I have a 1932 3 window and desperately want to get rid of the GM steering column. I was looking for a 53-56 F100 set up but haven’t had a lot of luck in my area finding one. I did however find a 1950 F100 column and box. Is it the same as the 53-56 set ups?
1950 is a F-1. The box is different than a F100, but many guys prefer it. Search here, lots of threads on mouning F1 in '32's.
A 1950 is an f-1. It has the steering shaft under the sector shaft. F-100 has the steering shaft on top of the sector shaft. Also the f-1 sector will take a 32-48 car pitman arm, the f-100 sector is larger and only takes a bigger f-100 arm. The f-1 box is also more desirable for a flathead because of exhaust issues.
I did the same, that is, took the stupid gm column out of my 32. I installed a 1950 f1 box, fits good, drives good, looks right. BTW, if you melt the babbitt out of a model A connecting rod, it fits around a f1 steering tube perfectly....
You can swap the column it's self to a simpler and cleaner column easy enough without changing the box. First though we have to know what box you have on it now. It may be that you already have an F-1 or F100 box with a GM column hooked to it. After you figure out what box you have you have to ask yourself if the steering it's self needs improving or if you just need to swap out the overly cluttered column for a cleaner looking one. One thing to consider though is that all of those pre mid 60's boxes have a solid steel shaft from box to steering wheel that works pretty much like a steel spike going into your chest in a hard head on collision. They don't give and collapse like the newer post 68 columns do.
Only thing I don`t like is the 53-56 in a 32 is the lack of left foot clearance between the original column tube and the left kick panel. (This is where the 32 clutch pedal sits) The pitman arm stops the tube from being where the old tube came thru the firewall. I trimmed off the 54 box mount and made a triangle plate to match the frame angle and original 32 bolt holes. The pitman then just clears the outside frame rail and won`t let the column go in further to match the firewall steering tube hole. 1 more inch would have been perfect. (Yes it is a 54 and I too thought I must have the wrong box but after several comparisons, and part number, it is a 53-56 box.) The 48-52 F1 does move the tube to the original position but then you need to use a long steering dash support brkt. for good steering wheel angle. Not good if you want to leave the original 32 steering wheel switch/lock.
Thank you very much fellas! All great information and I’m going with the 1950 steering. Based on that last picture I am worried how this will work with my hair pins…. And yes the oil pan is far too low!
How did you extend the shaft through the frame? I need to extend mine due to the boxed frame as well as the hair pins. Do they make an extension? I was also considering using my 1950 box in a cowl steering application.
I extended my shaft - in my case for a cowl steering on a champ car - by adding a sleeved shaft to slip over the pitman shaft. The one drawback is the oil seal cannot be replaced at a later date, if that matters to you. (I also shortened the column shaft. If you are concerned with crash protection and desire a telescoping column you could do that too.)
I cut the f1 mounting flange off and welded the model a flange on. There is no way to extend the sector shaft. You would need to cut a piece out of the boxing plate so you could bolt the box to the frame rail. you would have to bend your pitman arm to get clearance around the hair pin. You can see how far it will stick out. I used a 40 chevy pick up pitman arm. It fits the F1 splines and is long, you can bend it and shorten it. Then re drill and weld a new ball stud in.
If you don't want to change the box and steering you can just swap out the column for a bare bones one. Limeworks has a '40 column or if you want to go used look at a Postal Jeep (DJ5) it has a 36 spline end (if I remember correctly)...same as a Vega steering box. https://www.limeworksspeedshop.com/LimeWorks-Columns-and-Drops-s/479.htm I'm not at home and can't find a better picture on google (turn signal switch is a clamp on unit):
Have u considered a mustang,falcon,comet ——they are similar to a stocker when turned on their side making the Pittman go under or between the frame rails. Early versions have a long one piece shaft up to the steering wheel. Later ones use a “rag joint for making a connection. Flatheads Forever!!
Agree on the pan, I'd say the hairpin mount is too high! Mounted for convenience rather than geometry and suspension articulation. (Speedway?)
1935ply, What is the drag link shown in post #15? It looks like it could solve a problem i am having. Thanks
Question...I put an F100 box on the Model A, kinda thing I'm fooling with. I trimmed and re drilled the mounting flange. I also redrilled and used a large truck axle wedge between the box and frame. It all worked pretty good. The problem now is the drag link looks like it will rub the tie rod when the motor is back in the car. I shortened the pitman arm an inch, but it looks like, if I went another half in, everything would be fine, and there would be enough left/right motion. Is there too short on a pitman arm??? Gene.
Instead of shortening the pitman, which is going to make your steering effort harder, why not just heat it and bend it out until it doesn't interfere? I fabbed a bracket and moved mine to the top of the frame so there would be no interference with the exhaust. There was a clearance issue with the split wishbones but a little heat and it clears.
I don't need to move the drag link out, as much as up. But I can't go too far up or there will be problems there too. And I guess, I thought wrong about the length. I figured shorter would also be easier, but wouldn't swing as far. I will have to take a second picture to show what I mean. Gene.
Alphabet soup, you might want to try "un-splitting" your bones to get them out of the way of the steering arm.
I just had to heat and bend mine a little bit. But mine is slightly split, not out to the frame rails.
I really am not having a problem with drag link to bone clerance, I did but I moved the bones further in, now no problem. My problem is with drag link to tie rod clearance. There is no motor in the car, but I put a couple hundred pounds of weight on the front and the clearance between the two got less. I guess I could cut off the loop that you see and bend the steering arm up some, but I was hoping to use that for a shock mount of some sort. I hope this second picture shows what I mean. Gene.
Cut the loop off the perch pin and bend the steering arm up as needed, if you intend to use lever action shocks that ball on the perch pin is where the shock link bolts to, if you intend to use tube shocks drill a hole in the web of the axle and use a bolt-on shock stud as the lower shock mount.
Cut the loop off the perch pin and bend the steering arm up as needed, if you intend to use lever action shocks that ball on the perch pin is where the shock link bolts to, if you intend to use tube shocks drill a hole in the web of the axle and use a bolt-on shock stud as the lower shock mount.
Cut the loop off the perch pin and bend the steering arm up as needed, if you intend to use lever action shocks that ball on the perch pin is where the shock link bolts to, if you intend to use tube shocks drill a hole in the web of the axle and use a bolt-on shock stud as the lower shock mount.
That’s backwards- if you shorten the pitman arm, you are increasing your overall ratio and reducing effort. If you shorten the spindle steer arm then you will increase effort (reduce ratio). You can easily bend the F100 arm inwards a bit more to clear the split wishbone and still have room at full lock to not hit the frame (here are a couple ideas from 2 of my cars with F100 boxes)…. Both are unsplit bones but you get the idea:
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