Thread: Steering column drop question

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On many cars I see that builders use a peice of 1" square tubing that spans from cowl side to cowl side, behind the dash to hang the steering column drop from. Sometimes this is called a "smile" bar because it is often bent into the smile shape of a 32 dash to follow the bottom contours of the dash, thus clearing the back side of any instruments mounted in the dash.------------Now, I am going to make the assumption that the majority of these cars where I see this done are fiberglass bodies or fiberglass dashes, which need the structural integrity of a steel tube as mentioned above. I am running an all steel body with a steel dash, securely bolted in place.---------------I think that I can safely hang my column drop right off the flange on the underside of my steel dash. I would welcome any informed opinions on this.

A lot depends on whether your dash's lower rail is reinforced or not.
If I remember right you have a Brookville 32 dash as do I.

The Brookville 32 dash has another layer of sheet metal - same gage as the dash metal far as I can tell - on the bottom rail.
To my way of thinking that's not enough reinforcement to keep the bottom rail of the dash from flexing during steering inputs at low speed.
Enough flexing and the dash rail will break.

I don't know if you've owned a roadster before, but all of them, the ones with doors anyway, have 'cowl shake.'

Cowl shake is the bit where the cowl goes from side to side when you hit the right bump or series of bumps.
It happens cuz the roadster cowls are supported only at the bottom.
Glass or steel makes no difference and the amount of shake is about the same.

A lot of rod builders run a mini roll bar up under the dash.
It follows along the inside edge of the cowls vertical legs and sweeps up and over duplicatiing - most times - the underside curve of the cowl.
This mini roll bar is right up next to the firewall as well and usually has tabs welded on so you can bolt it to the firewall.
Hanging the steering column on this or triangulating a piece that runs the column support back under the dash rail works well.

As does the - usually - 1" square tube that spans the cockpit right behind the dash. Especially when you tie the 1" square tube cross-bar to the mini roll bar.

The mini roll bar makes for a very solid car, one with no shake, rattle and roll....

Yes, I have had a roadster before, a 27 glass unit, channeled 6" over a homebuilt frame. I never encountered the dreaded "cowl shake". but maybe that was because of the 3/4" plywood firewall that was glassed in from both sides. On this current ride, I welded the firewall, cowl top, and cowl sides into a "composite unit" Which seems very strong, however I will take the advise offered and put in a 1" square tube "smile" bar, to help reinforce the cowl and hang the steering column from. It's not only the steering forces input to the dash at low speeds which concerns me, Its the yank on the steering wheel to hoist my big old carcass out of the bucket seat while exiting the dang car.

You'll find the cross bar handy to hang other things on.
I have an under-dash instrument panel, turn signal/horn button panel and small choke bracket on mine.
As well as the column hanger and some switches that are hung behind the cross bar.
Nice place for a couple of ground terminals as well - fiberglass especially and it doesn't hurt for the steel car.

Next things to hang from it will be a radio box similar to the one Dan Fink builds and a small open face glove box big enough for glasses, gloves and a few other small things.