In the latest SR issue, someone took them to task about cutting a stock 56 Ford passenger car column & mating it to a newer steering box. SR used a rag coupler as I remember. The reader responding inquired about how to get the horn to function as most Fords (through 1958) had a hollow steering shaft that the horn wire traveled through, then out of the bottom of the steering box. SR suggested to the reader to go with the 59 column. To say I was dissapointed at this response is an gross understatement. We are courrently building a 40's era MoPar that has the same issue, hollow steering shaft. We hooked it to a power rack with a Steer Clear between the wheel & the rack. The stock column & steering wheel will stay. I won't settle for a button on the dash or floor (get real). What options are out there for issues like this? I want to use the OEM horn ring. For the life of me I can't believe I'm the only one that's had this problem.
Look at a 66 Plymouth Fury as an example. It uses a funny sort of coiled spring/wire to make continuity across the rag joint.
On some older ('40s) cars, there was a neat system for just that. It consisted of a 3/8" diameter insulated sleeve that was installed in the mast jacket (steering column) just below the dash. There was a copper 'brush' (like a generator brush, only round to telescope in the plastic-lined sleeve) The brush rode on the steering mast (shaft) so it had constant contact with the horn base. Push the horn ring and the wire from the brush grounds the horn relay. Was it a '40s Chev with this setup? Memory fails me, but it was something GM...
Seriously?? Why are you mad at street rodder because you can't figure it out? It wasn't even your question and you feel they robbed you of the answer. Anyways, it't not that hard. A brass or copper sleeve with a plastic insulator goes around the shaft and the wire from your horn button solders to that. You will have to drill a hole in the shaft for the wire to come out of. Then a spring loaded contact that bolts to the mast jacket makes contact with the your copper sleeve and hook your wire to that. A lot of early cars were done that way stock....Cadillacs for sure. This also how Limeworks does their columns....if you ask real nice they may sell you the parts to use on your column. There are some threads somewhere here where guys had made their own columns and used a similar solution. it might show up in a search.
Could do something like an airbag clockspring arrangement, there might be a clockspring assy that'd fit over the shaft or wrap 8-12 turns of teflon-jacket aircraft wire loosely enough to allow the shaft to turn 4 turns each way w/o binding or snagging.
don't know if this will help but HERE is a link to an E type jag horn setup, look at pic's 3 and 4, maybe you can wiggle this in there?
You could check out the way the Military Jeeps did this.....they drill thru the shaft just past the dash and bring the wire out and solder it to a brass contact ring mounted on an insulating sleeve that wraps around the inner shaft. Then they use a spring loaded contact in a screw in plate that fits onto the outside of the column jacket ,this contact rubs against the brass ring and has a terminal on the outside that you just connect your horn wire to.....sounds complicated but isn't. The Jeep part is readily available as a repro item..... I've used this setup a few times on early Fords when I've updated the steering box , works fine and is neat into the bargain......regards, Col.
Many cars used this, it does not replace the wire-thru-hollow-steering-shaft. It just ensures the shaft is grounded. There is a moving contact at the turn signal switch, which carries the horn button signal to the horn relay.
Drill a hole half way down your original shaft or in a preferred location so it’s under the dash and run the wire out the side. Machine a brass ring and an insulator that fits firmly over your shaft and solder the wire to the brass ring. Drill a ½ to ¾ inch hole in your column housing right where the brass ring will be. Fabricate a electric motor brush holder and attach it to the column housing with an insulator. The electric brush should ride on the brass ring and have some pressure on it so it rubs the brass ring when you turn the wheel. From your brush holder continue the wire to your horn relay or whatever you have operating the horn.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7564189 HAMB tech is waaaay better then SR ads....
see; the problem was, that SR couldn't find an ad from a vendor to fill the opposite page of the article..... like they (ALL OF THEM) do. most of the magazine is a damn catalog of ready-made shit with a few pictures thrown in to amuse the kiddies. that's why i love it here.... no popups, no ads, no viagra commercials.
Yeah, SR is getting to be like reading a catalog instead of a magazine. I think 75% or more of the print space is just paid ads...the magazine ought to be free if that many vendors pay for ad space.
Agreed, I droped S/R a couple of years ago, Too many Hoffman group adds and no real world tech. Normal Norman
If you count what it costs to mail it, it basically is. I'm satisfied with my subscription. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Period.
dontlift to shift nailed it--done alot of 40 ford columns to late boxes -if using the stock hollow shaft--I go out the bottom back up thru the u joint and attach to the insulated copper sleeve on the shaft--then a spring loaded pickup to that to the horn relay -sometimes use a 55-57 chevy shaft and a 57-64 top bearing with the insulated brass ring on top that has a horn wire attached-take the attached wire out the column right behind the column drop to horn relay--drill wheel for chevy spring plunger setup and hook to stock ford horn button--sometimes have to put a small screw in backside of horn button plate to make contact with end of shaft hope this helps
<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5; COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1> <!-- / icon and title -->A couple of points to make: in ref to Mammy Jammer & 5 window, I don't purchase many mags, I chose to subscribe knowing full well I may not always agree with their editorial content, but I am always willing to hear the other side. The ones I cannot relate to (i.e. truck, cylcles, lowriders, tuners, exotics), I leave for the next guy. Life is about choices. I am a long time SR subscriber (before McMullens divorce [you do the math]) and have found much to take in with every issue. In this particular case, thier article failed to address an important detail (imho) that I am faced with. Another reader caught it & (in this month's issue) took them to task. Given how often this type of mod takes place, the answer could have been a whole lot better, but it wasn't. From a personal perspective, a couple of years ago, I purchased a used interior rear view mirror that had both the turn signals & shift pattern buried beneath the glass in LEDs. ( http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=266859 ) I emailed a photo to the editor of SR (B.B.) asking for further info on this item & how to wire it. His response (imo) was curt and almost abrupt/belligerent. He had no idea. Eight months of research later, I found out the manufacturer was one of SR's advertisers (I still have the issue). I have my own opinion of the higher level staff of SR, but I don't subscribe to the magazine for it's people skills/lack thereof. Just my $0.02 1/2 Fast Eddie
I use the column from 47-54 chevy and gmc pickup trucks. Its already there and the parts are readily available. Go look at one and you will see what I mean. Usually people take them out and thow the whole thing away since it is attached to the manual steering box.
Oh and machining around .100 off opposite sides on the lower shaft fits exactly and safely to a double d shaft style dot approved ujoint. Easy
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