Rare Swing Away Steering Wheel

My GTCS has a swing away steering column/wheel so that when the door opens the wheel swings out of the way so you can get out easier.

I was told that about 2%(about 82) of GTCS's have this option.

Does anyone in the gallery or on the site, have this same option?

If you do, how come sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt? I had it working consistently for a while, but then i didnt drive the car for a month while the new engine was being built. Now that i have it back and running again, the wheel has only swung away 2 times. There is power connected to the vaccuum thing under the dash and when the button, under the light button in the door jam, is released i can hear the vaccuum thing click under the dash, but most of the time the wheel is not swinging away anymore. Can someone give some guidance?

Thank you

David,
The 68 shop manual states a couple of possible reasons:
- Blown fuse (would also mean no courtesy lights) I don't think this is the problem if it is working sometimes
- Disconnected, pinched or obstructed vacuum line
- Electical circuit problem (between door jamb switch and vacuum release valve solenoid)
- Defective vacuum release valve
- Defective vacuum motor.

My beat is on a pinched or obstructed line, to check it lay on your back and look under the steering column. The vacuum motor and line is located to the right (if sitting in the drivers seat). If not that I would then go with the electical problem.

Hope this helps. I you need the manual gives what you should do for each if you want. Shoot me your email address and I will send you it.

Doug

Thanks for the info Doug, i have more information about the problem after playing around with it for a while.

This is how it used to work(is supposed to work?): The door had to be closed (the button pushed in) and the wheel to be locked in place, in order for the ignition to start the car.

This is the bizarre thing..i said it only swung away a couple times, both those times the button was not pushed in (ie the door was open) and as soon as i turned the ignition, boom the steering wheel swings away!! This is very wierd, because the car shouldnt even start if the wheel is not locked. The wheel is locked, but then swings away as soon as the key is turned and this is only if the door is open.

Any ideas of what is going on? and how to make it work like it used to?

Thanks again

sounds like you have something wired or hookup backwards, from what you said its doing the complete oposite of what its suppose to do ???

David,
I agree with GT/CS, it sounds like an electrical problem, I would look at the relay attached to the vacuum motor.

Doug

If your cam is a radical grind, there is the possibility that your motor produces very low vacuum. This could also affect the power brake system. I have heard of some cars that when you puched the throttle the vaccum operated doors for the ventilation system would open or close. This can be solved by an additional vacuum reserve canister.

Thanks to all for your help. I have more experience with the problem now. The only time the wheel will swing away is if the door is open (ie the button is not pushed in) which is the proper function. But the improperness is that the ignition has to be either turned on or off while the door is open. So if i open the door, before i turn off the car, and then turn off the car the wheel will swing away.

Do you think the cam is affecting the vacuum, as Jayscal said, and that is why the wheel only functions when the key is being turned on/off?

Thanks again