My 68 Camaro tilt-column will not lock in any position. Unit is tight and steers ok, just won't lock. Can anyone steer me on the cause and solution? Also are parts still available for this unit or will other columns interchange? Thanks.

standard column will interchange, but I'd keep the tilt. Year One has a nice breakdown of a tilt colum I think for a 67-8. 69 and newer columns are a different design, with the key in the column. I would think they'd interchange physically, but not sure. Try to repair your tilt column, it shouldn't be hard to do. I've rebuilt standar 67-8 columns and it wasn't difficult. May need a special tool for the tilt column, I did on a newer model when i took it apart.

Hey SY1,

I was thinking of putting a 69 steering column in my 68, I know the 69 has the ignition on the side, but if this were deleted, do you think it would fit or work?
just a thought..

TEAM CANADA,
I want to say physically it would fit, but I can't say for sure. I don't know which parts if any will interchange between 69 and earlier columns, if that is what you are considering to do to remoe the ignition switch type bowl off of the 69 column. I bought a nice 68 column for a floor shift at a swap meet two summers ago and only paid $40 dollars for it. They are easy to rebuild, but parts are hard to come by, that's what I bought the swap meet column for, I needed bearings and a new inner shaft. I'd try to find a good used one. If you do that take the plastic cover off the lower part of the column and look closely at the steel mesh cage tomake sure it isn't deformed at all. These columns are desinged to collapse in a front end collision and this is where it will show up if it has been damaged at all. The inner shaft and outer housings will collapse into themselves and won't be easily detectable, but the cage distortion will be more obvious. Rotate it and listen to the bearings also. I'd also feel for any slop in the turn signal lever because these witches were famous for cracking and once cracked you'll need to replace the turn signal switch. Sometimes you'll feel it in the lever when this happens.
Dave

I didn't think 68 had a locking column thought 69 was the first year for lock steering.

MR C,
Yes that's what we're saying. I think he's asking if a 69 column will fit into his 68 and if he can eliminate the ignition switch type bowl assembly from the 69 column so it looks correct on a 68. I'm not sure what if anything is interchangable between 67-8 & 69 columns. I've only dealt with 67-8 column.
Dave

Ya, SY1, thats what I'm thinking about, I have a spare 68 column, that I can mess with,

Another question, the columns are the same from 67-68, what about for the 69- onward, do you know when it changed, cause maybe I can get one out of a second-gen Camaro, and make my own tilt... or am I dreaming?