Steering Column Repair: Loose Column, chevy c, salvage yard

Question
I am working on a 1971 Chevy C-10 pickup. I can pull the steering wheel toward me and it will move in and out about an inch. I have never seen this before. Any ideas what is wrong. I checked the torque on the steering wheel and it didn't help.

Answer
You did not state if it was a tilt or standard. My guess is a non-tilt and someone at one time collasped the steering column mast. What you have is a steering shaft (Where steering wheel is connected to) longer than the mast which is the outer part of the steering column. The 2 piece shaft is held together by injected plastic. What has happened is that plastic has come loose and the shaft is now stretched or the vehicle might have been involved in an accident one time that sepertated the shaft and collasped the mast. Either way I would recommend getting a salvage yard steering column that is tight and replace what you have as an assembly. Can what you have be fixed? Yes, but then there is a liability issue.