Steering Column, 83 Eldo

[Rick Biarritz]

My 83 Eldo has a steel collar on the steering column. 'Twas put on by the previous owner after an attempted theft. There's an 83 Eldo in a junkyard about 50 miles away. I want to go get the factory collar off that one and put it on my car. I don't want to drive all the way out there only to find that I need 3 or 4 special tools. Does anybody know what is involved in removing the steering column cover?  Thanks.

[TJ Hopland]

I cant think of anything special.   The hardest part to get out is probably the ash tray which has to come loose to remove the lower dash in one piece.  Seems like they were small hex headed bolts that are a little hard to get to.   After that lower dash is just something like 6 screws.   Once that is out there is a bracket with 2 bolts that holds the column to the dash framework.   You may need deep sockets for that since they are studs.  You can then lower the column enough that you should be able to access the connectors for the turn signals, highbean, ignition, cruise, park neutral, and shift indicator.  After that is all loose its then just the shift linkage which I think is just cotter pins and a clamp on the flex joint onto the steering box.