Nixer,

Until such time as my seat and column are purchased and installed, I have no way of knowing how much drop I’ll need. It’s likely to be around 3 to 4.5 inches, but who knows…..I have LIMITED metal fab skills or tools so my capabilities are very limited. Those two factors combined rule out what you’re suggesting. I need to stay with a design that is more flexible……

 

i tend to forget that not everyone has all those tools in the garage like me.
im basically in the same boat on the column though i have none and dont even have a clue of what length of column to use even. i do know im now going efi and going to go aod for sure i have both in the garage now as we speak. i also have the mII installed

 

Anyone out there with a column drop made/sold by someone other than Ididit that can measure width at top (widest point) and bottom (narrowest point) and the length between the first two measured points?

Please

 

Ferguson777

Have you given any thought to modifying the production steering column drop. I have some pictures in my albums showing what I did. It's about 3 3/4 inches and my column is a Flaming River column shift which is 2 inch dia.

My column was rasied to the top of the floor opening and the drop was slit at the mounting and rewelded. Seems to work. I guess the one major problem with this setup is you would have to have a seat installed to get the correct angel in the drop.

Chuck

 

Chuck,

When I got my new dash, I didn't get the column drop with it. It looks like you're running an Ididit/Flaming Rvr column. I know they tend to be fairly slim. Are the later model OEM factory columns slim enough to go into an early drop? That is, is there enough width in the bottom of the early drops to handle a later model OEM column?

I'm kinda leaning towards a fancy-schmancy bling-bling drop as I will have very little other bling in the cab in general and on the dash in particular.

If it could be done without a lot of work I would consider it seriously as I am a frugal bugger....

What's the width across the top on a 57-60 factory drop? (I could keep the option open....)

 

Its yours if you want it....

 

Mr4spd,

That's very kind of you. My statement wasn't meant as a veiled request though. Could you post a picture of it (with dimensions)?


( I think we're about 3 wks from "in process" shots. My in house welder just left home so I have to book him now & feed him to get any welding done...been practicing myself, but.....)

Thanks,

 

Can it wait till tomorrow so I can dig one out of the garage? I'll post pics after school/work.

 

Mr4spd,

Of course it can.

Thanks!

 

Either Mr4spd has a pile of homework or he got distracted by a skirt....

Merc546,

Your modified OEM drop doesn't look too bad. I'm confient I could make something similar to the top portion of it, but I haven't got the tools to make that bottom section.....sigh...

Got tomorrow off to start bending up the lower panels, so I'll have to finalize my dseign/plans tomorrow.....If the proportions work out maybe I'll just go with the round ends on the panels ends closest to the drop too....

Stay tuned....

Thanks,

 

Rob, I bet you have enogh tools to make a column drop lower section like that, you just have to look at it from the perspective of how can that be made from basic tools? Sure, we'd all love to have a complete machine shop and sheet metal shop at our disposal, but most don't and still do great work. Do you have a drill press? a hacksaw? How about a router maybe? Basic hand tools and a tap and die set? Start with a 1/2" thick chunk of aluminum. Use a hole saw of the size of the column in the drill press to drill a hole in the plate 1/2" from two edges. Aluminum cuts easily with a slow speed and dry bar soap as lubricant. Drill a small amount at a time blowing out the chips and allowing the metal and saw to cool when they start getting warm. Take your time, it's cheap! After drilling the hole, Use dividers or even a school compass with a pointed piece of steel rod replacing the pencil to scribe a line 1/2" outside the center hole and a straight edge to scribe a line thru the diameter. Use your hacksaw to cut away the excess material outside the outer line around one half the hole Cut close to, but not on the line. Clamp the piece in your vice by the 1/2 that's not been trimmed and use flat files to smooth the curve to the line. Scribing another 1/2" line around the hole on the backside will aid in keeping the edge square. Start removing the file marks with 100 grit emery paper rubber cemented to a strip of wood. Use blackboard chaulk on the paper to reduce buildup on the paper. once you have the edge completely free of file marks, switch to 280 grit paper and sand until all the 100 grit scratches are gone. You could stop here for a brushed finish or continue refining the surface with 400 grit paper, and finally polishing compound. Once you have the piece all finished to your satisfaction, it's time to cut it across the diameter to leave a horseshoe shaped piece. Now mark drill and tap the flat ends of the horseshoe for the clamping bolts. There's your piece! Oh yah, the router: Aluminum can be cut with a router and carbide router bits nearly as easily as wood. Make light cuts and rub soap on the metal in the area between cuts. You could drill and screw the metal piece in a scrap area to a larger piece of plywood so you can clamp it down while radiusing the edges, or even make a plywood pattern and rout out different shapes or even decorative effects! Clean any aluminum buld up off your cutters and hole saws by spraying them with Easy-Off oven cleaner and letting them sit for a short time before rinsing them with water and drying. Repeat as many times as necessary until clean.

 

HI

I just got a piece of aluminum and cut the rough shape out using a hand held electric saw and then ground it smoother with my air grinder and finished it up with hand files and sandpaper.

Chuck

 

See, it's sometimes amazing what can be done with the most basic of tools. The first thing tho is a change of outlook from "I can't do that..." to "How can I do that?"
My entire business is driven by that outlook, I design the piece of jewelry that the customer wants, then have to figure out how I'm going to create it, each is a piece I've never made before. It's all a matter of breaking it down into simpler steps and combinations of basic procedures.

The good thing about building a truck as a hobby over making jewelry for a living is that materials are inexpensive and time is "free" so if you make a mistake or it doesn't come out exactly as planned or you figure out a better plan as you go along just chuck it into the recycle box and do it again, no big deal, you can often learn more from failures than from successes.

 

I have to agree with you AX, it is amazing what one can accomplish without all the special tools, you just need to set back and think things thru, then of course there are times you just need to jump in head first, sure not everything will work out, but in the end you be amazed at what can be done. My goal is to hand build everything that I can possibly build, and only buy what I can’t build.
Good Luck
Mike

 

Alright! Alright!

I think I can! I think I can! chug, chug, chug, I think I can!

Whilst all you guys are writing these notes of encouragement on company time when you're supposed to be working, I've taken the day off to cut and shape those long 3 inch panels that will butt up against the larger lozenge shaped panel that will hold the radio.

I've decided that I'm going to run the panel on the driver's side all the way across with no break for the column drop. The plan will be to recess the lower horizontal portion of this panel where the column drop will go such that the column drop will fit immediately behind the face of this panel. This will provide a smoother face with no breaks. No screwing around trying to leave a break wide enough for the drop but not too wide to leave ugly gaps on either side of the drop. It avoids trying to get angles that compliment the angles of the drop.....

And it shifts the construction/purchase of the drop to a later point.

With respect to making a drop - I certainly do not have the tools to make the lower portion of the drop as Merc546 did. However, I believe I could make one out of solid aluminum with the tools at hand. So I'll save and print this thread for consultation at a later date.

Appreciate all your advice and encouragement. Now it's down to the shop to "Git er done"!

Later,