Help With Steering Column Cover Screws

[66Vette]

I'm working on a 1975 2002 that was never quite put together properly.  I am trying to figure out the steering column bottom cover screw holes.  From the attached picture:  The "A" holes take what looks to be a wood screw into the top cover (?), the "B" holes take a machine screw into a bracket on the steering column, but "C" and "D" are the mystery holes for me.  

 

Thanks, Cris

 

 

Edited April 23 by 66Vette
Clarify Picture

[visionaut]

[66Vette]

Visionaut, thanks.  The drawing only covers the "A" and "B" screws.  Do you know what the "C" and "D" holes are for?

 

Thanks, Cris

[visionaut]

Cris - can you change your attachment to jpg, gif or png? Those are the native FAQ image formats…

 

EDIT: lol - just saw you did! My bad

 

I ain’t got anything in C. Looks like short sheet metal screws in D?

Edited April 23 by visionaut

[bergie33]

Not sure about the "C" holes, those might have been added by a PO for some unknown reason.

 

The "D" holes are for the attachment to the under-dash panels.

[visionaut]

Another pic.

 

The C holes are actually threaded into the plastic but I’ve never had anything in them… so, to me, a mystery.

 

 

 

[beammmer]

I believe they go into the ignition lock mechanism bracket thingy.  IIRC.

[66Vette]

Guys, thanks. 

 

I think bergie33 has the "D" hole mystery solved.  

 

visionaut, I did not notice the "C" holes were threaded, good catch.  Did they mount something from the inside?

[John76]

2 hours ago, 66Vette said:

Do you know what the "C" and "D" holes are for?

Those hold the finish panel on the bottom.

 

 

[visionaut]

29 minutes ago, 66Vette said:

 

visionaut, I did not notice the "C" holes were threaded, good catch.  Did they mount something from the inside?

Those small C holes being threaded - like something mounts and screws into the bottom cover panel itself - never made sense to me.

 

All the other bottom cover holes take a through-fastener that screws into something ABOVE the cover. Not into the cover itself…

 

Curious myself now, Cris!

 

Tom

[66Vette]

John, there is a "finish" panel that is separate from the bottom plastic panel?  And it gets screwed to the plastic panel shown in my pic?  (The C and D holes are different types and diameters.)

 

Thanks, Cris 

[John76]

3 hours ago, 66Vette said:

there is a "finish" panel that is separate from the bottom plastic panel? 

Yes. There are 3 pieces.

1) A top finish panel (with the VIN tag).

2) A main plastic piece that holds the ignition switch, horn ring, wiper and turn signal switches.

3) A bottom finish panel that is held to the plastic piece with the C & D screws.

Snap a pic of your steering column so we can see what you have (or what you are missing).

John

[Lucky 7]

5 hours ago, John76 said:

Those hold the finish panel on the bottom.

 

 

Whoa!  That’s a panel I’ve never seen or known existed!  The bottom of mine is the plastic piece and that’s it. I had no idea there’s supposed to be another soft-touch panel down there. Thanks for the pic.  That certainly explains the extra holes. 
 

Edit:

Part number 51451820548 for the curious

Edited April 24 by Lucky 7

[66Vette]

John:

 

I think that answers it.  I have the top piece (with VIN tag).  I have the main plastic piece that holds the ignition switch, horn ring, etc.  What I am missing is the bottom finish panel....doesn't surprise me!  

 

I am not sure I'll miss the bottom finish panel, but I'll start looking for one.

 

So the bottom plastic piece is held to the column with the two B screws.  The top piece is held on with the four A screws that go to into the bottom plastic piece.

 

Thanks, Cris

Edited April 24 by 66Vette
Clarity

[Mike Self]

That bottom finish panel was part of the Federally mandated cushions to protect driver's soft parts from hard parts on the car.  They were cleverly designed so it made inserting the ignition key into its lock difficult, especially if the key was in a key case.  And if it was on a ring, the other keys wore a hole in the padded finish panel, so most folks removed 'em either for convenience or due to unsightly wear.  

 

The two screw holes on the lower panel at the end furthest from the steering wheel is where the molded cardboard underdash finisher is  attached.  And on very early cars (with no lower padded panel) a small switch panel was fastened there to hold switches for the emergency flasher and heated backlight, if the car was so equipped.  

 

And BTW, the upper and lower steering column covers were diecast metal on cars with manual chokes; the factory transitioned to plastic when the choke cable no longer put a strain on the lower cover--this when the 2 barrel Solex carbureter was fitted in late 1972 production.  

 

mike