I got several inquiries about the article on shortening column shift tubes. I went back and found the article, it was in Street Rodder not Classic Trucks (I get ~ 30 magazines a month, so sometimes I mix them up... or maybe it's that CRS us OF's are susceptable to? ).
Anyhow the process was so simple (but they made it more complicated than necessary especially the way they shortened the steering shaft) I'll just describe it instead of scanning the article. The column shift setup is as basic as you can get. Remove the bottom clamp and the lower shift arm slides off. Knock out the sector pin, and the other shift arm slides off, remove the lower guide from the column. Cut a section out of the tube above the solid lower section the right length, and weld back together. Drill new mounting holes for the guide and clamp in the shortened steering column tube and reassemble.
Note: if you shorten your steering column and shaft for a different box you will need a lower guide bearing to center the shaft in the cover tube. You could turn one out of delrin on a lathe or drill press or buy one from Mid Fifty.