Ignition actuator - any better way?

[roundhouse]

I wouldnt fool with using the manual Collum

An auto Collum should be easy to find at any and every pick and pull
Manual columns are rare

Get a tilt Column while you swapping it

Look on CL. Most towns have a guy that rebuilds GM Collumns for $100 or so



We had an old junker with the same problem as you

We just bent the actuator rod sideways right at the dash

So you used the key to unlock the wheel and then pulled on the rod to start it
And pushed on the rod to stop it

[Junkie]

Are you sure that's the direction it takes for yours? On mine I push on it to start and pull to turn it off. All the way out is acc, then lock/off, then run, then start is pushing it all the way in.

Is the tilt column a bolt in?

[roundhouse]

Are you sure that's the direction it takes for yours? On mine I push on it to start and pull to turn it off. All the way out is acc, then lock/off, then run, then start is pushing it all the way in.

Is the tilt column a bolt in?

Tilt column is a bolt in


We installed a tilt from a 82 in a 77
We needed all of the column down to and including the rag joint

Somewhere along the line GM reversed the direction of the rod

They are interchangeable and in fact use the exact same switch at the bottom    But the switch is just bolted on backwards

Same wire harness plug etc 
Just take the two screws out flip the switch around and bolt it back on and plug the wires back in

[Junkie]

I ended up putting in a junkyard column. It came out of a '74 but it used a pull rod rather than a push rod so I suspect it may have been a swap. Additionally, it didn't use any torx bits that I saw - they were phillips instead.

Everything works well now, although I need to get the wheel centered so the turn signals cancel right.