Steering column detectives

[AmadeusCharger500]

I pulled this blue column out of a 73 Charger Se about 10 years ago. I drove the car only once, on its way home from previous owner. There was a lot to do!

2010: I exchanged the steering box to "Steer & Gear" in 2010 for a rebuilt power steering box. I cannot recall if the original box was power steering or manual.

2017: I restored the exact column, column shift, that I pulled from the car, painted it the body color of the car (Blue shown as the lower column in photo) and changing it over to a floor shift column with a repro part built by Tony's Parts (also cut the lower shifter linkage tab), only to find out the column no longer reaches the box.
It is approx 2 inches too short.

2018: I picked this original column up (upper non painted column in photo) from a seller in  N.J. yesterday hoping I could swap parts. It was stated the part is taken from a 73 Roadrunner column shift car. However, it looks different in several areas (photos)

They look very different from each other.

My question is.
Is it possible my steering column was swapped and can anyone venture a guess to what steering column I pulled from my car?

The lock out tube appears to be the same length on both columns. The outer frame is longer on the R.R. column. The steering coupler is in a different spot. The R.R. column is missing a lower rag joint (seller told me) my Charger column has no rag joint at all! The threads to bolt the steering wheel on the shaft are larger on the R.R. part.

[AmadeusCharger500]

more photos

[AmadeusCharger500]

1 more

[Wingnut426]

You are missing the rag joint I have what you need. VEIGHTPETE@gmail.com

[Kern Dog]

I thought that 1973 was the first year of the rag joint. My understanding is that only the B body cars were switched to that design. ALL A body cars that I have seen use some design of pot coupler.
Maybe the blue column is a 71-72 and the other is a 73-74 ?

[VegasCharger]

Top one is '73 only due to the coupler having the bracket on the end to attach to the "Soup Can" rag joint.

They switched it again for 1974.

I believe that the bottom one is a 1974 due to the length of the coupler. Looks like 3.5" rather than 3".

The 3" coupler was used on 1966-72 B Body.
The 3.5" coupler was used on 1974-76 B Body.

[AmadeusCharger500]

The bottom one has no rag joint, did some columns in 73/74 come without it? Also I think it is the short coupler, as I have a 74 column in a 74 charger and it is the larger one you referred to.

You are missing the rag joint I have what you need. VEIGHTPETE@gmail.com

I got your e-mail rag photos. Is that rag joint applicable to the column at the bottom of the photo or the one on top?
I would be curious as to how my column (bottom blue) lost the rag.

[Nacho-RT74]

74s are a diff monster. They didn't get the coupler/crossjoint on shaft itself, but on an intermediate shaft. They ends to get the thin rag joint attached ( not the big "hockey puck" joint ) THEN the shaft what gets the coupler. they also changed the plate to firewall, to the A body kind and column to dash bracjet with just two attaching points

73 are one year only setup.

Bottom ( aside the lenght diff ) column seems to be a 71/72 setup

Top one is... anything I can't think off, but definitelly neither correct 73 or 74

I have posted pics of both steups couple of times on board... making a search they should appear

[Wingnut426]

All I know is I have a complete shaft from a 73 Charger floor shift column.  It is in great shape.  If you are interested in it you have my contact info. WINGNUT

[Gold Rush]

Here is the entire column from my '74 SE as I had it apart :

 

Here was the main pieces and parts ready for reassembly.  Notice the column shift is gone.  In particular NOTICE the "rag junction" set up and location just out of the column end as it would stick out of the fire wall.

[AmadeusCharger500]

Great photos. I have a 74 column I just picked up I was going to try to put in my 73 but as Nacho said. That is a no go.

[AmadeusCharger500]

Would this help to give a clue for what column I rebuilt (the blue column is the one that came from my  car, it was green orignally and also a column shift. These parts are replaced with the conversion kit from Tony's parts.)

[AmadeusCharger500]

I purchased that top column last week in hopes I could use the shaft or the parts. Does not seem possible now.
It would be great if I could get this original column to work again. However being 2 inches too short is quite an issue.  

Top one is... anything I can't think off, but definitelly neither correct 73 or 74

I have posted pics of both steups couple of times on board... making a search they should appear

I did search for this setup you posted but I gave up after getting 50 pages of results.
Ha, you are just too prolific!

[AmadeusCharger500]

Might this work for me?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-Steering-Column-ADAPTER-Power-to-Manual-B-Body-Satellite-Coronet-GTX-R-T-/223016200311

[Wingnut426]

Buy my shaft, install it into your column, DONE! 

[AmadeusCharger500]

Could you, perhaps, post another photo or 2 of it. The ones you sent are very close up and I honestly could not make sense of what I was looking at.

[Wingnut426]

Pics sent to your e-mail address.

[Nacho-RT74]

this a 74 setup

[Nacho-RT74]

this is a 73 setup.

the 74 I'm showing is floor shifter and 73 is column, but that's not the big deal aside how is composed as soon leaves the firewall.

note the diff firewall cut out shape too.

73 is a one year only setup

73s got the firewall bracket with 3 bolts and the column gets an extra bracket with 2 bolts to hold the column itself to the firewall bracket... all 71/73 are like that. 74s doesn't get the extra bracket to the firewall bracket but a piece that just snaps onto the firewall bracket... way easier to work on them

[AmadeusCharger500]

Thanks Nacho. your photos and attention to details are overwhelming!
I pulled my column back apart to take a look at the collapsable shaft. Figuring I had nothing to lose and taking advice from RallyeMike on an adjacent post I put up earlier. I tried pulling the 2 halves apart and this is what happened. The non painted part is the amount I was able to separate them.
There is the 2 inches I needed.
Not sure how it got collapsed.

[AmadeusCharger500]

I took 3 columns apart to compare the steering shaft.

Behind the top collar of each column is a number that would appear to be the year.

From left to right of this photo

1st 1973
2nd 1972
3rd 1972

[Nacho-RT74]

1st... 74
2nd... 73
3rd... 71/72

[AmadeusCharger500]

Thank you!

I think I figured out a solution to my fitment problem.

One last question, is this part a bearing or a seal and how do I replace it? It is pressed on in both steering shafts. It was missing from my set up.

https://www.ebay.com/i/382479683643?chn=ps
"71-73 Mopar B Body Steering Column Seal"

or

https://www.megapartsusa.com/proddetail.asp?prod=102%2D542
"Steering Column Bearing 1968-79 Floor Shift This fits all 1968-69, but fits various different applications from 1970-79"