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Complete 1966 Imperial Steering Column Wanted


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Congratulation on your move! I went through that about ten years ago will all my cars, and parts so I know how difficult it can be. I was also there for close to 30 years but had a very tight deadline for the move as I had sold the property and originally had only 60 days to vacate with I thought was tight but escrow took so long to close that it left me with only 45 days.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the photos and coincidentally I'll probably be going through Sonora in a couple weeks but in a car which, even empty which it won't be, would be too small to carry it. My shop, though, is in central Oregon so I'll have to figure out how to get it up there! I'll also have to change the transmission since I'm converting a '65 LeBaron from the awful cable shifter to linkages and also need to be able to adjust the steering wheel a bit closer which the current tilt-only cannot do.

Edited by Packard Don (see edit history)
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Thank you for the photos! Since I do not have one at all, this might be better than nothing especially as it's the proper color but I prefer to have one complete so please do let me know if you find another. No rush although, as I mentioned, I will probably be going through there in a week or two.

 

Can you also check to see if you have the linkages to the transmission? I see that the pointer is apparently physically attached to the column while mine is on a small cable. Do you suppose I can use this '66 set up with my '65 instrument cluster or will I need to replace the cluster too?

 

By the way, as I recall, the center is not the horn button as those are in the spokes.

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5 minutes ago, Packard Don said:

Thank you for the photos! Since I do not have one at all, this might be better than nothing especially as it's the proper color but I prefer to have one complete so please do let me know if you find another. No rush although, as I mentioned, I will probably be going through there in a week or two.

 

Can you also check to see if you have the linkages to the transmission? I see that the pointer is apparently physically attached to the column while mine is on a small cable. Do you suppose I can use this '66 set up with my '65 instrument cluster or will I need to replace the cluster too?

 

By the way, as I recall, the center is not the horn button as those are in the spokes.

I have no knoledge of these cars. The guy that owned this company had passes and I'm helping his wife with the inventory.

Thanks

Dave 

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Okay Dave, that's understandable but I'll wait until you find if you have another before deciding. In the meantime, I'll email you directly so that we can discuss price. Do you have sheet metal parts such as front clips or perhaps the instrument cluster housing in case I need it?

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Thank you for the great photos! It was difficult to tell but it appeared that the steering wheel was better on the second one than on the other but the center emblem is missing on both. The emblem by itself, though, might be easier to locate than the entire column. One thing I didn't see in the photos for the second column was the tilt handle.  Is it there or is it missing, or broken off?

 

I wrote to you directly last week to get the price with shipping so if you can let me know what that would be for one and for both, I would appreciate it.  Probably not necessary to see it but if I decide I need to, I mentioned that I will be going through your area twice in the next couple weeks and I just realized that both times will be on a Saturday so can you let me know if you're available on either of those days?  One is the 27th of this month; the other is the 3rd of September which is a holiday weekend.

 

Thanks again!

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Great to meet you yesterday in Sonora and thank you for making these columns available to view!  Good timing that I was driving nearby anyway and we had a nice scenic drive afterward to our destination in Arnold.  I wish we could have come up with a price for both that included shipping as neither by itself is usable without extensive restoration so perhaps my best bet will be to look for a complete car once I'm sure that I can even install a 1966 column into a 1965 LeBaron.

Edited by Packard Don (see edit history)
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  • 1 month later...

It turns out that the two columns you showed are for 1967, not 1966, which I should have realized by the dash which is clearly not 1966. I don't know if the 1966 and 1967 columns are different other than the design of the knobs and wheel itself so perhaps someone reading this knows and can tell me!

 

I discovered that I already have one in good condition from a 1967 but without pulling out my old one, it's difficult to know how different they are. Looking at the Imperial parts book, one obvious difference is that the '65 and '66 both have the turn signal switch at the base of the column and actuated by a cable from the lever while it is integrated in the '67 and later. The '67 also has the added safety feature of being crushable in the event of an accident while the earlier columns were solid.

Edited by Packard Don (see edit history)
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  • 4 months later...

After considerable research, apparently the column I need will work only from a 1966 but I understand that the 1966 New Yorker's was the same other than the center emblem and some superficial pieces. Does anyone have a 1966 tilt-and-telescope column and steering wheel in good conditions? I also need all the shift linkages, pivots, pins, brackets, rods and anything else from the column to the transmission as I am converting a 1965 Imperial LeBaron cable-type system to a 1966 solid-linkage system. I'm sure I can find a transmission locally. I may consider a parts car if priced reasonably and has a good front clip. My shop is in Central Oregon so the closer to there the better!

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For used Imperial parts of all types, try

Bob Hoffmeister in St. Edwards, Nebraska:

 

http://www.imperialheaven.com/

 

He specializes in Imperials and has a small junkyard

full of them.  I have bought from him a few times over

the last 15 years or more, and have always found him

to be courteous and reliable.

Edited by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)
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Thank you John! I had checked them long ago but they did not have this one-year-only part. Since I also need a front clip (fender assembly only), I may look for a parts car. That way I can also get the transmission too, which I will ultimately need, and see how all the shifting mechanism goes together since my car is a 1965 LeBaron with the awful cable-shift that constantly comes out of adjustment so I want to convert to the '66 solid linkage type and add telescope while I'm at it as the wheel is always too far away as it is to be comfortable.

 

Don

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  • 2 months later...

I found a good column completely by chance when I wasn't even looking for it AND it's not far from my shop!  The guy has a parts car with all the linkages, transmission, rear transmission support and everything else I need for the conversion from the 1965 cable to the 1966 solid linkage system. Thanks all for your replies and assistance!

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