Steering from the center of your ride?

I have been thinking of puting the steering colum in the center of my 49 AD truck... Has anyone have a any pics of this being done on any ride? I have some decent ideas of how to pull this off... might post up some ideas soon and see what the feedback is.

Post pics of this being done if you have any, Thx.

Memo

 

I call shotgun... oh wait.. nevermind

 

LOL to do something different I guess... originally I was going to smooth out the dash... then where to put the gauges, but I am a little OCD and like thing to be symmetrical... sooo I would like my gauges to be in the middle, but to have the gauges in the middle and me off to the side would annoying... so I thought... why not drive from the center??? You can say why??? But I’m asking why not??? LOL

Memo<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

LMAO!!! Yea I thought about having to drive alone... but thought if the center chair was slender enough... mayyyyybeeeeeeee I could fit two slim chairs on either side for passengers (making getting in the truck with a full 3 passengers interesting LMAO)

 

Thousands of them. I think you can check them out in the pits of most any drag strip.

 

What? Are you still drinking from last night?

 

This is nuts...but since it's not my truck I'd like to see it! You would definitely have to use a steering column offset, there's no room directly behind the engine. Something like this?

http://www.posiesrodsandcustoms.com/super_slide_springs/featured_products/offset-steering-box/

 

I'm thinking maybe because we have a Kustom guy here. Cool if you could pull it off.
Paul

 

Find an old narrow cab steel delivery truck, you know the ones that ran materials on either side of the door area.

 

Boy howdy you think you have a blind spot now! That would be creating two big blind spots to deal with.

A lot of the 20's and 30's cars ran the gauges in the center of the dash with the driver glancing off to the middle of the dash to check them without big issues. That would just be a quick adjustment for most guys. Trying to see if that low slung Honda civic was trying to sneek past on either side when you can't get a good view out of the mirrors before changing lanes means crunch time.

 

just a thought, I mean I know we're talking about slightly different application here but&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;
I got these two extra slim shot gun seats from a disabled vehicle specialist and had them re-upholstered, and they still leave plenty of room for a fat bastard in a wheelchair between them, if you use something like them as passenger seats in the front there would still be room for the seat of your choice in between them. Like I said, just a thought.
Paul

 

Have to get yerself one of them "no fat chicks" (no orca betties?) bumper stickers

 

Yes something like that... thought the one I saw that inspired the idea was a pic posted here on the HAMB... A little hard to explain, it was a model T the column went out to the engine compartment and had what looked like a timing chain/bicycle chain with large gears attached to the rod that actually goes to the steering box with about 10-12 inches of offset... I know I didn't do it justice how I explained it but I would do in inside the cab and cover it most likely... <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

Kripfink:

Yes, something like but more stylish and maybe contoured into the center chair

I'm an Army guy so I got to stay small (in shape) so I don't have to worry about having the middle chair take up all the room LOL

Mr48chev:

Yea I get what your saying and I didn't even think about that... but I have the 5 window AD so im thinking it wont be too bad??? as for the intruments... I was going to just glance over and keep the drivers seat in it's traditional location but was just tossing around some ideas in my head of what to do... different

 

You'll need something like this: Street Ratio Worm & Sector Steering Gear

 

I don't think this would be very HAMB friendly.

 

cali707sf wrote, "...I am a little OCD and like things to be symmetrical... sooo I would like my gauges to be in the middle, but to have the gauges in the middle and me off to the side would annoying... so I thought... why not drive from the center???"

How about two steering wheels and sets of gauges? You should also provide identical clothing and hats so people can look symmetrical with you when they ride. Or maybe it would be easier for you to dress like your wife. You may not be able to take pets out, unless you own a monkey or a bulldog.

<O</OJust some friendly ribbing! I had actually thought about doing this in my T-bucket. I thought, maybe then I could squeeze my wife and daughter in there with me. I'm building it with the rear axle under my knees, like in a front engine dragster, so it kind of makes sense in my peculiar situation.


I think the benefit of having everything symmetrical would be soon forgotten by the all the other disadvantages, in your application. I wouldn't want to have to explain it over and over to people who would just shake their head and think you're nuts.<O</O
<O</O


Besides that, your body would be slightly twisted in order to reach the pedals and the steering wheel. That makes your back hurt very badly after a while. I used to have the habit of resting my arm on the back of the bench seat in my F150. It took me a long time to figure out what was causing my backaches. When I stopped doing that, they went away after a couple of months. When I started doing it again, they came back.<O</O<O</O

 

Then you could drive it on either side of the pond.

 

If you spot twins that are really hot but a bit on the chunky side don't bother to try and pick them up.

 

Because you can doesn't mean you should. Safety is a valid issue.

 

Lmfao I love the comments in this thread