Technical Question on Corvair steering box with long input shaft

I've been looking for a Corvair steering box for my 38 Ford, and after looking at nearly 30 - 40 Corvairs at a local pick and pull, I finally found one that just came in.

This particular box has a really long one piece input shaft and not the short, splined shaft that I've seen in pictures.

I did a quick search on eBay last night, and the ones with the long shaft bring a lot more money for some reason.

Can this one be cut, ground, splined, etc. close to the box or should I sell it to someone that needs it for a restore and hold out for one with the short, splined shaft?

It looks like an extension has been brazed on from the factory.

Thanks for your input.

 

Another pic with the brazed area in question.

 

There are 4 different Corvair boxes. The 60-63 are the Short Stubby and late 65-66 are the longer Stubby shaft with full splines. The 64 have a Long 49" shaft. The early 65 have a long 47 1/2" shaft. The 67-69 went back to the stubby, but with a flat instead of a spline.
What you are thinking is brazing is wear from the bronze column bushing that has transferred onto the shaft. The shaft was one piece.

 

Thanks but that's not the case here.

The shaft is only 15" long and has a coupler at the end that attached to the steering column.

The copper area shown had nothing around it from the factory such as a bushing. It was exposed as shown when I removed the steering box from the car.

In any case, it looks like I'll be cutting it off and grinding a double D on to it.

Just need to find an intermediate shaft like shown in this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/steering-u-joint.439476/

 

Sorry, I left out a little bit on the late 65-66 box. It is called a short shaft (but not like the "Stubby") and should be about 19" overall length.
My Corvair restoration buddy says None of the shafts were ever factory brazed (or welded for that matter) it would be way too weak. That material on that shaft is most likely from the bushing in the box having worked it's way out at some point over the years. He has a seen a few like that

 

I have an old early 60's built Model A with fenders and want to keep the drag link type steering, (steering box missing) can a guy take a Corvair box like the one in the pic and mount it to the bottom of the frame, the box would be up side down with the steering arm now located just outside the left side of the frame, when mounted in such a manner, when you turn the steering wheel to the left will the steering arm push forward to shove the wheel to the left.
On my last Model A, I used a Mustang box mounted in this same fashion.

 

Yes. I had to reverse it for arm down so arm up would be OK as is but you would need to cut out the wide spline on the arm so you could remount it 180 degrees out, and you can't just cut a double d on the input as it is only 5/8" and I don't know anyone making a universal for that. I used an ag coupling and ground a notch for the clinch bolt and welded it too. I know not the best but it's a 4 cyl. Bantam with 165/80 tires so no strain.

 

Two showed up in a yard here that were supposed to be '69s and both had that box with the long shaft. I only got one, but it sold easy enough.

Later a '64 showed up and I took the whole works out of it, cut it off and that box sold in a hurry too. I took the column because I thought it would sell also - it has an old-style, rounded E-brake handle setup right on it, that would be perfect in an A or other early car where space is at a premium, without looking out of place. Guess I'm the only one who sees it that way.

But yes, just lop it off where you want and grind it for a double-D and forget about it.