is a tilt steering column OT?

I found a 60's/70's Olds deep dish steering wheel similar to the one that was in my 32 Chevy 3 window about 40 years ago. It immediately became obvious to me that I'm too fat to slide into my roadster with it in any comfortable configuration. So, I figured a tilt was what I needed. I picked up a column out of a Chevy Monza. Took off the stock wheel changed this, cut off that and the wheel fits. The horn will even work.
It's hard to beat GM's interchangablity.

 

Might have been easier to lose weight. LOL

 

Many moons ago a friend was building a '32 ford 5 window. He mocked everything up, then blew it apart to finesse it. After 3+ years of weekends and evenings subsisting on beer, pizza, subs,etc. he finished the car, it was beautiful..........but he had grown too big to drive it. Sold it and now drives late '50's thru early '70's Cadillacs.. true story.

 

...and healthier.

 

I have a 67 Olds Toronado tilt telo in my roadster. I don't give a damb if any one likes it or not. It sure makes it a pleasure to drive long distance.And helps get my fat as in and out of it.

 

Off topic? Not too sure. Practical? Hell yes. I have a chrome aftermarket tilt in the kripple kart because being quadriplegic and unable to drive myself, I get chauffeured around by three or four people of different shapes and sizes. Also, there aren't too many mid-60s, OEM American tilts lying around in English junkyards.
Paul

 

Tilt on the 32 5 window and yes I need to lost weight. Going to a banjo style and weight watchers.

BC

 

IF you must depend on the opinion of the HAMB for YOUR car...you're on the wrong forum.

I put a tilt and/or tilt/tele in EVERYTHING I own and build...I really don't give a **** what the HAMB collective thinks of it...it's my car and I will build it the way I want it. You should do the same.

AND, I even put in a stereo, A/C and cruise control...

R-

 

I put a tilt in my 53 Chevy because I am vertically challenged and made it much more comfortable to drive. Traditional?... not really, which is the focus of this place. But I'd rather have a car to drive than not want to drive because I had to keep it traditional.

 

i have a GM tilt in both my `36 and `28 tudor , my `28 pickup project has a column patterned after Limeworks

 

Is it out of a pre 64 GM like an Impala or caddy?

I think that I have seen some later '50s or earlier '60s customs with tilt colums and or telescopic colums.

 

My roadster has a tilt column my T had a removable wheel. Both for getting in and out.

 

Thank You!!!!! Big Jim

 

I believe Model Ts offered a sliding wheel, those are pretty bad***.

 

Sometimes your comfort and convenience have to trump everyone Else's concept of what is right and what isn't. Now if you were building the car with the idea of winning the HAMB members perfect representation car of the year award that might be a different story.
As Kripfink so aptly said sometimes the car needs to be adaptable to the people who drive it.

Now if you were using a big honking mid 80's tilt/tel with the built in dimmer switch and key switch that might be another whole can of worms. As much as I like the dimmer on the column those things are big and ugly when they get stuck in an older car.

 

But Rog we don't like any of your cars.

Some of the later tilt colums are just real bulky and homely. I'm still pretty narrow and drive cars with big cabins so it really isn't a problem for me, but if it was about me getting in and out of it and the wheel was in my way I would just try and find something that wan't too obtrusive.

GM Pickups up into the early '80s still had a colum that looked a lot like the older colums. I would think that one of those would be easy to come by and a good candidate.

By my way of thinking if you are not building a car that is period perfect building it to be enjoyable is first and formost.

 

It's OK P n' B... it doesn't bother me a bit...I like 'em and that's all that's important...!!!

OH, BTW, if you want to see my latest '55 Cadillac build, with tilt wheel, stereo and AC (the cruise control isn't in just yet), and the HAMBers that do like it... go here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build

R-

 

Seems like sometimes guys ask questions here just so they can say "Oh yeah, well I don't give a **** what YOU think"

Kinda like your old lady asking "do these pants make my *** look big?" just to start a fight.

Is a tilt wheel traditional? No.

If enough guys here say "it's your car, do what you want" will that make it traditional? No.

Is it OK in your car? You're the only one who can answer that. My daily driver '55 Chevy pickup has A/C, stereo, power steering, etc etc.

I personally wouldn't want a tilt column in an open car... then again if I did I wouldn't ask anyone if they thought it was OK.

 

what gator said.

zombie

 

Amen to that!

 

In the tradition...

 

Mine "tilts" to the side....

 

Damn Rog
Nice car even if we don't like any of your cars.

 

Hmm. I just decided to do a tilt tele out of an olds toronado too for my coupe...not because of being fat, which I am not, but because my short little wife also wants to drive this, so I had to make things work between the seat (for legs) and steering (for arms) to accomodate both of us. I do care about what others think about being traditional and all...I just care MORE about my comfort and drivability, long term, that I do about being 100 percent traditional. Traditional and non-traditional hot rods have their places in this world, in my opinion.

 

It's your car, do what you like. I like tilt columns, I don't care if its period correct or not. If nothing else I like to change the wheel postion to combat the fatigue of sitting in one position for too long. I was very round [read fat] for many years and have had back problems forever. I've lost 80+ pounds [a mere shadow of my former self] but the tilt is still nice for the old back. Tilt away.

 

well said.

 

well said

 

I have a Caddy tilt in my Lincoln.

 

I sure can use in in my 37 Chevy p/u and would consider one if I can find one that would not look too out of place in a 30s truck.

 

The first wide use of tilt columns in p***enger cars was in GM cars in 1963... so if you're building an early '60s style hot rod then a tilt wheel would be traditional AND period correct. Just like the one that's going in my 1964 era deuce build.