Hello. I plan to install a toyota box in my -54 f100. The truck has a 3 speed manual transmission, which I intend to keep. In all cases it will not be automatic, even if I have to replace transmission. I want to avoid floor shifter.

I have searched and searched in vain for an aftermarket steering column from ididit, flaming river and other brands. Is there even such a product?

Now if that is the case, you can even mount an aftermarket steering wheel on the original steering column?

Thoughts, reflections, tips are appreciated.

 

I have pretty much the same plans as you.

I am goin for the CPP power streering box with the stock steering column, but it will be a very tight fit (if even possible) to keep the manual three on the tree linkage.

My plan is to make an inner and outer custom adapter.

One adapter that connects the steering shaft with the input axle on the box. This probably needs to be small enough to fit inside the column tube. The outer adapter will connect the column tube to the outside of the box.

When finished it will look pretty much like stock application.


I dont know if there is such a thing like a readily available steering wheel adapter for aftermarket wheels to stock column.

I have never seen an aftermarket column with manual shift.....

How are your plans to connect the stock column to the toyota box?

 

You should be able to use the stock column with the Toy box with the column shift if you use a shaft coupler rather than a U joint. No need to connect the outer jacket to the box, just use a floor support/mount.
AFAIK there is no adapter to mount an aftermarket wheel to a stock column, I suspect primarily due to horn hookup incompatibilities.

 

Yepp I was thinking of a shaft coupler, however I haven´t come that far that I can mock up those parts, but i belive it will be a really tight fit anyway.

If it doesn´t fit length vice I belive the lock bolts will make it to large to slide inside the tube. Thats when my plans grew into possibly making an own shaft coupler or modify an aftermarket coupler with smaller OD and "headless" insex bolts to replace the lock bolts.

The outer adapter between column and box is just to replicate some of the stock apperance. I kind of like the challenge in not going the obvious path with the floor mount

 

Jim, I'm all for a challenge, but only when they make some sense. The CPP box doesn't come close to resembling the OEM box. Even if there is some sort of collar around the input shaft to hold the end of the jacket, connecting the end of the outer column housing to it won't come close to looking stock. Only you will know all the effort you went thru. You'll still need a lower centering bushing or bearing for the shaft, and a lower mount could be just a simple oversized washer welded to the jacket and bolted to the floor plate either on the inside where it would be covered by carpet/mat or on the firewall side. I personally would never be comfortable covering the connector, you cannot see if the attaching bolts are loosening until it comes apart, and that could be disastrous.

 

I'm thinking to get these items... That would be giving me powersteering with that ugly big bus steeringwheel and stock column with the manual shifter still working. Right?

Toyotabox 1953-56 Ford F-100 Steering Box, Power, Whole Kit, 400 Series
RagJoint 1948-79 Ford F-100 Rag Joint, 3/4" 30 Spline X 3/4" Round

Seems to be the only choice to change transmission if i want to use an aftermarket column with tilt.

 

I am not convinced the rag joint will fit with the manual linkage still there.....

option 1: is there any column (any brand) with tilt and manual gear linkage together??

option 2: build your own, I am sure it can be done.....from junkyard parts and som creative engineering, anf smart/simple solutions.....

 

I gues anything can be done if you want it bad enough and have the money. Tilt and column shift are pretty much mutually exclusive unless you came up with some weird linkage (I remember when some Honda shifters came out of the dashboard) What's wrong with a floor shifter?
I have seen where some companies will cut down the diameter of old steering wheels, or you could see if a machinist could machine a stock steering wheel hub to accept aftermarker wheels. You'll still have to deal with the horn button problem but you will with a stock wheel anyhow. Mid Fifty offers a horn conversion kit that returns the stock horn function. What's wrong with a floor shift again?

 

I can't believe I would ever say this, but in these old trucks, the column shifter is a huge improvement over the floor shifters. The floor shifters must have 2 feet of throw from 1st to 2nd (on a 3-sp). We're not talking about a sports car floor shifter. I don't blame anyone for wanting to keep the column shifter, it is a delight!

 

I have to agree

 

Ross and Kevin If we are comparing a stock floor shifted truck tranny with integral shifter like most of the 4 speeds of the era vs a stock column shifted one I'd agree with you, but if he already has a column shift tranny that means its a lever shifted 3 speed tranny so a good aftermarket floor shift kit like those still available from Hurst have short tight throws. I converted all my column shifted 3 speeds to floor shifts in the 50s, 60s, 70s because they shifted much more smoothly. Column shift linkage was notorious for developing wear in the linkage until a hard shift would hang it between gears.

 

Me to. I love my column shift.

Column shift is quite rare over here. Floor shifts is in every car.

It's quite relaxing cruising with a column shift. Just stretch the right hand finger without letting go of the steering wheel.

 

Not sure if I attached this right. It can be done. Here is mine.

 

Nice!!! What parts are you using? Did you manufacture something, or you can piece it together with purchased parts?

 

Yes it can be done, that was not in debate. However the OP wanted 3 different features on his "wish list":
1. column shift
2. tilt column
3. aftermarket steering wheel

It was in combining all his wishes that the problems arise.
When you have incompatible wishes, you are probably going to have to scale back or compromise someplace. I suggested that converting to floor shift would allow 2 out of the three using available aftermarket parts. Retaining the column shift (I can appreciate the "reverse snob" appeal of bucking the trend, I have retained the beam front axle in my truck in part to be different from all the IFS conversions) only allows 1 out of the three unless he has the unavailable parts specially engineered, made or modified.