As I work on the 51, I mocked up the interior to make sure everything fits. The factory column is for an automatic and is in decent shape. But with the shift tube on top it messes with my tach mount and will not be used. I do not see an easy way to modify the original column. Do I go with some form of idiotic tilt column or a tilt column at all. Or should I just look for an old school vintage type column and if so out of what. The wheel works for me where it is and will work even better when I put the smaller 3 spoke wheel on it. The key will stay on the dash and the shifter will move to the floor. The picture shows the seat all the way forward. When it is back almost to the stop my arms and legs fit the car perfectly ( at least perfectly comfortable to me).
If everything else is good with that column then why not use it?, you will be able to remove the shift tube from it, whether it be by careful dismantling or cut off wheel!!
are you using the stock suspension and steering? ... I like the original skinny column. we don't know enough about your car to assist.
With the limited information, two schools of thought- disassemble the column, remove the shift tube, and reassemble. Mount the tach elsewhere and abandon the shifter. If going a vintage column, one out of an early C20/30 pickup with a floor shifter would work but would require fabricating a steering shaft coupling or going to a different steering box like a 525.
yup, the shifter and tube will unbolt so you can remove it.... but man those modern seats.... and on the Hamb...
Yeah actually up till this past summer any pics you saw of my 53 with a tach it was actually a 51 column. And I used the holes for original shifter to mount the tach
it seems to me that most people have no problem modifying every conceivable part of a car but when it comes to drilling a couple of small holes in the dash they won't because they think they are ruining it??
Oddly about the only things I use a tach for is checking for vacuum leaks and chipped pistons/broke compression rings and making sure the transmission isn't slipping. That and my car isn't a drag car or pushing big power. Dash mounted just looks out of place in my case
I think the car we're talking about, might end up going down the drag strip. Gotta have the tach in your face to shift at the right time. I did my first dash top tach mount hole drilling when I was 17, so it's old hat by now.
Agree with @squirrel, I see in a previous post this thing is getting a 500cube BBC so not something you want to guess with.
big difference between cutting a big hole in the middle of the dash, and poking two little screw holes on top. I also put different radios in, but I hang them under the dash instead of cutting a hole. Even when I was a kid.
I like the skinny tube as well. I will disassemble the current column and see how that works. The head rests might come off the seats to give a more nostalgic appearance but the back and lumbar support of the modern seats make driving so much more bearable for a guy with disability due to a back injury. There aren’t a lot of pre 65 options out there that can compare. I have early Ford buckets in my OT classic Bronco and they do nothing for support. And Jim is correct the car will go down the track. The tach is on the floor in the picture. I thought about getting another clock pod and putting electric fuel pressure and boost in the pods and the tach between them. Going down the track I doubt I will be reading the tach. Mostly I’ll just be looking for the shift light. I skipped over the front suspension question as I am revisiting that question. I have a full OT power steering kit for it and I have a guy from the local corvette club that is researching some questions about the original suspension system for me. In my opinion it will have to have power steering and disc brakes in the final version. It will also need to sit a little lower than stock without cutting coils. The front end needs to be able to absorb the front settling after launching. And most importantly the engine needs to clear it and all modifications to do so have to pass tech.
Put skinny tires up front, and a full size steering wheel, and there should not be any need for power steering, unless you're really disabled. Disc brakes...sure....I have them on my 62 Vette with the same suspension. If you can shift with a light, then you don't need the tach where you can see it, I guess. I've tried a shift light, but don't work for me, I need to see the needle on the tach getting close to the shift point, then I shift.
Your opinion is why I'm rethinking the front suspension. My disability is a lower back injury so mostly twisting and bending bothers it. Sitting removes any impact absorption from the joints (hips, knees, ect..) and transfers it all to the compressed disks. That is why I need a seat with some decent suspension and support. A few hours on the lake with a go fast boat and I hobble for days. I refuse to allow it to stop me from doing the things I enjoy (running being the exception) and have an industrial sized drum of Sukitup that gets me there. And yes, I am very aware of lights as a result of flying. When lights come one, we might be coming down if flying. But up on the dash might work as I can't see through the blower anyways.
Also another side note the column is part of the steering box. So if you're changing the steering box you'll end up either changing the column or cutting the column off and modifying it to connect to a u joint
no, it's mounted to a bracket that is attached to the dash with a few self tapping screws. The old Jones-Motrola tachs are interesting...
I think I will have to move the steering box to clear the engine and exhaust. If so I will need something with joints and possibly a rag joint. Speedway has a 2 inch column with just tilt and turn for a reasonable price. Then any co-driver would be somewhat able to be comfortable also. I put it on the dash to see how it looks. Definitely won’t see the carbs with the monster tach. So I would have to bring the gauges inside for boost and fuel pressure. If I put a second pod just to the left of the tach it will still look balanced. Or maybe just boost inside as I’d rather have a mechanical fuel pressure gauge. 8500 is the most I plan to spin it so this should be close to the orientation.
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