[GH85Carrera]

Learning new cuss words?

The steering column on my 86 El Camino was never designed to last 37 years, and 380,000 miles. I fooled them, but some parts do wear out and break.

The steering column is a tilt, with cruise, delay wipers, and of course tun signals. As I have never owned a BMW, I use my turn signals all the time. The right turn signal only canceled about 1/2 the time, so I was driving along with my right signal blinking. Then all of a sudden, the tilt lever was frozen in place at the bottom. It is a challenge to get in our out with the steering wheel all the way down in driving mode. Also the turn signal stalk broke, a couple of years back, and all that I could get locally was a black one, not the chrome one it is supposed to have.

So I tore into it again today. The turn signal switch was indeed cracked, so in went a new GM AC Delco switch as I reassembled. Before that, I had to have the column torn apart to the point to get the the bearings for the shaft, and those cage was in pieces. Keep taking it apart, and finally get to the pin that the lever uses to raise or lower the wheel. Get that out, and straighten it out.

Then "while I was in there" a new bearing cage, new ignition lock that I had re-keyed to work with my door key. So for the first time in 32 years of driving it, just one key is all I need! New cruise lever, new turn signal switch, button it all up, and it all works just like new, only with just the door key to operate the car. Turn signal works easily, and Glen is all happy again. Whoo hooo that pain in the but job is done.

If any of you need a GM G body steering column repaired, just snd a first class ticket, and $10,000 for the consultation fee, and parts are supplied by you. I hope like photographing weddings, I will never have to do another one.

Postscript: I guess I was used to the old worn ignition key. The key would slide in and pull out super easy. With the new lock, I takes a slight but very proper tug to get the key out of the ignition. My key ring now is one Porsche 911 black key, one GM door key, and my house key. Just the three keys. No batteries needed as there in no place to put a battery.