According to Ididit (not me!) the column length is measured from the steering wheel mounting surface to the end of the steering shaft. You would have to add the thickness of any steering wheel mounting adapter you might need for the wheel you want to use to the overall length.



The aftermarket cruise controls have a number of different control switch options, I would imagine that they could be adapted for use with salvaged OEM units as well. There's one that replaces the turnlight switch handle on the column, as well as dash mounts.

 

See, Ax just had to pop my bubble,,lol.

I guess that information from ididit shows that the 87 van unit is a 35 inch column. I guess I will have to take some time and do a test fit now to see if it will work for me.

 

P55, Sorry, wasn't trying to pop your (or anyone else's) bubble!
Since it's a topic that comes up often, I just wanted to be sure we were all measuring from the same end of the ruler.

I haven't tried shortening a column shift column, but my Ididit floor shift was pretty easy to shorten, can't see where a column shift could be that much more complex.

 

LOL,,, no problem AX, I just learned something new.

The shift lever exits this column at least 6 inches up the column from the end so it should be fairly simple to shorten if that becomes nesessary.

But before I can even begin that project I have to find and fit my seats because they need to be there to figure out where I want the column.

I'm still hoping that guy will let go of that f150 60/40 bench seat but he is still waffling.

 

I ended up with a Flaming River column, but for a time I was playing around with a van column that was about 35" long. Fairly easy to cut. I think I just threw a hose clamp on it for a straight edge, then used a cutoff wheel. In the end, you'll almost always find a short column is preferable. Gives you more room to make your angle to the steering box. Also gives you room to run a vibration damper (dampner?) which I think is necessary. Aftermarket were too expensive IMO and I found a GM damper from around 1980 fit very nice and worked at least as good as an aftermarket for 10% of the cost. I used a Caddy, IIRC big Buicks and Chevy vibe dampers were similar.

 

Well, once I had the new grill fabbed up the lower valance just didn't look good with it at all so I stupidly decided to make my own smoothy.
Because the original stamped valance had a curve to match the front curve of the hood I had to devise some way to make the new panel curve too. I did this by bending a 1 inch chunk of black pipe to match the needed radius, that was the simple part.
I quickly found that I am not the young stud of my youth because it was impossible for me to bend the 70 inch sheet of 18 gauge alone, so I had to ply a friend with cold frosty's to help me roll my new panel.
The pic above shows the nice swale one the upper surface from the grill panels forward, it even came out even,,,imagine that.



I added an extra inch of rollover on the bottom just to add a bit of extra rigidity to the entire unit.




It's a bit hard to see the sweeping curve of the upper surface but I think it looks much better than the stock unit with that 1 inch dropped section in the center.



Again its hard to see the outward curve of the valance which matches the original's curvature.

 

after seeing your work on your buddy jons truck and now seeing your truck, i finally see that you have become one hell of an ARTIST!!, im working on my 50 f1 and like you funds are super tight, like you, mines going to be a scrap yard work of art,frankenford i call her,i just couldnt stand seeing her laying in pcs in this guys yard,just want to get her back on the highway sometime in the near future, i really enjoy the work,also that grill of yours is sweet!!

 

Thanks for the support and I feel your money woes,,,really. But when you look around at all the sweet "kits" listed in the mag's, rememeber that all those things are probably already out there in the salvage yards, just waiting for you to save them and plug them into your rig. I feel like a kid when I stroll through a junk yard because I see all the pieces that I need.

As for my truck, I have a vision of what I want (as warped as that might be) and I have enough stupidity to attempt to make it fit my dream. When I'm done (some date to be announced at a later date) I will have a truck that pleases me but may not please anyone else. lol,,thats why I like this forum so much, because the guys and gals here accept my mental illness for what it is,,,truckphobia.

 

Gary, you are an inspiration to many of us. After watching your build I am even trying things that I hesitated to do before. I am going to make a reverse tilt hood for my F1 so that one can actually get to what is under it. So, keep it going!

 

When we started Jon's 50 project I honestly didn't pay much attention to the hood opening (or lack there of) until we began the final assembly after paint. It was then that I noticed just how cumbersome it was going to be to work under the hood, it reminds me of sticking my head in an alligators mouth.

I think a reverse tilt is not only a great idea on your part but almost a nessesity for working on it.

 

Another FTE member, 48 Steel, did his, and it is the only one I could find anywhere. He sent me pictures and I already have a universal kit that I think I can adapt. I believe that he may have started with the same universal kit.

 

Do me (and everyone else) a big favor and make detailed notes on your install.
If it can be done without destroying a bunch of paint I think Jon will be wanting something like that, esp after he services his engine a time or two.

 

This weekend I pulled the front end pieces off the shelf and bolted them all up. I really didn't pay attention to the fenders until tonight when my buddy helped me drop it over the frame.

When I stepped back I saw this large wheel opening and began wondering if I had recieved the wrong fenders with this beast.

There are holes in the top of the fenders for turn signals and what looks like factory installed doubler plates for them on the inside of the fenders.

I measured the bottom of the wheel opening and it measures about 34".

Are these possibly f600 fenders??

I will post photo's tomorrow as my download cable is elsewhere right now, aka temporarily lost.

Gary

 

Here are some pic's of my front clip, maybe one of the smart guys here can tell me if these are stock f 100 fenders or not.



Maybe it's just me but the wheel openings seem larger than I remember, they measure about 34" at the bottom of the fender.



Top of the fender with the turn/park light hole, and there is a doubler plate on the underside which looks factory.







And of course I had to trim the tubs out to clear the crown vic spring towers so now I will have to roll some more 18ga and fill it back in flush.

 

I'm interested in everyone's response, I believe I have the same fenders.