Hi Guys I got a late model steering column for the roadster project and it looks like shit - and then I saw a Limeworks column and thought "make one" theres nothin to it. This is where you come in... if youve made your own basic column - just a shroud made of toob to cover the shaft (I got one of them) coupla bearings top n bottom and a cone shaped thingy on top to bolt the wheel to - easy right? can you walk me thru it? Pics 'd be great Thanks for any help Steve
How you gonna do the indicator arm and assembly?? I am using a XT GT column in the RPU I’m building. Very basic, just a toob, indicator assy and a flair at the wheel. Looks like a slightly fatter 40 Ford column. Doc.
Hey Doc Im Tbone on the Ozrodders site - I was plannin onm using one of these but that XT ford column sounds waaaay easier. Im using Torana unis from the shaft to the steer box (Datto 120Y box) what ar you using. Gotta pic? That indicator unit is a thing of beauty though!! Cheers Steve
Cool looking turn signal unit. Is it just a cover for the Signal-Stat type turn signal unit or a stand alone device? Available here in the US or in Oz only? Now the shoe is on the other foot....
Theyre from US - Limeworks - check em out on their site - theres a integrated turn/column drop unit as well.
First pic shows a home-made column showing the parts required. You'll need the pieces shown adjacent to the aluminum tube and steering shaft. For the billet haters, use steel instead of aluminum. 2nd pic shows the column assembled prior to installation. 3rd and 4th pics show each end of the steering shaft and the pieces required. Ignore the black splined piece, that goes to the quick-release steering hub. Shown are the sealed ball bearings and the lock collar that locates the shaft within the column tube top and bottom. The aluminum column is 1 5/8" OD with a .120 wall thickness. If you used steel - or stainless - you could use a larger OD and you wouldn't need to machine bearing adapters. All that said, look in the 70's era full size Fords. You can find a nice slim column with and without a key on the column as well as with and without a column shift arm. We stuck a keyless floor shift model in a friends hot rod and it looked pretty good. Nice part was the turn signals are a part of the column so no problems there. I've made several of these aluminum columns. Use a non-tilt GM steering shaft, they're about 37" long and work fine in A's and Deuces without cutting them down. The length gets the first U-joint down to where it has a good shot at the steering box and the angle is minimal. The first one cost less than $20. and the 2nd one wasn't much more. You should be able to do it for the same price if you can scrounge up the tubing - aluminum or steel - for cheap. You can also make a steering wheel adapter for cheap that will accept the standard three hole bolt pattern. Get a GM wheel - 60's on up - and hacksaw the spokes off, remove the plastic and grind the spoke stubs off the hub. If you have the spot welded flat steel steering wheel like on the late models you remove the spot welds by drilling or cutting the steering wheel down with a hacksaw and turning what remains of the face off in the lathe. Drill and tap for the three bolt pattern hold-down bolts. I'm working on a steel tubed low-cost steering column right now and have exactly $5. in it so far. Looks like the finished price will be around $25. or so. Nice part about this piece is you can weld the column hanger on.
I havent got any pics unfortunately, If I can get hold of a camera I will send you some. I bought some Torana Unis fron Hadfield back when he still owned the shop but cant get any cotter pins for them. Im using Commodore unis. A lot more work as each end of the uni is part of the shaft, cant unbolt them so gotta cut and weld. Thats one sweet indicator setup you posted there, looks way cool! If you do go with a make your own make sure it gets a good onceover by an engineer for a report or the Nazis at the RTA will laugh at you. Cant say I have ever been on the OZrodder site, never even herd of it!! Cheers, Doc.
It's pretty easy to make one from 1 1/2" exhaust tubing. Many of the old Ford parts stores have a bearing used to replace Henry's rubber bushing that can be used on both ends. The muffler shop can put the small bell on the end if you want the early steering wheels. The exhaust tubing is actually a heavier gauge than the Ford so it may require some internal filing to get the bearing to fit. Don't forget to check all the junk parts piles. Those roached out 50's car and truck steering boxes can supply the shaft, bearings, cones and T.S. switch. Cut it off at the top and weld it on a nondented tube of your desired length. Most of them are 1 1/2" O.D.
I forgot, for registration in Australia the column MUST be a collapsible one. Just using exhaust tubing wont get past rego. That is unless you use a pre ADR (1964) item, like a 40 Ford column but thems not cheap and hard to find over here. Hell, even the column Im using can be difficult to find at times! How many wrecked genni GTs have you come across lately?? I know lets all use a mid 80 Honda column, seems every other no brain built car over here does. Doc.
It is fairly easy to make a steering column collapseable - I did exactly that as an improvement on one of my old cars just a couple months back. I used "factory" DOUBLE "D" shafting and machined grooves in it (just like they origionally had) and then injected DELRIN into it using the wife's Hot Glue gun. Had to preheat the shaft to get the delrin to flow completely around the shaft as the glue gun was kinda slow in heating things up. There are other ways of doing this - I just wanted to duplicate the factory stuff. That gets the center shaft collapseable easily enough.
Hey HemiRambler, that's pretty cool, I was thinking of adding a mesh section like some of the early Holden's had over here, with less than half a seconds thought your way is better! Just one question, what the hells Delrin? The problem over here is it will still have to be passed by an engineer first. Doc
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