Well I finally drilled out my steering lock pin and replaced it with a new lock/switch/tumbler combo. The ordeal leading up to this job was chronicled
in this thread.
I got most everything done without too much fuss (but lots of sweat because the car is parked nowhere near shade). But to drop the column low enough to drill the lock comfortably, I had to disconnect the nuts behind the gauge cluster and also the nuts at the bracket near the firewall (by the rubber isolator joint). I was lacking in-out slack though, so to get the column free from said bracket, I used a bit of force from a pry bar. Unfortunately, it seems a bit more difficult to use the same method for reinstallation.
I loosened the allen pinch bolt in front of the isolator trying to get the column to slide out about a cm but it doesn't see, to budge. Can anyone help me get my car back together?