. total. One part is cast and one is stamped. I've not seen the stamped steel part that takes the place of the cast piece , is this part an earlier or later part ?

I would think with power steering these 2 parts wouldn't be under very much stress but with non-power they would be under more.

The part that concerns me is if these parts are modified in the event of a front collision will the column remain in its position and not come backwards into the driver or will it twist sideways slightly and the collapsible column not work ? With that in mind if you could drop 5 lbs would it be worth the risk ?

 

[Twin_Turbo]

The stamped steel is the later part, you can see it here:

 

[BBShark]

I just happen to run across a stamped steel part. The main piece is 3.74 lbs and the plate is 2.71 lbs.

 

[69427]

So, if I read things correctly, we're looking at about a five pound delta. The upside is I'd sure like to remove five pounds that is up high and up front. The down side is it looks like a major PITA. Well, I'll keep this on my list of possible future projects, and on my swap meet to-do list. What year did these lighter parts come into production?

ps: Just got to thinking, are these parts interchangeable? Were there any firewall shape changes affecting these parts?

 

[Twin_Turbo]

The parts interchange the sheet metal in the firewall is the same throughout the years. The changeover was before 77 and after 74??? Later cars certainly have the stamped part.

 

[71vettewi]

Where can I get a Stamped unit?

I have my dash all apart and couldn't believe the paperweight the cast piece is. Where is a good place to get the lighter stamped steel part?
-Charlie

 

[68/70Vette]

The cast iron piece part number is 3976457, bracket. From what I've read from the previous posts, can I assume that if I get the 1982 equivalent part, it'll fit right in as a direct replacement. In particular, I suppose the 1970 stamped steel part 3945326, support, will bolt right up to the 1982 equivalent to the 1970 cast iron bracket.

I noticed in a previous post, there was a comment that the pedals have to be removed? I'd hope that's not really required.

Right now interior pieces of my 1970 are removed, so the I'd like to think unbolting the steering column and dropping it down would be all that's required to replace the cast iron piece.

I'm replacing my cast iron master cylinder and vacuum boster with an aluminum master cylinder and Hydraboost. Getting rid of the cast iron bracket would help offset the weight gain from the Hydraboost.