Technical Mystery steering column in a '40 Ford

So I just inherited an unfinished 1940 Ford hot rod project. I guess you could call it a period hot rod, since most of the major work was done sometime in the 70's. It was once a running and driving car that just needed some adjustments, but my grandfather took the interior apart a few years back and never got it back together, which is where I'm picking it up. At the moment I just wanna get it back on the road, may improve later if all goes well. Has mustang II front suspension and a chevy 283 w/powerglide.

Gramps was in the middle of swapping in a modern steering column when I got the car, he had got it hung from the dash but did not hook up wiring or linkages. I'd like to re-install the old tilt column it had before because it plugs into the already done wiring harness (I also like the look of it more, new one is too thick and doesn't match wiring or anything else), but I'm missing some of the u-joints and or connecting rod hardware to link it to the steering box. Will be using a floor shift so I pretty much just need to link to the steering box+I already have the electrical all figured out.

Unfortunately I don't have a build sheet, so my biggest struggle is figuring out what's here. Can anyone help me identify this column/source the proper parts to re-install it? I think its an old 60's GM column, but not sure. I don't have a ton of experience with GM and all these parts were made before I was born, so take that with a grain of salt.



One of the joint and shaft, but I have no sleeves or pins or whatever connecting hardware it once used. The shaft is not splined or D shaped, so I assume it was connected with pins/couplers.




The view from under the dash to the steering box.


Steering box from the front. Haven't identified this yet either, is in a tight spot, took this pic blind, sticking my phone under the car and hoping for the best. Will try to find some stampings or such later if I can, at work right now:


Working on a limited budget, so I want to re-use/salvage as many parts as I can, everything I posted here is pretty much all the column parts I have (short of steering wheel of course), will be happy to take more pics if it helps. Thanks!

 

I think the rag joint would go on the end of the column, then that tube, then to the box.

As far as the year/make, no clue, but you should be able to get things matched up at a decent parts store

 

And welcome to the HAMB.
Ya got other pics of the car?

 

mustang 2 front suspension, GM steering column

 

read that, Rack and pinion steering

 

Rag joints, k. Never heard of them before, but this whole column swap/custom application biz is still new to so that makes sense. Guess I'll be dragging the column and shaft down to NAPA to see what they think.

 

Thanks and you betcha! I posted some in the intro thread topic, but here's a few:

Needs a bath, these are from the day I picked it up, had been sitting in a dusty garage/undriven for probably 20 years. Was started 2 years ago and ran well I'm told.

Front fenders are fiberglass, rest is steel. Have one of them off right now for ease of access:

 

Ill see if I can dig up a pic, or a link...but look at about any rearwheel drive car, just of the steering shaft is apiece of leather?, sandwiched between metal...always called them ragjoints.

here's a link
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...9a-yhZlUgfKb1wFGcuABJKIAqc-QohMoaAoTmEALw_wcB

 

Column out of a GM van . It has a steering wheel adaptor on it.

 

The knuckles might be Porsche. I think I remember seeing those before. Honestly I would toss those and buy some Borgeson U joints and DD shaft to go between them.

 

Can you show a couple pictures of the column mount? It looks like he cut an original mount(at the column) and made a bracket that bolts to it. Maybe one from the side?
For interest sake.

Thanks

 

69 and up GM floor/console shift. Could be out of almost anything, Camaro, Nova, Firebird, Van etc.

 

That joint with the rubber covering is an aircraft part. Get rid of it. It way too light for steering linkage.

 

A Rag Joint helps dampen road vibration through the column so your fingers won't "Tingle" after a long drive. This may not be the exact one for your column but here's a pic for you.

 

Wow, that's crazy. I thought it seemed awful light and flimsy but I never would have guessed someone put aircraft parts on this frankenstein. So yeah, looks like I'll be replacing the whole linkage between the column and the rack and pinion. So that means counting/measuring the column and rack splines, 1 Borgesson U-Joint (on the rack), 1 U-Joint/Vibration Reducer (on the column) and a DD shaft to link it all up, right?

 

Can do! Will take some more pics next time I'm working on the column.

 

Now isn't the time to try to piece things together, a new Mustang power rack isn't that much and it looks to me like that's a 1 inch 36 spline column, typical GM. You can get everything you need from most any of the catalogs like Speedway or Yogi's etc. etc. That's a pretty heavy car you have there so make sure the things you use are from a similar car weight wise. I always felt the Mustang II stuff was a bit light duty for the fat fender cars. More for the Model As and 32s. If you want IFS I'd look into Camaro or Nova or better yet a 2000 / 2003 Grand Marquis or Ford Crown Vic. They have a front crossmember that is Aluminum and unbolts as a complete unit, suspension, rack brakes etc. Just my opinion...... Safety first. Good luck and I like your car.

 

Mustang 2 front end is fine for your car, no problem at all. If your not sure how it all goes together take a trip to your local junk yard and check out 70's and 80's chevy . They used those columns forever in all kinds of cars, trucks. Go on line and look up Flaming river ,borgeson, ect to see what you need. Don't worry about a rag joint, your not driving this every day.

 

DON'T USE A GRAND MARQUIS OR A CROWN VIC. They are too wide, and you have to use 16 wheels or bigger to clear brakes !! repeat, Mustang 2 will be just fine, you don't need power steering either !!!
Research before you get TOOO much advice and criticism.
Only Talk to others who have "40's that are up and running and "proven" comparable.

Hundreds of them out there, make phone calls, people are eager to help..

My .03 cents

 

X2 = .06 cents

 

50K miles on my 40 ford 4 door with an IDENTICAL setup.
(i have a non power mustang 2 rack and a GM column.. with splines like that)

for some reason, I think that your column may be caddy (but it doesn't really matter.. gm used those splines 1 inch splines or what they called a 1" Double D connector for years and years.. .. )

not sure what grandpas intermediate shaft is, but I would just go with all new stuff.. the sting of the price will be overcome with peace of mind..
speedway, or just about any other rod parts vendor will have exactly what you need.

fwiw.. here is what I started with..

and what it looks like now.



did your grandfather ever attend the Western Maryland Rod Run in cumberland MD?
the car seems familiar..

 

Yeah, Camaro or Crown Vic, that's good advice if he wants to turn it into an abortion you can't find wheels to fit. Might as well suggest a S10 chassis swap. Hundreds of fat fendered Fords have Mustang II front suspension, I'd say it's proven to work just fine. Anytime I see one with a subrame swap I cringe, talk about losing any resale value.

 

more picture of open car please..

 

I sent you a PM, I have the mustang II and GM column in my 39 deluxe and live just 10 miles north of PGH. I can show you how I set up my car. Glad to see a young guy interested in the old cars, let me know if I can help.