Technical '59 Mercury steering wheel on 1941-48 Ford column

I've been doing some research but can't seem to find what I'm looking for. I have a '59 Merc wheel in nice shape I picked up with 3 other '50s-60s steering wheels for $40 at a yard sale recently, it was a tremendously awesome deal. I see tech articles for making a '40 Ford wheel work on a later GM column, but nothing on using a later 50s wheel on an early column. I'd like to use the '59 in my '48 Ford Deluxe. Needless to say, it's a fairly traditional-ish mild kustom/hot rod build. I'm still running the flatty with the 3 on the tree. I have two questions:

1.) What's the easiest way to go about making the '59 wheel work on my '48 column? I have both wheels side by side, I understand the '48 (and earlier) Fords have the key way. I have a spare '46-48 wheel in rough shape with a solid center - should I machine the '59 to match or have the center of the spare welded in my '59? I don't have a '59 steering shaft or column.

2.) Has anyone shortened the column but retained the column shift? I want to KEEP the 3 on the tree...

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

Bump

 

I’ve shortened auto columns and kept the auto shifter.
The shift collar was shortened the same amount

why not on a 3 speed

 

I put a Lincoln wheel on my shoebox and it wasn’t that hard but you need some fabrication skills. I had both columns so it was really easy for me to do. The Lincoln was a keyed wheel and the factory ford was splined, so all I did was cut off a 4” section of each column shaft and then welded the Lincoln keyed shaft to the shoebox. Make sure to bevel it before welding and clean it up with a flapper wheel.