Mystery Steering column piece

OK I'm reinstalling my steering column and found this piece:



Now, I think that from the washer mark that it goes on one of the three bolts that hold the shaft onto the firewall where it goes into the engine bay, but I don't know which one and which way it is oriented.

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks!

There should be two of them. One on each side of steering collum as the bracket passes under the shelf. Attached is photo of each. of course mine are same color as car.

Looks like that one goes on left side because the rh one has place for trip odometer reset knob

Gil,

Actually those pieces are still on the car, I never took them off. I'm pretty sure this piece is from down at the bottom of the shaft where it pierces the firewall. The larger hole has washer marks that exactly match the washers that go on the bolts holding the shaft end into the firewall.

I dont see anything like that on engine side. Send a photo of where it was installed.

This is where I think it goes:




But it might go here (I didn't see it on yours though)

Wonder what the pupose of this part is?

Me too. ;)

Sometimes there are a few extra parts left around to add to the mystery.

Any MG buddies been around. Ones with a bent sense of humor?

I heard of a guy that rebuilt his engine and had it installed in his car.
Unknown to the rebuilder a "buddy" brought new a piston pin c-clip and put it in the general area where the engine assembly work was done. He found it just before they were going to start it up to bed the cam. This was done just for effect.

One of the guys left a small bracket under my car when we were working on it to try this game on me. Too bad I didn't bite. I have gone thru my car and could mostly put the thing back together with unlabeled parts.

Nope, I'm doing this one solo... that's funny though.

Ill go look again.

Im back looking under my 74.5 there are two brackets similar welded to underside of shelf for the peddle springs. Maybe 71 bolted on or one is brokent off.

Hmm, nope those are all there.

Oh well, it goes into the 'extra parts' bucket.

Thanks for your time!

While searching for other info,I ran across this one with curiousity.I looked in my Unipart Parts Catalogue,and it lists a "fascia steady bracket" which looks like your picture.I looked up under the dash of my 74GT on the left side of the steering column,and there it was,however painted the same as the body color.By the way,the catalogue is dated February '77,and the part # HZA 544 is listed as NLA!

Mark,

I will hang on to the piece until I reinstall the dash. Thanks for the clue!