Tom I might have tried to move the shock tower over if I would have noticed it sooner. God knows I have levered some stuff as a carpenter. You are correct I looked at my car with the solid column and the column is maybe 1/16 away from the tower and it looks like the column goes through the hole in the firewall towards the inside.
I was able to pull the column over with my hands and fit the 2 together, and I guess the dash bracket would hold it in place that is if everything is happy with the dash board. One concern I have with the split column is that perhaps the inner shaft would rub those column bears out, but not sure.
The more I think about it the solid shaft might be a better way to go because that shaft does not have those little bearings that look like they would be a bear to replace. Interestingly, I have a solid column with a little bend at the shock tower that did not come out of this car.
Yes Charley the tub has been off the frame and the car was cut in half also, so yes a combination of things could have worked against me. I will say these cars come apart in sections that do fit back together kinda idiot proof because of all the bolts and lapping sheet metal separate pieces. I do have everything lose and will do a dry fit the dash to make sure everything will work; it should. I only have 2 examples of the column going through the firewall, but I am optimistically guessing they all might not be center.
steve