I have a 37 Ford Tudor Sedan. Right now I have a Pontiac steering column with a floor mounted shifter. I want to change to a column mounted shifter. Looking on ebay I see columns that are 32", 33" etc. How do I measure for a new column?? Thanks..
Since we don't know what sort of steering or front end you have, measure the length of column from:- Toe board /firewall to top of where steering wheel attaches; and Toe board /firewall to end and add the splined section of steering shaft that protrudes past the tube end to that, this is where the universal joint attaches and connects to the intermediate or steering shaft. That'll give you current overall length to determine what you require to match current column measurements. All you then need then to do is fabricate a toe board/firewall mount and a column drop to mount it solidly to your body. Are you comfortable with current position of steering wheel, is it too close to you or too far way, factor that in when considering a column. Buy a quality column and not those junk offshore units.
I have a Mustang II front. The car came with a Pontiac Grand Prix column. I did all of that measuring to get it to sit right. It was a stock column, so I used the mounting that was attached on the column to a bracket I made under the dash.
If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to switch to a column shift? Most builds go the other way. Looks like a Lokar shifter you have now...
My back isn't any good anymore for laying on the floor to hook up that Lokar shift indicator. I have to have it in order to pass a safety check. A column mount is right there on the dash. Not hooking up all of those electrics, or dropping bolts from the transmission pan for the hookup.
Here are a few pics of my 37 sedan. My tilt column is from a late 1970s Jeep pickup. It was made for Jeep by GM so all internals are GM. I chose it because it has the illuminated shift quadrant that GM used only on vans. But it also has the ignition key that the vans did not have. So this configuration, while made by GM, was never used by GM. I built my car 30 years ago so Jeep columns may now be hard to find. My toeboard is steel and in the position of the original toeboard. I used the toeboard mounting bracket used on Jeep. The distance from the toeboard to the top of the column sleeve that houses the directional lever is 28". Two inches of the column are on the engine-side of the firewall. The splined shaft extends beyond that. I have a 2-inch adapter on top of column for mounting my LeCarra wheel. I had to cut off a good bit of the shift lever sleeve to clear the drop. I' m 6-ft tall. I used an after-market plastic sleeve to cover the column. It has a bulge to cover the ignition switch and I routed all wires under the cover up to the drop. So the column need not be upholstered. Disregard the microswitch on the firewall side. That's part of my homemade neutral safety switch. That's a story for another time. . I kept the column's lever that shifts the trans. The lever on my TH350 trans was the wrong length to use with the column lever so I made a new one of the correct length. When I get a chance to get under the car I'll measure the length for you. Or take a pic. Or both. You'll want the quadrant indicator to match the detents on the trans. If you use a column without the shift quadrant you can use small dash lamps to show what gear you're in. You'll need a switch on the trans for this. Somebody must make one. Good luck and let us know h ow it goes.
Seems like a lot of damned work and expense to get what is probably a simple job by one of your friends with a good back. Most of those Ebay columns are junk and will have to be replaced in a few miles. Ididit or Flaming river both have GM internals inside and last and can be repaired. Cheap would be a mid 70's GM truck. The other issue is do you have room for a shift arm on the side of the column and between it and the engine? it doesn't look like you have a whole lot of room to work with.
Following on from Mr48chev, I see there being less work on your back installing a Lokar neutral safety switch to the trans than hooking up a column shifter and the assorted adjustments to make it work properly. I assume we're talking about the NSS that mounts off of the trans pan bolts? But you have a Lokar shifter which has provision for a shifter mounted switch which should be possible to fit fairly simply? If not, version that fits to the tarns bolts is easier work than a trans service. Chris
I have the car up on blocks. Been like that for two years now. I have retired now, so it gives me more time to get things done. Just to cold here now. No heat in the garage. I can't get so called friends to help. Either way to busy, or don't want to. I built this car from the ground up all by myself. Except for people like you guys on the internet. Work nearly killed me over the past 56 years. I have a bad back, bad knees, copd, and diabetis. I am trying to make things easier. I know ebay has junk. Can't afford ididit, or flaming river. Have to get one out of a junkyard. What would be neat to find would be one of those push button shifters. I had that on one of the cars I have owned. Yet. What I will be looking for is a earlier tilt column with tilt, and none of those controls on the blinkers. Also want to have the key. As far as space for that lever goes. There should be space for it. I had no floor in the car when I bought it. I had make my own panels from the firewall back. I also had to make the firewall. So the location of the column to the floor may be off. I had no reference to go by. Now when I go to the junkyard for a column. Does anyone know what years I should look for?? I am not sure what year they started adding all of the controls on the levers. Thanks.. Al
I used a chevy van column about 1980 or so. I didn't want the key on the column, but did want the column shift. I try advertise here on HAMB or even search the adds here. I don't recall the length. I've since sold the car, so I can't measure it now. Or possibly look for a fellow hamber close to you that might help you out for a few bucks or maybe a labor trade. Good Luck!
