70bbody steer column assembly question

I am assembling my steering column and have a tapered gap between the shift and lock housing. I have reassembled multiple times and am convinced it is in the casted parts. I did not take a picture of the gap before disaasembly, Anyone else see this in there column.

If everything is seated properly then that is how it's supposed to be , but if you are bored , winter is coming , you could mark wit hthe gaps are inconsistent , figure which piece is wrong , or both , fill as needed and repaint .

Me , I'd leave it no one is ever going to notice it .

Edit: Are you saying that the gap is tighter on one side than it is on the other? If so, I think what you have labeled as your shift housing is tweaked (the center). You'll have to disassemble it again and carefully bend it back using a hammer. A light tap will do it (as in just letting gravity do most of the work). I strong tap may break it.

Not sure which way you might feel that bottom collar cone might be tweaked but I can tell ya for a fact that they are NOT perfectly round from the factory - at least on the 70 and up style. I've pulled dozens and noticed a slight oval in that bottom collar section on every single one. I would not try to straighten it either as that pot metal will easily crack.

That bottom cone should be connected to the locking mechanism / linkage tube to the transmission. On 70's there was a linkage that ran from the reverse rod on a stick transmission at the shifter to the column. A tube similar to the one for a column shift car is connected to the bottom collar by way of a set screw. Check to see if yours if somehow cocked and/or if the set screw is tight and in the original place - look for a witness mark on the locking tube mechanism. The fit might be slightly tweaked which would account for the variation you are seeing. But even if it is ok I wouldn't sweat the gap, so long as there's clearance and everything moves freely.

Not trying to fix it is definitely the safer thing to do. In my world, that gap would be unacceptable... but I am neurotic.

Yes, I am thinking manual trans. I have no experience with an auto column and any differences that may present.