Sick 83 drop-top

I'm attempting to diagnose and fix a steering column on a 1983 Mustang GLX Conv. w/ tilt no delay. Once I got it apart I could see that the lock housing was broken in two halves. The extent of the damage I fear is more than I can fix. I'm not sure what needs to be replaced and what can be salvaged, besides the housing. After hours of searching, the parts that I think need to be replaced are near impossible to find. I'm pretty sure there is not an alternate column I can use besides an '83. So far I've tracked down a housing($35."Ford dealership") and a classic parts store near by said they could pull a column from somewhere.?($135.)Im really hoping on that column it is the only one I can find. If I'm going to fix the old column I have to find out how to get the "tilt, joint,bearing,swivel" thing off before I can think about putting the new housing on. I'm stuck over my head on what to do, this is my single mode of trans. and the car has already drained my savings in the six months that I've owned it. Please any! sugg. would help...

Reply to
lastchance 83
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The only cheap and easy way out of this is to replace the column with one from the salvage yard. With an '83 you probably can use a wide variety of columns given that just about every ford product around that time was on the fox platform.

Because of two theft attempts on an '82 olds I got to replace the steering column twice on that car. Basically it meant removing a column from a car at the self serve salvage yard, then I would transfer the lock cylinder and steering wheel over from the old column and in at least one case the multifunction switch because the car the column came from was missing one of the functions. Had to paint the housing on the first one, second one got lucky and found the right color. It was some years ago, but they were $50 at the time as I recall.

Anyway, mechanically columns from later years or even fairmonts etc may be identical. Take a good look at those in later mustangs, they are probably close enough for anything but trying to be a factory orginal show car up until airbags went in. It would be a matter of moving over the parts you need from your existing column. Of course tilt/no tilt columns are mechanically different, so you'll need to match there. Get to know what yours is like, how it mounts into the car, size, etc then at the yard you'll know what to look for.

Reply to
Brent P

83 wrote:

column with one

Reply to
lastchance 83

I've never looked that closely at a fox mustang. In general there will be some bolts under the dash that secure the column and then the coupler to the steering rack under the hood. A few electrical disconnects.

Just make sure to check out yours first so you'll be able to spot mounting location differences, electrical differences, and of course the coupler to the steering rack.

Reply to
Brent P

agree most cars have some connectors to disconnect, bolts to hold the steering wheel to the dash, and some kind of connection to the steering rack under the hood. once everything is loose fish it through the firewall. there might even be a cover around the hole where the column goes through the firewall that has to be removed. take pictures of what you are taking apart or just take the whole column with you when you look for a new steering column.

I put a tilt/telescopic steering wheel into a car that had none previously and it worked like a charm. If you are lucky you will find the color you want.

Reply to
Les Benn

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