Hi to all, I want to use a tilt steering column on my 51 F1. I am using a mustang II front end with power r&p and am curious what length and manufacturer would be best?

 

I used a 77 cutlass tilt column on my 49. It has key in column, but set up for a floor shifter. it lined up pretty well.

 

04Z06Vette, Hello, And you were connecting to a r&p? I assume that there are several years that in the '77 range that would fit, and had a column shift?

 

Yes, I have it going to a stock mustang 2 power rack and pinion. it connects with a couple of borgeson u joints and a length of double d rod. the 77 did not have the column shift which was what I wanted. easier to put in a floor shifter for the automatic that figure out the column linkage. there are probably other years that were similar size. if you want column shift, then you need a different model.

 

Thanks for the heads-up on that particular column, I guess I'll keep looking.

 

I coupled my R&P with Borgeson u joints and modifed "D" shaft linkage to my stock steering wheel.

My linkage goes through driver side motor mount but operates great.

Tom

 

1975 or so cutlass column, swap meet score.
Measure from the floor to where you want the steering wheel to be, put a wheel in a piece of PCV tubing or something to get an idea of position. Then see how much room you have in the engine compartment to extend in, the shorter the better to allow length for u joints and the DD shaft.
Then with a good idea of length you can hit the swap meets, junkyards, or buy new. I use factory stuff so I try to find columns with either a DD shaft on the end I can cut down or a splined end that I can put a ujoint on.
There are also adapters out there to go from a rag joint style flange to a splined stub.