Thread: attaching steering column to dash..

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the column is bolted to the floor and the drop is tightend up to the bottom of the dash, but the bottom of the dash is weak and the column does not feel solid. how could I strengthen this area up so there is no movement??

Try one of these. Kurt

http://www.fastpts.com/cgi-bin/hazel...em=frdrop.html

How about running a couple of braces at an angle back to the firewall, or to the side of the car from where the column drop bolts on???

My steel '31 Brookville A has an entire reinforcing framework behind the dash - primarily because of two things: nothing solid to fasten the drop to and to reduce cowl shake which I had seen while following another similar B'ville.

You can see some of the square tubing in this photo - unfortunately, others w/o the wiring are not in Photobucket.

I was going to suggest square tubing as well, but Dave beat me to it. You will notice a big different with the dash braced that way. I had a glass '29 roadster some years ago, and I glassed in a piece of oak inside the dash which followed the contour from side to side, and it anchored to the inside surfaces of the cowl. It really stiffened it up, and I had no problems after that.

ok thanks guys. I hadn't even thought of this being an issue until everything was bolted up. I will see about running a couple pieces of square tubing back to the cowl/firewall area. I want to figure out a way to allow it to detach from the dash so I can still take it out. Maybe weld the rest in..

IC2 - I think I am looking at the picture right, but the top of the picture is the dash area and the bottom is the firewall with the top of the cowl off?

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

ok thanks guys. I hadn't even thought of this being an issue until everything was bolted up. I will see about running a couple pieces of square tubing back to the cowl/firewall area. I want to figure out a way to allow it to detach from the dash so I can still take it out. Maybe weld the rest in..

IC2 - I think I am looking at the picture right, but the top of the picture is the dash area and the bottom is the firewall with the top of the cowl off?

You got it right - my omission. I forget that not everyone knows what the innards of an 'A' dash look like.

My column drop attaches directly to the tubing with brackets and a short aluminum filler piece rather then the flimsy dash steel

Hey Dave, I love the neatness of your wiring. Perley

Originally Posted by oldrodder43

Hey Dave, I love the neatness of your wiring. Perley

Thanks Perley-
With the cowl cover off, it gets real easy to be neat rather then standing on your head and hoping. I've made a bunch of changes and add-ons since that photo and right now - a fishing reel kind of birds nest, but back to cleaning it up this week.

ok I welded a piece of angle iron across the inside of the firewall and ran two pieces of angle iron to the dash where I have two 1" "tabs" of angle iron to bolt the two pieces to. Just that seems to had added quite a bit of strength. I think I still want to add either two pieces angled up from the dash to the firewall or just one in the middle if it clears the speedometer. the angle iron across the firewall doubles as a place to attach the wiring running from the passenger side and maybe a place to mount the computer behind the glove box.

Thanks!

Do you have any photos?

I will post some up eventually. My computer crashed and I am in the process of buying a new one. I'm at work now and don't want to install my camera software here

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

I will post some up eventually. My computer crashed and I am in the process of buying a new one. I'm at work now and don't want to install my camera software here

You shouldn't have to if you have a memory card reader and the work computer has a plug in place (USB cable receptacle) for it. The card reader will appear in 'My Computer' as another drive, open it, then just copy to either 'My Pictures' or 'My Documents'. They do have to be fairly small to put on here though - I take them either on the small setting(email) in my camera (or reduce them with Photoshop or other program that your boss/company wouldn't like and hopefully they don't have an IP guy monitoring your work)

I do not have a memory card reader (never heard of one actually). I have a memory card slot on my laptop but again that's down so that doesn't help I'm not too worried about being monitored, but I think I'll stick to surfing the web as my only crime . I am buying a new laptop this week though so I will post pics this weekend after i finalize my braces.

Originally Posted by 35fordcoupe

I do not have a memory card reader (never heard of one actually). I have a memory card slot on my laptop but again that's down so that doesn't help I'm not too worried about being monitored, but I think I'll stick to surfing the web as my only crime . I am buying a new laptop this week though so I will post pics this weekend after i finalize my braces.

A lot of folks just use the USB cable and software that comes with a camera - but that is (usually) a very slow way to download. A memory card reader (http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=516872) is a good alternative but just one more thing to hook up to a computer. I have a very good San Disc as well as a no-name - and they both work equally well and very fast. I haven't even unwrapped the USB cable for either of my 2 Nikons or my wife's P&S Canon. Whatever works for a person is the best way to go