'70 Challenger Steering Column Confusion

[DonnieB]

Hi...I'm brand new to this forum and just purchased a 1970 Challenger after a void of 40+ years since I had one.
Looking for help concerning a steering column rebuild. I've watched Cody's excellent videos and have a shop manual and fair amount of mechanical skills but I'm stumped before I begin...
The car is a column shift that I'm converting to console shift and i noticed the shaft is terribly off center as per the picture. I'm not sure what goes in that location to align the shaft. I purchased the rebuild kit for the coupler and have the needed housings to convert to floor shift but the shop manual doesn't focus on that area. (the column obviously led an interesting life as the seals are also shredded.
Any help would be appreciated and I apologize if this has been covered before. 

[anlauto]

To center the shaft in the collar, just loosen the three bolts on the firewall and move it over

[DonnieB]

Thanks....So there isn't a bushing or bearing that goes into that collar?

[anlauto]

No, nothing inside that inner collar.

[DonnieB]

Thank you so much.

[RacerX]

No, nothing inside that inner collar.

Isn't there a rubber or foam seal that is normally there?

My 71 column has a rubber seal with a white plastic holder that snaps into the end of the hollow shaft.

Or is this a 70-only thing again?   

[mopar jack]

I think the factory installed dust seals(foam) around the shafts. It helps to keep some of the heat from the engine compartment traveling up the shaft. If you are converting to floor shift I would remove the shift tube and install the correct lower bearing/seal for a non column shift set up.

[RacerX]

I think the factory installed dust seals(foam) around the shafts. It helps to keep some of the heat from the engine compartment traveling up the shaft. If you are converting to floor shift I would remove the shift tube and install the correct lower bearing/seal for a non column shift set up.

I do know that 70 floor shift cars still had that internal tube for the reverse lockout

My 4 speed 70 challenger has it.   Isn't hooked up but the tube is still in the column

Most people do remove it or at least disable it.

[anlauto]

I think the factory installed dust seals(foam) around the shafts. It helps to keep some of the heat from the engine compartment traveling up the shaft. If you are converting to floor shift I would remove the shift tube and install the correct lower bearing/seal for a non column shift set up.

The "shift tube" is used on all 1970 steering columns. If not for shifting the auto transmission, then it's used as a column lock out.

[RUNCHARGER]

Yup: That linkage is usually thrown away first thing.