Ressurecting a stolen write-off. Need some help in here!

[Muddbucket]

Got sold a 97 GMC 1500 Z71 with a 5.7l L31 under the hood and 188k on the od for $300 by the father in law as it was just sitting in a barn collecting dust.

About a year ago a few punks tried to steal it from a buddy of his and completely made a cockup of it. They completely broke the metal housing on the steering column off for the ignition switch. The shifter is still fine only now for some reason it can shift without the break pressed down. There's a cable coming up beside it not attached to anything. I can only assume this one goes to the brake in some way to stop the shifter from moving. The end is still on it.

The main problem is that the steering column needs to be replaced.. or does it?

They left the turn indicator/wiper etc, wires alone, they're fine.

The wires that once went to the ignition switch are now gutted and just hanging there. I'm going to do this cheap and use a Painless universal dash mount ignition switch. The question is, what wires are which? Theres quite a few. One goes to a black connector which is now broken but I think I can replace that. Theres a white strip of plastic with two copper wires running down to the dash panel that covered the wiring harness, that was broken off, it was wired to a little red on/off switch that was under the dash, no idea what this was.

Anyone have a wiring diagram or can mspaint one up on what wires will go to where on a painless setup? Theres a couple big ol wires, then a bunch of smaller ones.

Thanks in advance. I'd love to be able to drive this beast to go get its new engine (Another L31 thats going to become a 383..)

 

[JJZ71]

"cockup"?
Mine will shift without the brake pressed in also.

 

[Muddbucket]

I mean they failed. All they succeeding in doing was ruining a good steering column. I can only assume one of the idiots convinced the other idiot he knew how to hotwire a car.

They broke the drivers side door glass, broke the steering column, got arrested at the scene. The bed had a bunch of boxes full of MOOG suspension stuff and a bunch of tools and they didn't think to just lift that stuff and get away.

Since the rest of the column is fine I don't see why swapping to a dash universal will be a problem. I just didn't think there would be about 10 wires for just ignition but I guess it powers other circuits as well.

 

[scotts95sierra]

If I remember right that truck should have a chiped key also if it does going to be a pain to deal with.

 

[sewlow]

Might be easier to swap out the column with a wrecker-find, of the same year.

 

[SAATR]

Good points all ^^^. You would be best served by simply going to a salvage yard and getting another column, as was suggested. Spending another $300 on a column and some new door glass will give you $600 invested in a truck that (barring any other significant damage) is worth far more. Also is a lot easier to sell if it's fixed properly and not rigged. I believe that your universal switch will work, you'll just be better off fixing it the right way.

 

[Muddbucket]

Local wrecker cut me a deal on a steeringwheelless column sans housing but the housing can be purchased from latemodel resto for about 50 bucks., They charged me $80 for the column. The 1997 years thankfully did not have the passkey system so I'll simply drill out the donor vehicles ignition lock and swap in a new one.

Going to see if the same wrecker will take a 93 grand prix 3.4l in exchange for the drivers door glass, a junkyard L31 350 and maybe an 0411 PCM.

Thanks much for the information.