Man, I feel for you , bust ass your whole life and then the Golden Years aren't what they're cracked up to be. Maybe you could find a youngster who can do the physical and learn with your guidance? A win-win.
Only kids around here live across the street. They are all crooks. I have so much security in the house, yard, and garage. I called a junkyard. I can get a full column if I pull it for $75.00. Would measuring from the floor plus what is on the other side of the firewall to the top of that cone just under the steering wheel work??
Back to the original question of how do I measure the length of the column. Measure the amount that sticks out on the other side of the firewall and measure from the floor board to the top of the column where it meets the steering wheel. If you haven't already spent money on an indicator Lokar does sell shift boot setups with the lighted indicator in them. That may be a viable option. A bit spendy at around 235.00 but when it is all said and done you are going to spend around that no matter which way you go except you can recover some of the money for the column with a shifter on it by selling the floor shift. If you get away from a GM or aftermarket column you are going to end up spending hours working on getting the wiring straightened out if you already have that column wired. Most 70 something or 80 something GM columns are going to require buying a shift indicator and attaching it to the column https://www.classicparts.com/searchprods.asp
Used a 1949-52 Chevy automatic column shifter on stock column hooked to a IFS front suspension...**clic pic**
What year Grand Prix is your current steering column out of? Look in similar year GM cars that have a column shifter. For example, a Grand Prix is an intermediate GM body and a Monte Carlo or Cutlass is basically the same car so look for one of those at the wreckers. It should mount with your existing mounting setup. Get all the linkage associated with it and start fabricating the small pieces. Frank Carey has mentioned that his Jeep column has a gear shift indicator. This GM tilt column assembly is found also in Mopar cars, AMC, and even International so broaden your search to look inside these cars for the plastic gear shift indicator, it adapts over easily to any of these key in the column units.
I will measure tomorrow. I already have the plugs, and wiring for a GM column. I talked with a guy that helped me very much online. He also has a 37 Tudor. He is using a 80's truck column. I can get one from the junkyard for $75.00 if I pull it out. I found a universal column linkage for $35.00. Then I don't have to mess with the stock linkage. I have a Lokar neutral safety switch. I also have the shift indicator that should have been in a boot. The aluminum ring was busted when I bought it at a large discount. I was going to mount it in the dash. I also have all of the wiring for it. Not sure I can use it, but it is a whole lot cheaper than paying big bucks for a aftermarket column. When there is a swap meet in Aug. I will sell the shifter, and lots of other 37 Ford parts I have..
I agree with measuring above and below the toe board to get the column length you have now so you can figure out what you need. What I don't understand is why people question or try and talk someone out of what they want to do, happens a lot here.
Goldmountain. I have a 79 Grand Prix column. I was going to look for a 80's Chevy truck column. They have the indicator mounted on the column. As far as the linkage goes. I would be getting what I can. The junkyard pulls the motor and transmission out of them, so they just cut the linkage off of them. That is why I would get something like the Lokar universal linkage. Jeeps are kind of rare here in junkyards. Chevy C10's, and K10's are found. I am going to start pulling my column out tomorrow. Also. Wife wants to drive it, and wants a column shifter..
Earlier than 78 might but The 80s Chevy trucks do not have a column mounted Prndl indicator. It's in the dash and works off a fiddly cable
Boy. I am not sure that junkyard goes back that far. It has been a couple of years since I have been there. I measured it. Flaming River has a good picture of how to measure. I did the measure. I need a 32" column. I will call up there today to see if they have a 79 GM truck column with a key already out.. Otherwise I will pull it myself. I remember seeing a few s-10 Blazers up there..
To get a steering column that interchanges with a '79 Grand Prix, look at any GM intermediate RWD car from 1978 to about 1986 with a column shifter. This would include Malibu, Monte Carlo, Grand Am, Lemans, Regal, or Cutlass. Stick to these since you know they fit. While GM columns are all very similar, the length and bottom coupling vary greatly. Also, GM cars all used that cable activated gear shift indicator in the dashboard which is why I told you to look for a gear shift indicator in the various non-GM cars that used this tilt column. The indicator is easily removed with a couple of screws. Van Emblom used to sell the indicator at his Fat Fender Rod Shop but I see on the HAMB that he has passed away. However, his stuff was sold by Parr Automotive so they may have some. These steering columns should have a built in neutral safety switch. Don't think the Lokar one would work. You don't need to limit looking for a column that has a key because the existing lock cylinder in your old column will switch over.
Man It's a ROAYAL PITA to change the lock cylinder without the key. Frustrating tedious That's why a Steering column without the key brings so much less than one with the key.
Remove the steering column lock, depress the little plunger, and out it pops. Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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