Swapping a tilt steering column into a 1970 Charger

[Kern Dog]

I’ll start out by stating that this is part fact finding and part project.
The direction of this hinges on what information I can glean from others. In short, I need some help.
Our cars had some great features but one thing that the GM guys had that we didn’t was a tilt steering wheel. It seemed like they put those in all sorts of cars while we got nothing unless we drove an Imperial.
If another Mopar built before the 80s had a tilt wheel, I’d love to be corrected on that. (Oops, besides the Cordoba…more on that in a moment)
I had a 73 then later a 76 Camaro years ago. The 76 had tilt wheel and I loved it.
In 2008 or 2009 I put a tilt column in a Duster. The fitment was fine, I just had to shorten and weld the steering shaft to fit. That column came from a floor shift Chrysler Cordoba. I wish that I remember how I wired it up because that is my main obstacle here. I want to install a Cordoba steering column in my Charger. Years ago I pulled two from a self serve junkyard here in town.
Here is one of two that I have:

Unlike late model cars that only tilt from the firewall, old style tilt columns tilted above your thighs and are great for driving comfort as well as making it easier to enter and exit the car. This one would get cleaned and painted so don’t be bothered by the rough appearance.
When the key is turned, a steel rod moves forward.

This moves a section in this unit on the left with the yellow, red, blue and other wires to it. Four of the wires are 12 gauge, the two others are 14.

This has me thinking that they are for the ignition switch.

The other wiring is smaller gauge.

Chrysler used GMs Saginaw division for the tilt columns so they had a hybrid sort of harness as evident by the connectors not having matching color wires on each end. The smaller gauge harness is likely the turn signals, flasher, horn and cruise control!

Oh yeah, it has one of those courtesy lights for the ignition key cylinder.



I know that it is a long shot but has anyone else made this swap? I wish that I took better notes when I did this in the Duster 16+ years ago.
As a default, I guess I could look at a wire diagram for a Cordoba, huh ?

 

[Kern Dog]

An OEM early 70s car ignition switch has a plug as seen on the right.

The same large gauge wires match the color of the ones in the column.
The 18 gauge red wires are for courtesy lights many cars don’t have.
The firewall plate will have to be modified to match. Not hard to do if you can weld.

The Cordoba pattern is way different than the B body.
Being GM based, they used this rag joint.

With the Duster, I had to shorten this shaft by cutting just downhill of the rag joint and welding it back up at the proper length. Being a hybrid design, they still retained the stock coupler setup.

 

[GTXDAN]

That is most definitely the ignition switch on the column. Time to break out the ohmmeter and chase the wires. If you have the keys it will pretty easy. I would think the red wire will be the power to the switch so just start from there with the key in the run position to find continuity to the other wires. Then to the start position to find the start wire, and on to acc.
You will see that the switch has slotted holes for installation. If I remember correctly the switch had a witness hole where you could stick a pin to make sure the switch was in the correct position (OFF) to install it so the rod will be in the correct position.

 

[pnora]

They used those jumper harnesses to adapt the mopar wiring to the GM switches.

 

[Kern Dog]

I really need to take a course in automotive electrical. This is probably easy for someone with that training. For me, it is the unknown that is intimidating.
I have a 1975 body manual but all that I remember is that these columns came from a 75-79 Cordoba.

The diagram shows just one design of the switch plug.

Maybe the 1975 models didn’t offer tilt wheel? The Saginaw column is mostly GM parts. This rod is at this position with the ignition switch locked.

Turning the key, it moved the rod rearward.

The plug coming off the switch:

There is no mention of a Pink 14 ga with black tracer in this manual.
I did trace the wires for cruise control. Those won’t matter.

 

[pnora]

I really need to take a course in automotive electrical. This is probably easy for someone with that training. For me, it is the unknown that is intimidating.
I have a 1975 body manual but all that I remember is that these columns came from a 75-79 Cordoba.

View attachment 1819181

The diagram shows just one design of the switch plug.

View attachment 1819182

Maybe the 1975 models didn’t offer tilt wheel? The Saginaw column is mostly GM parts. This rod is at this position with the ignition switch locked.

View attachment 1819186

Turning the key, it moved the rod rearward.

View attachment 1819187

The plug coming off the switch:

View attachment 1819188

There is no mention of a Pink 14 ga with black tracer in this manual.
I did trace the wires for cruise control. Those won’t matter.

As I recall the FSM was not very good when it came to the tilt wiring. Its like all they covered was the standard mopar column. I also believe 75-77 was pretty close to the same and 78 and newer had some differences.

 

[pnora]

Here is a 73 wiring and it will be very close. You can use this to start sorting and tagging wires.

 

[GTXDAN]

So if you hook your ohmmeter to the red wire and with the switch on you should have continuity with the 14ga DBL wire which is run. If you put the switch to start the 14ga Y and 14ga BR wire should have continuity for start to the start relay and ignition during start. It appears the 14ga BK wire has power through the switch during run and in acc position which will power everything that is powered off the switch.

 

[GTXDAN]

So Pnora's diagram is the same wire colors just different sizes and shows the extra wires.

 

[toolmanmike]

You need a service manual for your car and what the column came out of. The wiring diagrams should show you what wires need to go where.

 

[Kern Dog]

I do have manuals for my Charger. They have really helped with wire diagram Paths, connectors and stuff.
The wife found some online source for wire diagrams for the 75-79 Cordoba too. I’m out back in the shop and will look at what she found.
Thanks!

 

[pnora]

I do have manuals for my Charger. They have really helped with wire diagram Paths, connectors and stuff.
The wife found some online source for wire diagrams for the 75-79 Cordoba too. I’m out back in the shop and will look at what she found.
Thanks!

The diagram I posted will get you close. There might be some color variations but the orientation should be correct. The FSM on a lot of car lines is lame when it comes to the GM saginaw column wiring with the jumpers. Sometimes looking in the c-bodies esp the high line models will have more information. They also have options that the b-bodies did not use so be careful not to go down that rabbit hole. You could get a replacement pigtail for the column and hard wire them to your car harness eliminating the jumpers. Not that much work once you understand what each wire does. Plus it will be a lot cleaner and neater.

 

[GTXDAN]

You have everything you need to make it start and run, but you're going to have to have the full wiring diagram for the turn signals. You could splice the wires from your ignition switch right to the wires on the tilt column switch since you have the pigtail.

 

[Rockland71GTX]

I found this in the 1972 Plymouth service manual:

Hopefully this will help

 

[Curiousyellow71]

I believe tilt was option as early as 71.
Steering wheel is unique. I think i have robbed the similiar looking column out of a 70 New yorker.
Photo out of the '71 charger buyers guide. I think it was made by gm?

 

[Kern Dog]

Because the column stands off of the dash by some amount, the steering wheels often have little or no "dish" to them like the wheel on a standard column does. This can pose a problem with clearance to the turn signal stalk in some cases.

 

[toolmanmike]

I believe tilt was option as early as 71.
Steering wheel is unique. I think i have robbed the similiar looking column out of a 70 New yorker.
Photo out of the '71 charger buyers guide. I think it was made by gm?

View attachment 1819390

It even looks like a gm wheel. I had that style of Rim Blow on my Swinger.

 

[toolmanmike]

Greg, don't be so cheap. Retrofit 1970 B Body Tilt Floor Shift Steering Column with Keyed Ignition - Black Powder Coated | 1620830051 | IDIDIT LLC