The steering column is about 1.5” short where the rag joint bolts up. The part number on the box is correct. Does the steering column move out? Was the wrong part in the right box? Anyone else have this problem?

Is it a Cardone 276550? What is the stamp on the gearbox? It should fit your car without any issues. I'll be back in an hour or so.

When you look under the dash at the nuts where the steering column attaches, are you at the bottom of the oblong slots or the top. Could just be that the steering column is adjusted all the way "up".

I hope that's hwat it is. I took the new unit back off and it’s the same dimensions as my old one. After putting it back on it looks like the steering column needs to come out about 1.5” and down .5”. Is that just loosening those nuts and slide it down?

I hope that's hwat it is. I took the new unit back off and it’s the same dimensions as my old one. After putting it back on it looks like the steering column needs to come out about 1.5” and down .5”. Is that just loosening those nuts and slide it down?

My recollection is that you have about 1" of travel on the slots Eric mentioned. However, you will probably gain the other 1/2" when you angle it properly to connect.

the steering column also attaches at the firewall,
I think you will need to loosen that to get it all aligned properly

The energy absorbing steering columns have a steering shaft that can telescope back into the steering column itself. The shaft is constructed from two parts. The section where they telescope over each other is up inside the steering column. The two steering shaft pieces making up the steering shaft were held together by injected plastic.

When people are working with the flexible coupling and with the steering gear, it is possible to telescope the shaft back up into the column. From my information on the 1969 F-car steering column, the shaft could only telescope about .65 inch into the lower end of the steering column. There is also supposed to be a plastic spacer that is about .5 inch thick. If you have the plastic washer between the lower flange and the column bearing, then your steering shaft could not have telescoped to any degree. If the spacer is missing and the flange that connects to your flexible coupling is hard against the lower bearing. Then you may have found .65 inch of your lost distance.

The rest of your missing distance will have to be made up in the mounting up under the dash.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/JIML82/StrgColumnFCar69LowerEnd.jpg

JIML82