TECH: Home Made Steering Column

[Glen]

Some of you have seen this, but I thought it would be a good addition to tech week.
Here is the finished product:
http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/column.jpg

inside the column you can see a white bushing made from delrin, a hard plastic type substance that can be turned on a lathe, on the next column we actually switched to a bearing, both columns work perfect but it seems to be a more professional approach.
The column portion below is slid inside the cone shaped housing which sandwiches the delrin bushing inside, the fit is a tight press fit.

http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/upperi.jpg
http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/upperib.jpg

drilled and tapped to accept a typical three hole steering column adaptor
http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/upper.jpg

This picture below shows a locking collar that attaches to the bottom of the steering shaft, the hole on the column accepts your allen wrench to lock the shaft inside the column.
http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/lower.jpg

This column was made with the bearing inside and accepts a HAMB type wheel.

http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/trcolumna.jpg
http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/trcolumnb.jpg

These two columns were very inexpensive to make. If you dont have an indexing head for the splines on the lower part of the shaft you can purchase the pre-splined shafts from the 1-800 companies for little cost.

[=mike=]

that's fucking cool . how much to make one to specs for a fellow HAMBer http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Broman]

Jesus Christ, just when you thought you'd seen it all...

That is just amazing. It looks so clean. And it is so simple. Just wire your ign to the dash right?

[roadstar]

uh...Glen, we need to talk http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

That is some nice machine work. THe column with the banjo wheel is absoultly perfect.

Thanks so much for sharing with us.

[Django]

So how is the banjo wheel held on there? With the 3 bolts? Is the aluminum "horn" cap just for show?

[Glen]

Sorry, I work long hours just got back online after last nights post. Those columns came about when 4 guys were hanging out in the clubhouse and decided that it would be fun to make one instead of buying one. I am not a machinist more of an assistant http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
If you want one $150
the first column rcvs a typical grant style adaptor.
Ill see if I can find some pics of the banjo wheel mount.
The banjo horn button was home made too and it is not functional as a horn.
The ignition is wired thru the dash and the turn signals are a single three way toggle switch.
Here is another one mounted, I think this one was about the 5th one and you can see the upper housing area is different than the two pictured above.

http://www.hotrodsbyglen.net/uph4.jpg

[lakes modified]

It looks great. reminds me of the one off i built and have in my 42 merc. built a tilt/tel 3 speed on the column using a 51 olds clock steering wheel. used all cad. guts, but everything else is one off. a fun but expensive project. who says it can't be done?.