Since I can't see your pictures I can't help much, but I can say that there were different couplers back then. So, before you beat and bang on your column, make sure what you have. My story, the shop that did my car lost the coupler..71... not knowing I buy a coupler off of eBay, but it is too long, and column wouldn't go in, so I bang on the column, which really I collapsed it, then I found out I had a 73/74 , instead of a 71 coupler, now it rattles. Just make sure what you have, and what you need before you do anything.