Thanks so much Art - really appreciate it.

You have to trust me a bit - not my first rodeo. Had the wheel off LOTS of times over the decades (perhaps THAT'S the problem!). You could always feel the shaft bottom against the snap ring/bearing and then the nut would QUICKLY tighten up. I can pull a good 1/4"-1/2" more of the threads through the top of the bolt than when it tightened up before. It pulls so hard on the lower linkage (I know now) that it pulls it a good 1/4" towards the center of the car because it's trying to 'straighten' the lower linkage - it's being restrained by the linkage that's attached to the pinion shaft. I put a piece of tape on the exh manifold, tightened down the nut (well, screwed it - it never 'tightened') well past where I thought it should have been, made a reference mark on the tape where the cotter pin on the ujoint was -- and then backed way off the nut. The cotter pin/ujoint moved a good 1/2" back towards the front of the car, and good 1/4" away from the manifold towards the driver's side fender.

I believe either my snap ring has let go or the bearing is moving in a manner that it shouldn't. Have column disassembled at the wheel, about to go take the lower linkage off. I predict I can pull the shaft out of the column once the nut is off the top and the coupler joint is off the shaft at the firewall. If not all the way out -- a good ways out.

Will report back. Other thoughts welcomed. And I may be in the market for a used but serviceable column for an 82. Anyone know if the later columns (86-90, 91-93) can be used in an 82?
--
82 242 6.2L coming...; '15 Honda Fit