WANTED 70 Rim Blow steering column components

[CRUZN3C]

I am trying to complete a swap on my 1970 Chrysler 300 steering wheel to the optional tilt and rim blow steering wheel. I was only able to get my hands on just the Rim Blow steering wheel at this point, but not the components (or guts if you will) to complete the swap or conversion.

Unfortunately my research has been coming up empty which includes the part links on this site. I'm wondering if anybody might have a source or referral that I could contact for a complete set (new or used) of these Chrysler steering column parts...?? If it wasn't already hard enough, note my 300 is a automatic console shifter. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[CBODY67]

First, I wish you well in your quest. You could have used a Dodge or Plymouth tilt column (no telescope) rather than the Chrysler T&T column. I am NOT a fan of Rim Blow, from my experiences on my '70 Dodge Monaco Brougham DH43. I am considering options to swap to something else so I can have an operational horn without an external switch.

Now, in order to get a new switch, in the later 1970s I ordered a new Rim Blow from Chrysler. It came only in black, at that time, but the switch was installed. Best I could tell, it had the recess on the rear bottom of the center section for the tilt lock level to work in. So I suspected the basic casting would go both places, just that the telescope lock lever area was nor machined.

With age and hot/cold cycles, the switch will become hard as a rock. Even actuating the contact strips (internally) when temperatures get past a certain point, which cooks the horn relay (as it did on mine). Finding a new switch that is in installable condition might be similar to hens' teeth.

In order to determine what all you might need to do your conversion, you can carefully research this in the 1970 Chrysler Parts Book, downloadable (free) from www.mymopar.com. The tilt-only columns had pretty much normal guts, for a tilt column, but the telescope (Chrysler only) columns usually had some unique items in them. Look at the exploded view illustrations in the parts book to compare the two. Might also download the 1970 Chrysler service manual, too, for pictures and such.

Good luck,
CBODY67

 

[ceebuddy]

CRUZN3C -- is it the tilt, the tilt & telescope, or the rim blow feature you're after (or all of them?)

Steering wheels for a tilt column or a tilt & telescope column won't interchange with steering wheels for a standard steering column.

Just so you know, there was a rim-blow steering wheel from 1970 until 1973 that didn't have any tilting or telscoping ability. On the plus side, it fits the regular steering column:

It was standard on Imperials and New Yorker Broughams and optinal on all other C-Bodies and also on some B-Bodies. Yet these wheels suffer from a hardening rubber switch, too, rendereing it useless in many cases. However, some contemporary Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar models also had a rim blow deal and there seems help for them: BEST IN SHOW

I never did that but I am sure that someone here on the board has restored a rimblow switch steering wheel before.

 

[CRUZN3C]

Hi Ceebuddy

First, I wish you well in your quest. You could have used a Dodge or Plymouth tilt column (no telescope) rather than the Chrysler T&T column. I am NOT a fan of Rim Blow, from my experiences on my '70 Dodge Monaco Brougham DH43. I am considering options to swap to something else so I can have an operational horn without an external switch.

Now, in order to get a new switch, in the later 1970s I ordered a new Rim Blow from Chrysler. It came only in black, at that time, but the switch was installed. Best I could tell, it had the recess on the rear bottom of the center section for the tilt lock level to work in. So I suspected the basic casting would go both places, just that the telescope lock lever area was nor machined.

With age and hot/cold cycles, the switch will become hard as a rock. Even actuating the contact strips (internally) when temperatures get past a certain point, which cooks the horn relay (as it did on mine). Finding a new switch that is in installable condition might be similar to hens' teeth.

In order to determine what all you might need to do your conversion, you can carefully research this in the 1970 Chrysler Parts Book, downloadable (free) from www.mymopar.com. The tilt-only columns had pretty much normal guts, for a tilt column, but the telescope (Chrysler only) columns usually had some unique items in them. Look at the exploded view illustrations in the parts book to compare the two. Might also download the 1970 Chrysler service manual, too, for pictures and such.

Good luck,
CBODY67

Hi CBODY67,
I guess I'll need to start there, with determining the wheel I currently have. It was given to me many years ago and I have no idea what it came out of, nor did the guy that gave it to me. I recently had it completely refurbished with modifications made to add a new rim blow and switch installed (via The Steering Wheel Guy). A buddy and I made an attempt to see if things would line up with my existing components and the turn signal switch does not for starters. At that point we aborted the mission. I'll get to researching it a little further and see what's up. Appreciate the info. Thanks.

 

[CRUZN3C]

CRUZN3C -- is it the tilt, the tilt & telescope, or the rim blow feature you're after (or all of them?)

Steering wheels for a tilt column or a tilt & telescope column won't interchange with steering wheels for a standard steering column.

Just so you know, there was a rim-blow steering wheel from 1970 until 1973 that didn't have any tilting or telscoping ability. On the plus side, it fits the regular steering column:

View attachment 574234

It was standard on Imperials and New Yorker Broughams and optinal on all other C-Bodies and also on some B-Bodies. Yet these wheels suffer from a hardening rubber switch, too, rendereing it useless in many cases. However, some contemporary Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar models also had a rim blow deal and there seems help for them: BEST IN SHOW

I never did that but I am sure that someone here on the board has restored a rimblow switch steering wheel before.

CRUZN3C -- is it the tilt, the tilt & telescope, or the rim blow feature you're after (or all of them?)

Steering wheels for a tilt column or a tilt & telescope column won't interchange with steering wheels for a standard steering column.

Just so you know, there was a rim-blow steering wheel from 1970 until 1973 that didn't have any tilting or telscoping ability. On the plus side, it fits the regular steering column:

View attachment 574234

It was standard on Imperials and New Yorker Broughams and optinal on all other C-Bodies and also on some B-Bodies. Yet these wheels suffer from a hardening rubber switch, too, rendereing it useless in many cases. However, some contemporary Ford Mustang and Mercury Cougar models also had a rim blow deal and there seems help for them: BEST IN SHOW

I never did that but I am sure that someone here on the board has restored a rimblow switch steering wheel before.

Hi CEEBUDDY,

It appears I have more research to do.... but at this point I'd be more than satisfied with just the Rim blow and anything else would be a bonus. Appreciate the info. Thanks.

 

[Kelly Coleman]

i have a columm, wheel for a 70. has a few parts missing

 

[CRUZN3C]

Hi Kelly,

I'm looking particularly for the parts to convert my standard steering wheel to this Rim Blow which I'm not 100% sure which version I have. I know I couldn't swap the 2 wheels for each other because I tried that already.....that would have been too easy. I was on vacation for the past 2 weeks and haven't had a chance to research it in the parts manual. The service manual was of no help at all. This is a picture of the wheel prior to restoration. The part number is partially obstructed from the wiring, but I think I see a 29987...??? I believe this might be a tilt wheel which requires a different turn signal switch, etc. Sounds like I might have to replace the column? Thanks.

 

[CBODY67]

That looks suspiciously like the one that is on my '70 Monaco Brougham tilt wheel. There should be a recess at the bottom, behind the wheel's center, that is cast but not machined for the telescope lock lever. The center trim piece is the same, too, other than mine has a "DODGE" name on it.