Help: Manta Steering Column Question

[RetroSportCar]

I am replacing my Manta (1975) directional switch (core) assembly. Anybody gone through this installation? How easy/hard is it to install? What are the things that I should look out for when replacing?

Thanks

[timemachine]

Originally Posted by RetroSportCar I am replacing my Manta (1975) directional switch (core) assembly. Anybody gone through this installation? How easy/hard is it to install? What are the things that I should look out for when replacing? Thanks

This is much more of a PITA than you'd expect, though no soldering is necessary. Later Mantas (did they all?) have the ignition cylinder locked by a tear-off bolt, and the cylinder bracket has to be drilled out to get to the turn signal assembly. Basically, it goes like this for a '75:

1. Remove the steering wheel: Pull the rubber cover off the horn button and use a thin screwdriver to release three locking tabs pairs one by one and pull off the horn switch. Pull the wire off the lug on the switch and set it aside. Pry down the locking tab on the nut holding the wheel to the column and remove the nut. You'll almost surely need a steering wheel puller to get the wheel off, you can get a generic puller at your local parts store for under $20 (you may need to buy a couple of bolts and nuts to fit the cutouts in the wheel, search "Manta steering wheel" on the site for more details).

2. Pull out the hazard indicator button and pull the turn signal indicator straight out of its socket. Remove the two Phillips screws holding the the upper and lower column covers together from below. You'll need to loosen two bolts that hold up the whole steering column (just underneath the dash) in order to get the top half of the cover off. You don't have to completely remove the bolts to do this, but if do, don't swing the column around much or you might damage it. Once the upper and lower covers are off you can retighten the steering column under the dash to continue.

3. Remove the ignition switch/cylinder: This is the hardest part. You'll see a rounded bolt on top of the ignition switch bracket that goes around the steering column with a small indent in the center. You need to use this indent to drill a 1/8" hole a good 1/4 or 3/8 deep and use a left-hand bolt removal bit ("easy-out") to remove the ignition switch. You'll either need a right-angle drill chuck to remove it if it's in the car, or it may be easier to remove the two bolts where the column meets the floor, undo the harnesses, remove the column and do the job on a bench. (I never did it this way but the FSM says you can also rest the column on a thick block of wood on the seat [all the way forward] to accomplish this.) That bolt is hard, believe me, and you need to drill a clean hole. Once you have, remove the ignition assembly.

4. Remove the turn signal assembly: Once the ignition switch assembly is removed it gets much easier. Unplug the harnesses, mark the position of the assembly with a Sharpie, loosen the clamp bolts and remove and replace the assembly and reconnect the harnesses. Leave it a little loose until you line everything back up.

The rest goes backwards, except you'll need to retighten the ignition switch by using a new hex bolt or find a way to retighten the original. (If you have a grinder or a file you can square off the original bolt edges and tighten it back in with long-nose pliers.)

All this is much easier if you have a shop and proper tools of course, but I have done it in a driveway. Good luck and let me know if you run into problems.

Jim

[dallasmanta]

Very good directions given,

I have found two tricks to pull the steering wheel and the ignition switch.
for the 74/75 steering wheel, I use two long bolts with nuts that will fit any steering puller kit on the market. I remove the plastic cover on the steering shaft that houses the emergancy flasher button. Turn the steering wheel so the bolt hole through the steering wheel is pointed to the 6 O'clock position. Now run the long bolt through the steering wheel so that you can thread the nut on the bolt by reaching reach between the steering wheel and the turn siginal . now rotate the steering wheel 180 degrees and install the second bolt with the steering puller and remove the steering wheel.

For the ignition switch I use a cutting wheel and cut a recess in the headless bolt to allow a flat screwdriver to be used to unscrew the bolt. This way you don't have to drill and extract the bolt and it is reusable.

Ron

[timemachine]

Originally Posted by dallasmanta Very good directions given, For the ignition switch I use a cutting wheel and cut a recess in the headless bolt to allow a flat screwdriver to be used to unscrew the bolt. This way you don't have to drill and extract the bolt and it is reusable. Ron

That's a clever and simple idea that hadn't occured to me. I'll try that next time.

Jim

[RetroSportCar]

Thanks dallasmanta & timemachine for the tips. Now I am more confident that I will be able to do both the removal and installation of the said directional assembly.

Regards