So my truck has a late model tilt, with cruise and key in the column. We ground off the ugly stuff and put the key back in the dash. Well its still really ugly. I've read a ton of threads on columns, but I still have a couple questions. I want the reliability of a new column. I don't want tilt, I do still want the auto gear selection on the column though. My end goal is to paint it the off white to match other parts of the dash, so my thinking is a plain steel one would be best. The thing I don't know is if the column I have now been has shortened or modified in any way. If its totally stock length it will be much easier to place an order with whomever I decided to get one from. Im open to any suggestions on places you had good luck with. Here are a couple of pics on the engine side of the fire wall. Let me know what you think on whether its been modified or not.
Just pop the wheel and put a 4" sleeve of some sort over where the switch was. Paint. Done. I'd have more confidence in that than in some new thing you have no idea where it was made. Reliability? I never heard of a steering column wearing out. With exception of junk plastic parts in some of these replacement columns made in China someplace. Don't you buy the aftermarket ones by length, anyhow? As long as you know that I don't see that it makes a difference if yours has been altered.
Doesn't look cut to me. Do you have any pictures of how you shaved the key off? I'm considering doing the same thing. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I already put a sleeve over the offending ground off stuff, the tilt is even covered up. Id prefer a more stock looking appearance vs. the fat column. All the stock wiring to the column is gone. I installed an aftermarket blinker, which works fine, but I just don't like the looks that much. If the column isn't cut I can find out the length easy enough so when I order a new column I just give them the stock length. Im hoping for as close to "bolt in" as I can get. I went on You Tube and found a video on how to remove the locking key assembly. From there I just wired a new key in to the dash. Ground all the bumps off the crappy plastic sleeve, and put a metal sleeve over that. Its actually a tall can that I split and painted semi gloss black. When I put the aftermarket blinker on with a large clamp it holds the can together and the split is at the bottom where you cant see it. Sounds hokey I know, but it actually looks decent since I didn't try to draw attention to it.
My wild suggestion would be to go to a few big car shows, and look at steering columns. I bet you could find a stock column in some 50s-60s car that has the right look, and features, that you want. Then you could see if you could find a good used one to buy, and restore it. You'll end up with the right, old, traditional part, not some modern thing out of a catalog. But I'm kind of weird about steering columns, compared to most guys.
i put a 70's chevy van column in my '57 3100, almost fell in. and i'm putting a stock '56 chevy car column in my model a. both worked/work WELL, parts are easy to find, and the look is right on.
This does give me an idea. I had been kicking around the idea of putting an auto floor shifter in, but I didn't want the expense of the new floor shifter and the new column so that's why I was going to stick with the shift on the column. I do have a couple of 67-72 complete steering columns, non tilt, but three on the tree. I could probably make one of those look nice and then spend the money on a floor shifter.
In my second to latest project (57 suburban) I assembled pieces from a few different 50s Chevy cars and trucks, into a nice column shifter that looks like it belongs. In my latest project <--- I cleaned the shifter off a 56 chevy car column, and made my own automatic floor shifter, in the mid 60s style, with a zig zag gate.
put a Gennie Shifter in the floor and order yourself one of the universal columns from Ididit. not th cheapest but probably the cleanest. several floor shift 60s cars also still had the ignition switch on the dash so there'd be not shift lever or key on column. a column shift from th same era should be even easier to find. mid 60s Riviera columns are nice but usually $$$$$...ken....
All GM cars had the switch on the dash until '68-'69 (depends on body style). It's not hard to find a '60s column, although a tilt will set you back $150 or so unless you can score it in a you-pick yard. Turn signal switches can be an issue in them, old plastic in obsolete parts. I nabbed one out of an early Corvair a while back just because it had a round early style E-brake handle and bracket right on the column, it looks like it belongs in an early car except it has a turn signal switch in it. So far no one else sees what I saw in it, though.
I used an 84 MonteCarlo tilt in the 57. I shaved off the shifter and key kubs and finished and painted it. Un-altered length fits like a glove.
as rusty said corvair columns are pretty simple and have an ebrake built in. they've been used in ho rods a bit. and they are usually fairly cheap.
Lots of good ideas here. Ill have to see if I can find a pic of a Corvair steering column. My truck has a foot brake my buddy put in, and now I'm wondering what this Corvair brake handle looks like, and can it be incorporated to operate my emergency brake. I bet it will be hard to find one around here even if I do like em.
This corvair idea is interesting. I know nothing about it, what about telescoping corvair columns? Sounds rare & expensive, but someone who's seen a bunch of scrap corvair parts cars & used a column in their hot rod, please tell us about it?
Funny I was just thinking easy bolt in, but the more I look at the Corvair units, its kind of interesting. I checked Craigslist and there are several parts for sale ads. Wonder what years they had that hand brake on the column?
Hoffman group is said to sell some Killer parts. Or the worst out there. Do your homework first . -Pat
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