progress update

hiball3985 · 2013-01-30 11:47

I know, I'm old and slow but I'm getting there

This is everything I have rebuilt over the last month and hopefully if I can convince the old bones to get back under it I will be starting assembly of the suspension this Saturday. Today I will just put the steering column and shift linkage back together.. That's a 58 box I will be using, less horn

57 Ford Kustom · 2013-01-30 12:31

Hiball,
Looking good! I will be tackling the front end next winter, so work out all the kinks and be ready for my questions

!
Thanks,
Tim

hiball3985 · 2013-01-30 13:06

Quote from: 57 Ford Kustom on 2013-01-30 12:31
Hiball,
Looking good! I will be tackling the front end next winter, so work out all the kinks and be ready for my questions !
Thanks,
Tim

OK, So Far the only kinks have been me

I'll be 66 in March so things aren't getting any easier.

57 Ford Kustom · 2013-01-30 13:18

LOL, I am beginning to realize that the difference between being 48 and 18 are night and day! Can't complain though, I am still agile enough to do what I want, just can't see as well!

Tim

hiball3985 · 2013-01-30 13:34

I know what you mean Tim. I locked up the tool box more then a few times claiming never again LOL, but that never lasts long.

Ecode70D · 2013-01-30 16:00

Jim
Your parts look nice and clean. I need a refresher course. It seems to me that you can put a 57 steering wheel on a 58 column, but you can't put a 58 wheel on a 57 column. Is that right?
Isn't there something about the 58 column having two flat spots on the splined section, and the 57 has only one? If you get a chance, would you please check your 58 column and let me know?
The reason I'm asking is because I need to replace steering wheel on my car for a custom one and may have to settle for a 58 custom wheel. Thanks Jay

hiball3985 · 2013-01-30 16:23

Hi Jay,
I'm sure glad up brought up that point as I didn't even look at that. My 57 box was shot and I had a chance to grab a good 58. I went out and looked and it's just the opposite of what you were thinking. The 57 wheel has one flat, the 58 shaft has none. I don't have a 58 wheel so I will have to machine a flat on the 58 shaft, It never ends

. So I think a 58 wheel would go in a 57. And then there is all the differences in the horn set up between the two..

Ecode70D · 2013-01-30 20:39

Jim It has been a few years since I did this swap. I knew that there is something different about the two of them when you want to swap steering wheels. I know that the steering shaft on the 57 is hollow and the horn wire goes down through it . The horn wire from 57 to 58 did present a problem. I wonder if the 57 and 58 columns are the same length. I'm pretty sure that I have a 58 box in one of the sheds and i'm going to see if I can find it tomorrow. Jay

hiball3985 · 2013-01-30 21:41

Jay, you are not the only one that needs a refresher course, all my work on '57s was between 1966-1972. I started a Ranchero project in 78 but traded for a house and two kids in 79. I'm pretty sure the columns are the same length but I will take a measurement tomorrow morning. The 58 box is some much better then the 57.

hiball3985 · 2013-01-31 10:11

Quote from: Ecode70D on 2013-01-30 20:39
Jim It has been a few years since I did this swap. I knew that there is something different about the two of them when you want to swap steering wheels. I know that the steering shaft on the 57 is hollow and the horn wire goes down through it . The horn wire from 57 to 58 did present a problem. I wonder if the 57 and 58 columns are the same length. I'm pretty sure that I have a 58 box in one of the sheds and i'm going to see if I can find it tomorrow. Jay

Jay, my measurement on the column this morning was 32.250 for the 58 and 33.750 for the 57. So now I'm confused, I always thought the two were the same, and changed in 59. Now I'm wondering if the box I took out is even a 57? No way of telling what someone else did over the years. Now I'll have to check the shaft length and see how things will fit together. I hope you have all the 58 parts for yours so you don't have to mix them together like mine. I still would like a base model steering wheel, I don't like the full horn ring model.

hrsky · 2013-02-02 04:52

A few years ago I had two columns from 57 and they had different lenghts. If I remember right one was for a manual gear and the other an automatic. HR

hiball3985 · 2013-02-02 06:17

Quote from: hrsky on 2013-02-02 04:52
A few years ago I had two columns from 57 and they had different lenghts. If I remember right one was for a manual gear and the other an automatic. HR

Well that may be the key to the puzzle. My 57 is a manual and the 58 column was from an automatic. The steering gear shaft is a different length also. At this point I had no choice but to cut the 57 manual column down to fit the 58 box. This all works on the bench but time will tell, I hope to install it today. At one point I was thinking about moving the seat back, I felt too close to the wheel, but if this works out I may not have to.
Thank you for your input on this subject.

Ecode70D · 2013-02-02 10:40

Quote from: hiball3985 on 2013-01-31 10:11
Jay, my measurement on the column this morning was 32.250 for the 58 and 33.750 for the 57. So now I'm confused, I always thought the two were the same, and changed in 59. Now I'm wondering if the box I took out is even a 57? No way of telling what someone else did over the years. Now I'll have to check the shaft length and see how things will fit together. I hope you have all the 58 parts for yours so you don't have to mix them together like mine. I still would like a base model steering wheel, I don't like the full horn ring model.

Jim I measured my outer columns yesterday but only used a measuring tape. the 58 column is app.1 1/2 " shorter than the 58. So this is about what you came up with. I can't find my 58 steering box. I thought that I was saving one for an emergency. According to my memory, the 57 steering box will have a hole in bottom plate for the horn wire which is fed down through it and out of the plate so you can activate the horn. The 58 horn wire does not go through the column and is activated through for lack of a better word a commutator thing which is part of the directional signal switch.
Thankfully my 57 column is all back together and everything is working. That includes the directionals,horn and three speed shifter It is nice to know how to do it with the 58 box because I'm told that they are better than the 57. Now that I can't find my extra 58 box, I'm glad that I have an extra 57 box.
So...Have I managed to confuse you? Time seems to be fogging the memory.
I hope that some of the younger guys that have been through this recently will chime in on this and make it clear for us.
Jay

Ecode70D · 2013-02-02 10:43

I checked my 57 outer columns, both standard shift and automatic are the same length
Jay

Ecode70D · 2013-02-02 11:36

Quote from: hiball3985 on 2013-01-30 16:23
Hi Jay,
I'm sure glad up brought up that point as I didn't even look at that. My 57 box was shot and I had a chance to grab a good 58. I went out and looked and it's just the opposite of what you were thinking. The 57 wheel has one flat, the 58 shaft has none. I don't have a 58 wheel so I will have to machine a flat on the 58 shaft, It never ends . So I think a 58 wheel would go in a 57. And then there is all the differences in the horn set up between the two..

I think that you can use the 57 wheel on the 58 shaft if you just take a dremmel and machine of the flat spot from the 57 wheel. That way you can "clock" it so that it is centered. Both 57 and 58 wheels look the same after they are installed.
I have a decent 57 wheel on mine, but it is wrong because I need a custom wheel with no indentation for the horn ring. My car should have the small horn button and the wheel without the horn ring indentation.

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