The lock rod inside the shaft I think pushes small keys out and locks the shaft that way.
Perhaps gently pressing on the shaft (if you can get the wheel to seat) will allow the keys to relax.
The metal cover that encases the whole shebang is a press fit. Very tight. Get a 3 or 4 arm puller, reverse the arms and hook them under the rim edge of the cover. Make sure the turn signal and tilt levers are removed.
Gently (or you will bend the rim easily) apply pull with the puller while tapping lightly with a rubber mallet around the edge between the puller arms. It will move eventually.
Take note there is an allignment notch on the cover and inner parts for reinstallation.
Hope this helps.
By the way, did your 4 spd VIP have an Inland shifter, and do you have the knob for it?
Joined: Sun Jan 04 2009, 02:51AM
Location: Washington
Posts: 44
Yea I have the inland shifter, handle, and knob from the VIP. The only piece I don't have is the mounting plate for the shifter to the transmission. I traded some hubcaps for a really nice automatic console that I'm going to convert to a 4 spd console when I get the extra money to finish it. I'm probably going to make an adaptor for the inland handle so I can install it onto a Hurst mechanism. I'd like to be able to switch back and forth from the Inland handle to a pistol grip.
I've been working a lot the last week and haven't had any time to tinker with the column much at all. I also need to get a puller as I don't have one yet. I've looked for schematics of these columns and can't find anything, I also haven't found any resources for guys who rebuild them. The only professional company I could find does 1969 and newer.
The main shaft bearing near the wheel must be toast because it moves and wobbles a lot. I can see the ball bearings for the outer bearing, it's like the inner bearing race is missing? I'm pretty sure it needs a bearing. Another reason I wish I had a schematic.
Keep plugging away at the column... I had to take mine apart too to figure out how to reinstall one of the release lift springs, which I managed to do, so now I've got mine all buttoned back up and painted.
As well I took the steering wheel apart and refinished the wood veneer in the horn buttons, polished the chrome etc.
The original wheel was all cracked, but I years ago I picked up another wheel from Brent (pewtermonaco) which looked really awful but had no cracks. I spent a couple of hours on it this morning with plastic polish (NOVUS and Meguiars Headlight stuff), and it polished up very nicely.
I'm pretty pleased with the way the column has turned out so far.
I also redid my pedal assembly, and they look just like yours, plus I splurged on new pedal pads.
Mine was always originally gloss black, which jives with my 66 Monaco service manual which states that the paint code is gloss Raven Black. I painted the lower column semi gloss black and the upper end (covers) gloss black.