incidentaljester

Okay, long story so I'll make it as brief as possible...

I have a 1987 Mustang, which originally was suppose to be a parts car for my 89. I needed a new front clip. Needless to say, I lost the 89 (which I loved dearly) because I had no place to store it and lived in an apartment complex at the time. I couldn't justify storage fee, all that...

Anyway, I have a 1987, which has been more dependable than I would have realized in the condition I got it in. Well, a while back the electrical systems have been going a little wonky, so I parked it and the battery drained. Well, I left her sit as she was not legal to drive, and I needed to transfer the title.

I go out to do some work on the car and start her up for the weekend... someone has tried to steal her. The steering colum is tore up, and the iginition is shredded. I removed the steering wheel and the plastic parts around the steering colum, but I am unable to remove the complete ignition as it slides off the steering colum. I have a disk where the steering wheel mounts in the way, and my Chilton's diagram isn't very descriptive on taking it apart, more putting it back and reverse engineering has failed me.

You can see I'm not exactly a great mechanic, and this is my first real heavy project. Everything on my 89 was stock and I just did the maintenance to keep her up and paid for any major service I couldn't do. This car literally won't move until I fix this though. So any help for a Novice would be appreciated.

fourfivefour

So what is it your actually trying to do?
Replace the lock cylinder?

incidentaljester

The cylinder itself actually was torn into the metal of the cylinder housing, and I have to remove the whole thing as there is no way to remove it. I'll try to take a picture and post it.

I also forgot to mention, someone installed a GT steering wheel (which I hate) so it's not stock. Which is probably my problem. I didn't need a steering wheel puller to remove the actual wheel itself due to that.

fourfivefour

THE STEERING WHEEL SHOULD NOT PULL OFF BY HAND!
If your trying to disassemble the column to change the ignition lock housing, get yourself a service manual if you never been inside a column. You may never get it back together correctly.
You can tryhammeringan 1/8" punch into the lock cylinder release pin to get it to depress and remove the cylinder.
If your not sure get a new lock cylinder and you will see the pin. With the key in run position the pin will push in.
If you get the old cylinder out you will have to turn the gear in the column to run to get the new cylinder in.

You can also drill out the center of the lock cylinder to get it out.
Be careful not to drill too deep.

If the column is really messed up you may be better off getting a used column.

incidentaljester

Anyone know where I can pick up a service manual, not the CD? I want the actual book at the car when I do this... and the column is really messed up. I'm gonna head to the junkyard in the morning I think and talk to some of those guys.