55.2-59 please explain power steering components

[Missyblue]

I bought a 1979 gm van column and it has a long cylindrical shaft with a rag joint end at the bottom. can't find my photo will post one later sorry.....but tying to understand how all this fits together and have only found a few photos online. I have a mustang ii front end with a power rack. my column has a long skinny shaft at the bottom connected to a rag joint so it doesn't look like the columns I see if I purchased a flaming river one. I have read about splined shafts and double dd ends but don't exactly understand the whole process of getting from point a to point b. any photos or insight would be appreciated.