Hot Rods Steering Columns

Was looking at Steering Columns from Flaming River or Ididit, then seen Summit. Anyone use Summit Steering Columns? Or have a recommendation, 1930 Ford Model A Tudor, Thanks, Dean

 

Can’t find them now, but from previous posts, the Summit column is the generic Chinese import that has plastic internal parts prone to failure.

 

Stick with Flaming River or Ididit.

 

Unless you need a tilt wheel for clearance, I really prefer a more org style column, In my 38 Chevy the column is out of a late 40's Pontiac (if I remember correctly). A piece of exhaust pipe in the right diameter would work fine and be a lot cheaper, use wheel barrow wheel bearings on the lower side and an org style bearing in the top so you can have an operational horn (that is GM style, Fords went through the center of the shaft so that isn't as big an issue). Pick up an old turn signal switch to clamp on and you have safety and the right look (at least to me)

 

I have used the Speedway columns with no issues. Come in different length's .

 

Yup, tubing, a couple inexpensive bearings and some DD shaft bought or salvaged out of a swap meet steering wheel. Super easy job to make one.

 

Limeworks speed shop or a steering column out of a postal Jeep works great.

 

If you can find one in the junkyard, look for a Ford truck '67-'72 up to one ton with a 4 speed. No shifter on the column and no ignition switch on the column. Other than the cup for the turn signal switch, it's a small diameter column that works well in early cars. Likewise '64-'66 Mustang columns but they are getting scarce and pricey. Hadn't thought about a postal jeep, should be cheap if you find one in a pick-a-part.

 

I need a chrome or polished column with tilt and shifter, so I just need to decide which brand to use.

 

If it didn't need to be polished or chromed, I was going to suggest picking up a '70s GM tilt column and take it apart. There is a mounting flange that can be welded to a piece of tubing, and you can shave/fill the ignition key boss. You will also need to fabricate a collar to transition from the base of the tilt mechanism to the tubing.

 

Ididit has a nice 1.5" diameter, 36" long one with a double d shaft and a 3 hole bell shaped hub. It can be cut down if necessary. I picked it for the 32 project because of the diameter, 1.5" just looks correct to me in a roadster.
Not too spendy either. Got mine from Yogi's.

 

Late '60 to mid '70 GM van columns are more plentiful and cheaper than same year truck columns. The only difference between the truck and van columns is the steering shaft on the van column is about 4" longer at the bottom of the column. Also they are tilt columns and there is no ignition key on either of the the columns. Using a van column in my A Sedan and also put one in my DD OT pickup.

 

I needed to either lose 50 pounds or buy a tilt column...so I bought the polished "roadster" tilt column from flaming river. Very nice quality and the tilt head is much smaller and less obtrusive.

 

Don't use Speedway. You can feel the cheap.

 

Is this what you are looking for?

 

Limeworks

 

https://www.limeworksspeedshop.com/default.asp

 

I used a column out of a 68-70 Chevy truck with a 4 speed so it didn't have the column shift (U-Pull It). I needed a shorty so I cut it down and had a friend with a mill machine the end of the shaft to accept a double-D u-joint. Got new bearing from LMC truck.

 

we bought an off topic car at auction, built ten years ago, with an ididit column in it. it had a turn switch issue. when I called for the parts, they said it was warranted for life and sent the needed pieces at no charge.
sold me on those columns.

 

Ididit does have a very good warranty

 

Ididit will make columns to length.

 

the exact column I used and for all the same reasons

 

That's the color combination I'm considering for my Sport Coupe.