Steering Column change for plymouth (1954)

[GMAS54]

Has anyone changed out their original steering column to a tilt to exisiting front suspension to eliminate the steering box ?    

[knuckleharley]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand this question?

[Sniper]

No, I just thought it was my mind going.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I believe I know what he is asking but failed to express well....but as it is my guess/interpretation.....I will remain silent till there are facts in evidence....

[Los_Control]

Made perfect sense to me .... now I question my mind going 

 

Original steering box is wore out, the original column is a spear to penetrate your chest in a crash.

So for safety we need to install a new box while cutting/welding a modern tilt column to the box.

easy peasy .... maybe I should go sit in my corner now.

[Andydodge]

Los.........you can't sit in the corner as I am normally there............lol...............andyd

[GMAS54]

Made sense to me...guess I look at things a little differntly then some of you. Was just curious if anyone put in like a Idid-it steering column to eliminate the old steering box and what they did to make it work.  

Was just asking for some information which I thought this forum was all about.....didn't expect to get smart ass remarks from Mopar guys..... A little disappointed.....  

[Plymouthy Adams]

the column is separate from any upgrade to sector replacement.....you did not state your intent here....R&P or other modern/quicker ratio sector....you got the answer per your supplied info.....but for a bit more tailoring, you need to supply what you true goal is as far as setup...there are limited items for the old Mopars.....buy and bolt stuff is very limited.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Sniper]

1 hour ago, GMAS54 said:

Made sense to me...guess I look at things a little differntly then some of you. Was just curious if anyone put in like a Idid-it steering column to eliminate the old steering box and what they did to make it work.  

Was just asking for some information which I thought this forum was all about.....didn't expect to get smart ass remarks from Mopar guys..... A little disappointed.....  

 

An Ididit column won't eliminate a steering box.  It is nothing more than a column.  Can you use an Ididit column in conjunction with a different steering box?  Yes, but you can also use the stock column, a junkyard column, etc.  There are more than a few threads on this site about changing out the steering box for something more modern, use the search function, it's located in the upper right corner.

 

Your post was poorly written and conveyed confusion, nothing smart assed was written in response but if that's how you interpreted it then maybe it's time to find a less smart assed, in your opinion, group of people to decipher your esoterica.  Words mean things and in the case of this forum words are the primary method of communication.  Learn to use them, coherently.

[knuckleharley]

12 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Made perfect sense to me .... now I question my mind going 

 

Original steering box is wore out, the original column is a spear to penetrate your chest in a crash.

So for safety we need to install a new box while cutting/welding a modern tilt column to the box.

easy peasy .... maybe I should go sit in my corner now.

Ok,that makes sense.

 

Probably the EASIEST solution is to have your steering box rebuilt,or buy a rebuilt one. 

Then go to a junkyard and pick out a collapasble steering column of your choice,and mate the two.

 

[P15-D24]

Please keep it civil in the replies. 

[Los_Control]

@GMAS54 Let me be the first to apologize.  While I was just guessing at what you wanted ... I also thought your post was not very descriptive.

I gave it a effort to make sense of what you wanted ... often that way a person has a chance to come back and be a bit more descriptive, add more info ... like you did.

 

I assure you nobody here was trolling you or trying to be a smart ass ... Many of us have been here for years, I am a noob at 5 or 6 years.

We are kinda like family & friends ... We rib each other and poke fun ... everyone here wants to help. Sometimes we just need more info.

Starting a conversation actually keeps your post up to the top and lets you reply. Trolls would not last long on this forum.

 

Funny side note, I was banned from a popular forum last week. Wont name names. In a post the trolls started to come out and I laughed and joked with them ... then they started talking about my wife. I take that straight to pm. I guarantee you I am not a easy victim to trolls.

So I was banned and the trolls are still there ... I am happy because trolls make me miserable.

 

There is no trolls here, and if they show up they will not last long.

[Andydodge]

GMAS54....I also apologise if my remark was intemperate.........as for updateing the steering column in your car I have had my 1940 Dodge since 1971 and its had a 318 poly since 1973 and an Oz late 1960's Valiant steering column since the mid 70's....see attached pic........I have also installed a late model Oz Holden steering box in both a fully restored 1934 DR Dodge 7 Passenger Sedan for the owner and also another late Oz Holden steering box in a 1940 Dodge I was building for myself.......both these cars used the original mopar mounting points which whilst RHD would be exactly the opposite side in your car, ie LHD and the steering boxes used were very similar to those used in mid 60's Chev Novas, Camaro's and Chevelles...ie they are separate boxes that are not permenantly attached to the steering column...........the use of either a steering column uni joint  or steering column vibration isolator joine such as those made by Borgeson or Ididit would help...........if you intend to use the original steering column then you will have to install a bearing at the cutoff lower end of the column and also fabricate a strong bracket to hold the column in place which will also require you to reinforce the lower firewall area............the linkages from the original steering column shift mechanism will more than likely need modification to accommodate the shortened column............none of this is difficult but it does require a reasonable ability to fabricate things as unfortunately as far as I am aware there is NO kit for our mopars............the 1st pic shows the column........the concertinered chromed upper piece and the indicator section and chromed tapered cover are all standard Valiant, probably the same as that used in LHD USA cars.......the shinney tube is actually a piece of 2.25(?) diameter alloy tube cut to fit into the Valiant indicator block........the tube was cut to overall length and a sealed bearing installed in the end with an I.D. to suit the steering shaft which was attached inside the tube to the shortened Valiant shaft........the steering shaft goes direct to an Oz GM uni joint that attaches directly onto a 9" narrowed Austin 1800 rack & pinion as seen in pic # 2 ..........pic # 3 taken a while ago shows the bracketry holding the column...............I hope this helps somewhat....................regards from Oz............Andy Douglas  

[GMAS54]

Thanks for yout reply Andydodge....all of it makes sence...I will reach out to a guy here in MN that specializes in building rods and customs to get some help.

Again, thanks. 

[Andydodge]

GMA........hope this has helped, also when I had a 57 Pontiac Sedan Delivery, a very rare Canadian only car, but using a 57 Chev frame & body shell with Poncho front & rear clips I intended to hotrod it and obtained a few Chev aftermarket catalogs and in the Danchuck(?) catalog they had a range of steering box kits that used various later model and aftermarket steering boxes all of which were stand alone steering boxes with various bracketry that could well be adapted to our mopars.........the column change would be the main issue but its not impossible......an alternative would be to install the late steering box, then also a T5 floor changed overdrive and a Ididit style column for which a range of Frod/Chev style 40's/50's style steering wheels are available or maybe adapt the original Mopar wheel.........nothings impossible just you may need to think outside of the box ................as an example my car uses the 1962 Oz mopar 318 Poly and cast iron push button Torqueflite trans.......I wanted a floor shift.....so obtained a late 60's Valiant console and noticed the way its shifter traveled thru an arc under the console........I found a company that made cables, had one half the length made and then measured the "throw" and arc that the shifter travelled in and made a bracket and quadrant for the shifter to follow...........lol........o/k......so the cast iron Torqueflite doesn't have a Park in it and the shifter does still have the "P" indicated but I know its not there so its all good and I DO have a good driveshaft park brake still in use  and other than that it works fine, starts in Neutral only and operates fine..........so good luck with your search and please don't worry about the guys on here..........they are really a decent bunch and once you get to know them you'll be fine..................best wishes & regards from Oztralia.......Andy Douglas