78 only steering shaft upgrades ?

[tc1959]

Any one have a upgrade for the 78 splined steering shaft ? I rebuilt my tilt column in my 78 El Camino.
I have A good amount of money in the thing with the Steadfast security collar and all the new internal parts.
(changing columns is not really an option now.)
I was hoping to upgrade the lower shaft and get rid of the rag joint. It's the only thing that looks ratty under my hood.

 

[Mike P]

I don’t know of any off hand that are a direct bolt in, but a couple of possible options.

Speedway sells the steering universal joints that could probably be adapted. The other thing I wonder about is if a Jeep steering shaft lower would fit your stock upper.

 

[Wile E]

I'm using a '78 column with the Jeep upgrade. Had to have two flats machined on the column side in order to fit the double "D" end on the Jeep shaft, no biggee. Hindsight..I probally could have just grinded the flats myself, but the column is a rare manual trans w/tilt column and I did not want to take any chances so I brought it to a machine shop. Let me know if you want a pic.

 

[tc1959]

I'm using a '78 column with the Jeep upgrade. Had to have two flats machined on the column side in order to fit the double "D" end on the Jeep shaft, no biggie. Hindsight..I probably could have just grinded the flats myself, but the column is a rare manual trans w/tilt column and I did not want to take any chances so I brought it to a machine shop. Let me know if you want a pic.

I was kind thinking about doing something like that. I just had not seen any one that had done it. Post a pic please.
I am curious now.

 

[Wile E]

I'll try to get a pic tonight, it's already installed, but you'll get the idea. I think '78s are the only ones with the splined shaft.

 

[Wile E]

Here we go, 1st pic is without the Jeep shaft before the I pulled it back out to have the "flats" machined, second is a later pic with the Jeep shaft.

 

[G-boz]

Good Job!!