<VV> 66 steering

[Dennis & Debbie Pleau]

I was the first of about three inquiring about problems in the steering 
gear of a 66 Corvair.  The weather was better today and I went out to work 
on my car.  It looks like I have a PO problem, not the last two POs, 
because I have all their documentation, but some one before that.  What I 
found could have killed me and my family.

I asked a few weeks ago about the need to drill a hole to get to the 
coupler bolt on my 66 steering column.  The consensus from all of you was 
it was the best way.  I found today that a PO had used tin snips and cut 
back from the hole the filler pipe goes through and bent it back to allow 
access to the  coupler bolt.  When I started loosing the coupler bolt the 
coupler came loose from the shaft attached to the steering box.  Now 
everyone who has done this job before realizes the bolt holds the coupler 
to the shaft no matter how loose the bolt is because it is in a groove in 
the middle of the splines where the bolt is suppose to go through.  The PO 
had clamped the very end of the steering box shaft in the coupler, not the 
whole ~1" and the bolt was above the end of the shaft.  The play which 
suddenly developed was the steering box shaft slipping within the 
coupler.  I'll have it back properly together tomorrow.

To think this could have failed at any time.  I usually get up to 80 mph on 
my way to work and it could have decided to separated then.  It chose to 
separate while I as backing out of a parking spot in the parking garage at 
work.  Thank God I was going less than 1 mph.

Dennis