Technical Steering Column Question 1939 Pickup

Hey folks, I am working on my 1939 Ford Pickup Truck. The truck came with what I believe is a 1940 steering box/column and an older banjo steering wheel as shown in the pictures. I would like to keep this setup, but there is a substantial gap between the top of the steering column tube and the steering wheel hub. Is there a part available that can go in between the two?

 

The tube is too short for the shaft. Either somebody cut some off the bottom of the tube, or you have some different year parts mixed up together. Does the assembly bolt up at the frame and dashboard correctly? You could weld a bit more tube to the bottom of that one, but the locking hole in the tube might be in the wrong place then. Or maybe it’s in the wrong place now.

 

Same steering box up thru 48, and I think the later ones have a little longer shaft like yours. So, could be a later box on your 39 tube. Follow the advise above, or make a new tube from exhaust tubing.

 

If the box needs rebuild anyway, you could shorten the shaft while its apart.

 

Thanks for the quick replies alchemy and rusty valley! The column fits fine to the frame but I haven't checked yet to see how it fits underneath the dash. I believe the tube may be the wrong one for that particular steering box. I think if a get a tube from a 40-48 column (without column shift) my puzzle may be solved. At least the ones I have seen online have a much bigger bell at the end of the tube to hopefully match closely to the steering wheel hub diameter , like in the picture below.

 

Like @alchemy said & or
Add to tube or take away from
Main shaft lower down in tube,
Cut & sleeve , or tapper
Main shaft if you cut there , then tig ,mig , stick

 

I'd put this off 'til you can mock it up enough to sit in it. Then you can decide if you like the wheel where it is and get a longer tube, or would prefer it further down and shorten the shaft.

 

^^^ yup. x2

 

Thanks for all the replies & I will heed all that good advice!

 

Like other said above ,
Mock up ,
Column
Seat
Pedals
Shifter ,,

 

Your banjo wheel doesn’t use the bigger 40 pickup bell in your second set of pictures. The banjo wheel needs the column housing you have, just a little longer.

You can see if the tube has been cut if it doesn’t have a slot and small hole at the lower end.