hey guys im helping my father in law put together a 37 dodge 4 door. its missing the steering column. the car has a mustang 2 suspension in it. he wants to keep it looking stock inside any suggestions on were to find one or a aftermarket one. we've been looking for a few months now with no luck thanx
Post some pics of your build I am building a 37 Plymouth also check out my build thread below. Sorry can’t help with the steering column I used an aftermarket column. Hobo Jim
The steering column on a 37 Dodge is part of the steering box. If it has a Mustang II suspension, the original steering box and column are gone. The original column is about a 3/4" hollow tube with a large diameter spline that the steering wheel attaches to. It likely also had the trans shift lever attached to it. There were also no provisions for a column mounted turn signal switch. You will have to splice the Mustang II steering linkage to an original column if you want to keep the original, but I would recommend a more modern column with a wheel that looks like its old. Several 60s vehicles have 3" diameter columns set up with turn signals that can be adapted to your Dodge and add an old time looking wheel., or you could buy a modern aftermarket column with an old looking wheel. I'm posting a picture of a steering column out of a 39-47 Dodge pickup. This one has the floor shift, which your car likely didn't have. The column for your 37 Dodge will look a lot like this. There is an outside tube that is about 1 1/2" in diameter, and the steering shaft is inside the outside tube. The outside tube fits over a lip on the steering box, at the top of the outside tube is a bearing that centers the steering shaft inside. The inside shaft is one piece from the wheel to the bottom of the steering box.
You can of course install a 30s to 50s dodge column...easy to adapt a bearing at the base where you will cut off the excess just past the firewall...then connect it with steering joint or joints....if you find one pm me..I'll walk you through it..
Gene is right. Lots of Mopar columns on up into the 1950’s and even beyond could be made to work. I’m running the column & wheel from a 60’s a body in my 59 Dodge pickup, and a late 40’s column in my 38 Chrysler and they all look right at home unless you really know your stuff. Lots of interchangeability once you get rid of the steering box. Chop top types faster than me!
It is a 1-3/4" tube. Grab a piece of exhaust tubing, a couple of wheelbarrow bearings with a 3/4" inner bore, and a split lock collar from the local home and garden store. Grab any wheel and shaft from the bone yard, and Bob's your uncle. When I do these, I saw off the the attached steering box, pull the wheel and shaft up, and cut the tube back 4-5". Slide the wheel and shaft back down, pop in a the aforementioned wheelbarrow bearing, and split lock collar, then grind two flats on the exposed shaft to make it 3/4" DD. From there, you can adapt to anything, using common joints and shaft. Not Mopar, but you get the idea.
Adapting the bearing is the plan I'm just wonder if we should get a aftermarket column but if one from a 50's will work I think I can find one of those
Keep in mind what steering wheel you’re going to want to use. If you want to use an old mopar wheel it would be nice to use a steering shaft that already has that spline.
Any column can be made to work, as long as you can get it mounted. Most can be shortened, if needed, and extra shafting, after a u-joint, can be added, if too short. Just use your imagination!
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