Thread: 32 ford steering column

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i would like some advice as to how and where to mount a steering column in a 32 roadster. also, whose column should i use? approximately how long should it be?

I can give you a phone number of a guy that may help 618-664-2005. Ask for John.

Insufficient information. It's going to depend on what type of steering you're using, what style of car you're building (smoothie, retro, bare bones, deluxe), and what you like.

erice thanks for the phone #

bob the car is 110" wheelbase, pinched nose, smoothie, with a heidts open wheel front end with rack and pinion steering
thanks for any help you can give me

Okay, that helps. If you're to keep on theme, then you'll want a smooth looking column and column drop (depending on how you configure your dash. While factory takeouts are popular with some guys, they tend to look kind of clunky in a small cabined coupe like yours, especially the ones with a hurking ignition switch hanging off the side. I personally like the '67 GM midsize (Chevelle, Cutlass, etc.) tilt columns. If a floor shift model isn't available, I take a column shift version and cut off the shifter lump and mold it smooth. My main motivation is the nicely shaped "bowl" under the wheel. It's smooth enough, but with enough heft, that it looks "right" in anything but a heavy traditional application. Unfortunately you compete with the muscle boys for these, so they've gotten pretty hard to find at a decent price anymore. Flamining river makes a repop of the shape, but so far I've only seen it with the shifter. Regardless, it's worth looking at the offerings from:
Flaming River www.flamingriver.com
Borgeson/Mullin www.borgeson.com
ididit www.ididit.com
You may see something there that suits your tastes for style, features, and material.

One way to mock up for length is to use a broomstick and either your choice of steering wheel, or one of similar configuration as concerns diameter and dish. Affix the wheel to the end of the stick and work out where it's comfortable for you as to rake, and distance from the door, dash, seat, knees, foot room, etc. Try to place it in the most comfortable position without thinking you can make up for mistakes with the tilt mechanism. This will give you how much of a column drop you need, where to cut the hole through the floor/firewall, and length. When you look at the sites you'll see the standard lengths available. With a rack and pinion, you can go a little longer than the other options, so you may be able to go with the 36", but check. It would be good to have a helper. As an early in the process alternative to the broom handle, especially for header clearance, I use a long 1/4" dowel so I don't have to drill as large a hole in the floor, so in the event I'm a little off on the first location I'm still withing the size of the final location hole if I have to move it a bit. Others may have an "easier" method, but this works for a "visual" guy like me.

Figuring the intermediate shaft length works similarly with a 5/8" dowel. Mock that up between the actual u-joints on the rack and bottom of the column. I like to plan for cutting off splined material from the shaft ends so that once installed there is more smooth shaft showing, and less splined area. Of course if you use a double D shaft that's not an issue.

thanks bob i'm looking at using a flaming river stainless tilt column
and their drop

If using a tilt column get one 31" long, and a 6" column drop. Note that the column can be shortened without too much difficulty, but if you order it too short, you're pooched---you can't stretch them suckers. It also is a big help if you have your engine and exhaust manifolds or headers in place, because this will determine at what height off the floor your column exits thru the firewall. As a rule of thumb, the column should extend 1 1/2" to 3" thru the firewall into the engine compartment. I just went thru all this about 7 or 8 months ago with the roadster pickup.

I'm struggling with steering column mounting also. My frame is pinched with the cross member moved 2" forward, using a vega steering box. I can't seem to clear the block hugger header ( using Hedman Shorty and sbc) without offsetting the steering column to the driver side. I'm trying to avoid using a third u-joint, as all roadsters I've seen don't have them. To say it's tight is an understatment. Any suggestions?

Yep---run a third u-joint. There is no other way with a vega box unless you run the Limefire lakester style headers, where the primarys run out horizontally from the exhaust flanges about 9" and then tie into a set of tapered zoomies.

Thanks brianrupnow. I'm trying to do this Hope the picture turns out

Originally posted by eds1932rod
Thanks brianrupnow. I'm trying to do this Hope the picture turns out

You can do a single shaft with a stock dimension '32 frame, but since yours is pinched you're stuck with a setup like brian showed unless you kick the column way too far to the left (not recommended).

Do you have the body on the frame?---I don't think that you can do what you are showing and still have room between the steering column and the left side of the cowl to get your foot in there. It is conceivable that you could run the column on a steep enough angle that the column would pass below your rear header tube, but since I don't know where your engine is mounted heightwise, thats only a "maybe".

I've done two of them that visually match the picture with single intermediate shaft. 2 1/2" dia. column, left 3 3/4" from the side of the column to the kick panel. 3/8" clearance to the header flange. Tight but doable. But again, that's on a stock width frame with a Vega box. You're really going to have to mock it up to proof it.

Gypsy. I also am planning a column mount. Hope you don't mind me asking a question. Is the column usually located in the same location left to right that the original column was? And what size steering wheel should I use? The reason that I am asking is that I have the original firewall that still has the column hole slot in it. This will be a full fendered car with rack and pinion steering.