I am probably going to go with the factory bench seat so I was leaning toward the column shift..but now I'm having second thoughts...give me YOUR input as to what you went with and why..
The truck is a 302 with an AOD..PS, PB, and A/C.. It will be used for cruisin and shows only.

 

I drove my truck with the stock 3 speed column shift for 3 years before tear down. I liked it. In my build I am not going stock. The transmission is a 4 speed manual. Floor shift is my option. If I had say a C4, I would go for the floor also because I like the look of the tall loker shifter. So I guess looks is why. Also I am using a bench seat.

 

Is this for an automatic or manual trans?

 

Like Ross said. Complete final proposed configuration, power, transmission, brakes, etc could sway a decision.

 

The T56 6 speed in my truck made it easy, the shifter is built into the tranny.

 

I'm running an auto trans, but like the old truck floor shifter look, so I went with the Lokar 23'' nostalgia shifter. I'm also running buckets seat's, which didn't really matter in my choice. Good luck.

 

I went with a column shift in the F1 just so I could open up a bit more floor space. Gear shifts and grandchildren don't always mix.

 

The tie rod and steering box for my Cordoba IFS is on the rear side of the cross member making it very short from the end of the steering column to the steering box. I have an AT and would like a column shifter but there is not enough distance between the end of a 60s or early 70s truck column and my steering box. The bottom end of many modern columns are well behind the fire wall and probably uses a cable instead of linkage for the shifter but they typically have the ignition key in the column and look too modern so no thanks, I'll stick with my floor shifter.

 

Well with the great input on my last few posts..I made a decision tonight and ordered a paintable tilt,30 inch column shift ididit column and the 4.5 hanger and their shift linkage cable kit...not that anybody really cares but I wanted to say thanks for the input from all who replied.

 

What steering box are you using? Now you need to pick out a steering wheel. I used a 15" med dish Grant wheel with an Ididit adapter. The wheel came with an adapter but it was bulky and would have required a second adapter to fit the column. Their adapter was low profile and fit like there was no adapter there. There are a lot of inexpensive wheels out there but they are small diameter mostly for tuner cars, and look undersized IMHO.

 

Hey Don,
Thanks for posting which direction you went. We tried a cheap knockoff column first - It was just cheap plastic sprayed with chrome paint. It fell apart - good move going with a real column. We struggled with selecting a steering wheel as we didn't want it to look modern. We used a replica 15 inch Ford wheel from the late 40's - it looks like it belongs there.

Good luck over there.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

I am going stock column with stock 3 OD, Midfifty "toyota style" power box.
Modifying the stock steering wheel to approx 15.5", stock column drop.

Why?

Because i really like the feeling of a manual trans with a column shift. It just sits there almost right in your right hand, like the shift indicator for the left hand, if you get what I am saying.

They are not that many over here, we have floor shift on almost all of our regular cars. =booring.

 

Ax..I am going with a power rack and pinion...similar to a mustang..might even be the same thing.

 

I have a AOD and want to go column shift but the linkage is backwards. The shifter in Park makes the tranny in 1st gear. The shifter in 1st makes the tranny in Park.

On the AOD can the shift arm be repositioned down 180 degrees to solve this problem? If so how do you do it? the arm seem to be pressed onto the shaft.

 

T5 transmission so like AX floor shift cause thats how it's made