65GS.com - Buick Gran Sport Enthusiasts!
General Discussion => Buick Interchange => Topic started by: TT-skylark on March 04, 2016, 10:02:49 PM
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I am having trouble finding a floor shift steering column for my skylark, I'm going from a auto to manual.
I seem to be able to find Rivera floor shift columns.
Does anyone know if I can put a 65 Rivera column into a 65 skylark without much trouble?
Thanks!
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The mast on a rivera column is to short and the bowl is bigger diameter so not without serious modifications! I did it makes replacement columns! The 1964 to 1966 a body tilts are the same although the levers differ in style!
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gTO column is the same 64-66
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Need pictures of your TT Skylark!
Mark
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I had one in my 66 GS 3 speed parts car but someone stole it. Too bad I would have gave you a good deal.
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I have a couple of '65 GS non tilt columns around here.
Loren
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I will gladly put a non tilt in! I will pm you...
I don't think I have seen a floor shift dash, what do people do with the auto Trans window?
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The car is not much to look at right now, I'm just finishing up the MPFI intake to go along with the turbos. The car will have a 6 speed manual and all wheel disc brakes, small enough ones to fit inside 15" steel wheels.....
I'm trying to be sneaky with it all, stick appearing... Also may do chromed fiberglass bumpers since mine are pretty banged up anyway...
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I don't think I have seen a floor shift dash, what do people do with the auto Trans window?
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Dash is the same, the clear plastic part that covers the "PRNDL" is painted black. Matt finish?, not gloss.
Loren
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I don't think I have seen a floor shift dash, what do people do with the auto Trans window?
Dash is the same, the clear plastic part that covers the "PRNDL" is painted black. Matt finish?, not gloss.
Loren
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Black electrical tape works too! I did that on my '66 Special when I did the manual trans conversion. :glasses9:
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The car is not much to look at right now, I'm just finishing up the MPFI intake to go along with the turbos. The car will have a 6 speed manual and all wheel disc brakes, small enough ones to fit inside 15" steel wheels.....
I'm trying to be sneaky with it all, stick appearing... Also may do chromed fiberglass bumpers since mine are pretty banged up anyway...
TT,
Start a thread in the "Projects and Restorations" forum. We want to see what your up to on this one.
Mark
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I will gladly put a non tilt in! I will pm you...
I don't think I have seen a floor shift dash, what do people do with the auto Trans window?
Here is a picture of the way the factory dealt with it. Left one is what you should already have. One on right is blacked out with paint. Or electrical tape would do also.
Loren
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Dear TT-Skylark, Jim, Loren, Walt, Mark, and mid-60s Buick caregivers,
Sorry I didn't offer this answer when this question was first posed, but it has been crazy in California with all the bad weather.
I don't think I have seen a floor shift dash, what do people do with the auto Trans window?
If you want to get a bit more fancy, you can make a plate that fits into the lower dash bezel and hides the window completely. I should have a template on my computer somewhere, but I couldn't find it in the few minutes I searched tonight. If you are interested I can make a more careful search later. I glued my template to a piece of aluminum with rubber cement like this:
(https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-QRmTLRH/0/XL/Paper%20template%20glued%20to%20aluminum-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-QRmTLRH/A)
I put a hole in the center so I could route the tach cables, unless you go with a tach on the column obviously skip that step. I then first cut it to shape:
(https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-gmpRBsZ/0/XL/Aluminum%20%22mask%22%20preliminary%20shape.-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-gmpRBsZ/A)
Then I did the usual process of filing and testing the fit until it fit nicely. I then mounted it into the lower bezel of the dash like this:
(https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-KJJ8nDn/0/XL/IMG_2968-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-KJJ8nDn/A)
Here is what it looks like from the back:
(https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-bzp9Q7c/0/XL/IMG_2963-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-bzp9Q7c/A)
Here is the speedometer instrument assembly partially completed:
(https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-pRfSQD7/0/XL/IMG_2974-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Reassembly-of-Speedometer-and/i-pRfSQD7/A)
Finally, here is the completely dash to see the overall effect:
(https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Dashboard-before-and-after/i-nH2swKL/0/XL/IMG_3209-XL.jpg) (https://canebas.smugmug.com/Biquette/Drive-Train-makeover/Dashboard-before-and-after/i-nH2swKL/A)
It is definitely more effort, but it does make the dash look like it was intended not to have a transmission shift window at that location.
Food for thought!
Edouard