Finally Got a Henry J

Over the 1st few years of my car being on the road, I had to remake my pivot brackets for the tilt front end twice to correct the gaps between the fenders and doors. This told me my stub-to-frame joint was settling so I installed down bars from the sturdiest part of the body to the frame. I noticed right away the ride was stiffer so I knew there had been flex in my joint. I'm not saying your's is flexing, but changing gaps might show up in a good side shot video of your car carrying the front wheels. I'm just trying to help you have a safe car on the track.

Gary

 

Phil....built 3 cars with all the stuff health wise you had going on... and now wheels up.. fantastic!

 

Ah that's nothing, the Suicide King did it on the street. Can't remember if the steering wheel came off, or the steering came apart. Glad you didn't have a worse outcome.

 

All things considered, you have to be thrilled how well the car went, and extremely happy that you just scuffed the wall. Could have been a whole lot worse. I pin almost all my joints and drill a dimple in the D-shafts to make sure the set screw won't let the shaft slide out. I also have a collar on my Willys at the bottom of the steering column so no mater how hard I pull on the wheel, the shaft cant move. Glad your ok and the car is ok.

 

I remember that

 

Yes, even with what happened I'm really pleased with my little street car, runs on 93 octane and hikes the hoops, what's not to love.

 

After breaking and dulling way to many drill bits I got that diamond hard Borgeson joint drilled for the roll pin. I brought it up right through the set screw, so that one sits in the dimple and acts like a bushing for the pin.



I added a collar to the top, so the shaft inside the column can't pull up anymore



I dimpled the shaft a little deeper, ground down the bottom threads on the set screws so it's a tighter and deeper fit.
Gave it all a new suit of paint so I don't have to keep up with the bare polished shaft anymore.



I had to remove the steering box to get it all back together, this thing isn't coming apart on me again, enough of that shit !

 

You really dodged a bullet on this one! I've always been leery of those splined steering shafts, it's hard to understand how much 2 "fixed" points can move. I'll bet GM never engineered that column to have someone pulling on it so hard! Coming from an aviation background, I replace the set screws with safety wire drilled bolts and jam nuts and drill a safety wire anchor hole in the joint, but that probably wouldn't have prevented that kind of movement.

 

Glad it turned out the way it did for both you and the car.