Stock 51 Chev column with Mustang 2 rack?

[Rocket88]

I'm doing a mustang II swap this winter on my dad's 51 Chev.
We're leaving the 261 in it (it's already side mounted) but we want to retain the stock steering column. RB's in Snohomish used to make a small kit that they called "Save a column" but have discontinued it. Is there any one else out there making something like that?

[jerry]

you can get a later column and cut off the end with the bearing and weld it to the end of the original column.

or get a bearing with proper id and aod from bearing house. weld a nut to the outside and use a set screw to retain the bearing.

file or machine the double d on the shaft and use a flaming river or borgeson joint.


jerry

[John B]

It will take more then a "little" cutting and welding. Keep in mind that the stock 51 column is made together with the steering box. You'll have to remove the outer housing to get to the shaft and then do the above procedure. May not even be possible, I'm an optimist.

[53_210]

I asked the same questions on chevytalk a while back and a guy e-mailed me a diagram of how he did it with a homemade bearing. I e-mailed it to you.

[Ayers Garage]

[ QUOTE ]
It will take more then a "little" cutting and welding. Keep in mind that the stock 51 column is made together with the steering box. You'll have to remove the outer housing to get to the shaft and then do the above procedure. May not even be possible, I'm an optimist.

[/ QUOTE ]

I cut the whole deal off. Then I came up about 2 inches and cut just the outer tube. This left the inner shaft sticking out of the tube by 2 inches. I went to the bearing place and bought a bearing with the right ID and OD. Actually, the OD was a tiny bit too big, so I used an exhaust pipe expander to expand the end of the tube a tiny bit. Since just the very end of the tube was expanded, the bearing will only go up into the tube a little way before it wedges tight. I filed flats onto the shaft for Borgeson double D u joint. Then, I took a spring about three inches long and put it on the shaft between the borgeson joint and the bearing. That way the constant spring tension keeps the bearing plressed up into place in the steering column tube.

Works great for 5 plus years. No problems at all.

[Rocket88]

Thanks guys. I was wondering how to keep the steering shaft itself from sliding back and forth, that explained it. I think that out of this whole swap it's going to be details like that which will take the most time.