Took the 25 to my buddy Merlin's shop and had him put cowl steering in it for me. We used a 56 Ford steering box and made a square tubing frame that will bolt to the frame so we can still remove the body. I hope this turns out to be a decent lookiing truck after all this work....
Lord I hope there's more bracing than what shows in your pics. That is gonna twist outta there the first corner you take. I'm currently building a cut off 26 touring with cowl steering, and the hoops and bracing under the cowl weigh more than the rest of the body. Maybe I'm Mr. Overkill?
I was thinking the same thing. I also don't care much for the quality of the welding I can see. I'd like to see the pics of what you have done for your 26 touring with cowl steering, I'm just starting the cowl steering on my 26 rpu (which is also a cut down touring body). I'm using a mopar box.
I would seriously rethink the design of your steering box mounts and bracing overall. Too many reasons.... Seek the advice of a reputable race / dirt track / oval / or similar ... meaning "professional" ch***is builder. Worth your time to save your life and some one else's. Good luck.
I'm sure his intentions were good but Merlin hasn't done you any favors there. A cowl steering box needs substantial mounting/bracing and good welds. I went with a double loop, heavy-wall tubing, tied into the frame, and good welds.
That thing is just scarey looking. Glad your in Texas so Im not likely to be on the same road with you.
I used 1 inch by 3/16 angle for the hoops, welded to 1/4 inch plates on the tops of the subrails. The hoops were bent, not piecut and welded so as to hopefully retain their full strength. The bottom plates will have solid spacers under them, and bolts through them holding the whole cowl down to the frame. The hoops are welded into the original side braces in the T's cowl, and connected across the front by a leg of 1 inch tubing. The steering box mounts to a 3/8 inch plate welded to the front hoop and the back hoop. Might need some more trianglated braces in the sides to be absolutely sure there will be no racking, but they would be hidden behind the kick panel. I will be lengthening the sector shaft a few inches (cut, splice, weld an extra shaft end to this one) and will create a pillow block w/oilite bushing that will be just inside the skin of the cowl. I have a nice long pitman arm that looks like an old Ford forged piece. Steering box is a reversed '70 Mustang (don't tell anybody about this latemodel part).
Hey 94 HOGHEAD, I have to agree with what the guys have said but don't give up. You can change this and set it up H/D and it will last forever and best of all no dead bodies along the way. Good luck rb79 (ps, be ware, Merlin may be trying to kill you so he can move in on your lady)
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