Hello, I am restoring the steering columns for my 2 B-bodies, one with a black interior the other saddle. Original finish is gone on both so I am trying to figure them out. It looks like the actual shaft and coupler should be natural metal but not sure about the housing part which protrudes into the engine bay - flat black? Should the complete steering wheel shaft housing be flat black including the ignition switch collars?

For the car with the saddle interior, should the shaft housing be painted saddle?

Thanks,
Carl

For 69 Plymouth and Dodge, an interior color chart is in the service manuals, page 23-154 or 23-108, suede finish colors. The 68 Plymouth service manual does not have color charts. Don't know about the 68 Dodge manual.

Download service manuals here for free, except 68 Dodge:

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109

The other jacket of the column is painted to match the color of the dashboard , it is painted this color top to bottom so whatever amount of it is sticking into the engine compartment will be the color it's painted .

The columns were not painted "assembled" nor were they in the car when it was painted. Therefore, none of it is body color. The outer assembly/frame will be black, the column was then assembled and the shaft is bare along with the plastic bearings. The outer cover below the wheel will be the same suede finish as the dash.

The outer jacket and upper shells of the column are the same color and paint as the dash frame( suede )

everything else in the column is either plated or bare steel

This is a 1970 but but gives you some idea.

Also a 1970 but this one is in black

The following are 1969 , in black ( column shift )

2

This one had signs the lower shaft was painted black,,,,so thats the way I put it back

in the car

There you have it. I don't recall that my original shaft was black and the NOS manual shaft that I put in was bare metal. Paint on the shaft would likely cause issues with the bearings. Just sayin' ...

Thank you so much for the pictures and advice,I really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Carl

Bill, I saw the restored ash tray on your face book, did you find new plastic grommets for the tab or are those original? I'm looking for some too.

flat black (same sheen as rad support blackout) from the cowl to (and including) the gearbox coupling.
I would call it flat black (much flatter than rad) with a thin film thickness. to my eye it nearly mimics black phosphate but is definitely paint.
This on an unrestored 68 garage kept.
I can check later for more details if you need. The white plastic coupling has not been toughed by paint and when I can get a bright light on it I can verify if whit I feel are drip lines (dipped?) are just that.