colunme shift question
Tuned
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 431
Likes: 4
From: renfrew canada
dunno about that for sure,
but.... i put a 57 ford car column in my 58 merc panel truck no prob.
would have also liked to have gone with the steering wheel too, but the splines were different. i guess so long as the inner diameter of the tube is the same you can always shorten or lengthen as required. the hub of the steering wheel would also have to be the right diameter to look good, guesss the bonus is you'd get the auto cancelling signal light switch mechinisim with the 57 column.
i absolute hate the look of a modern column in a vintage vehicle.
Mikie
near ottawa canada
58 merc 100 panel & 64 econoline p/u
but.... i put a 57 ford car column in my 58 merc panel truck no prob.
would have also liked to have gone with the steering wheel too, but the splines were different. i guess so long as the inner diameter of the tube is the same you can always shorten or lengthen as required. the hub of the steering wheel would also have to be the right diameter to look good, guesss the bonus is you'd get the auto cancelling signal light switch mechinisim with the 57 column.
i absolute hate the look of a modern column in a vintage vehicle.
Mikie
near ottawa canada
58 merc 100 panel & 64 econoline p/u
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,298
Likes: 1,059
From: NM
As far as I know, the truck column shifter mechanism was the same from '48 thru '56. It changed after that, but I don't know that that means it couldn't work -- just means the mechanism parts are different. For one thing, I believe they changed the type of connections to the rods. I'd look for a 48 - 56.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 400
Likes: 2
From: Arvada, CO
The steering column on the 57 will be shorter than the 51. The 51-52 will be the longest in terms of the shift mechanism. The shift mechanism looks the same for newer years but gets shorter. Go with one from a 51-52 that had the side shift manual trans and that will fit your steering box. May have to fab up a linkage rod. The only downside is that you won't have a reverse lockout which is typically done on the column for auto trans. Any bumping of the lever and it can change gears.
Tuned
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 400
Likes: 2
From: Arvada, CO
Also if you have a floor shifter now does your trans have floor shifter linkage on it? If so you will need to create or replace that linkage with column shift as you will now be moving the lever the opposite way with a column shift.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 95
Likes: 21
From: Cape Cod
"As far as I know, the truck column shifter mechanism was the same from '48 thru '56. It changed after that, but I don't know that that means it couldn't work -- just means the mechanism parts are different. For one thing, I believe they changed the type of connections to the rods. I'd look for a 48 - 56."
FYI, the first year for column shift was '51. Ford advertised it as "more room for your crew" 'cause techically with a floor shift you're only supposed to have the driver and one passenger - the column allowed the driver and two passengers.
FYI, the first year for column shift was '51. Ford advertised it as "more room for your crew" 'cause techically with a floor shift you're only supposed to have the driver and one passenger - the column allowed the driver and two passengers.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 76
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From: Phoenix
Not if he want's the shifting pattern to be backwards.... I say that because I have my shifting pattern backward in my '57, my gear lever is up for 1st, and park is all the way down.. something my dad and I messed up years ago, and we learned to love, now I woudn't have it any other way. Real easy to shift when flooring it. Now i'm trying to think of a way to make a ratchet shifter using the stock column.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 7,493
Likes: 7
From: Erie, pa
Not if he want's the shifting pattern to be backwards.... I say that because I have my shifting pattern backward in my '57, my gear lever is up for 1st, and park is all the way down.. something my dad and I messed up years ago, and we learned to love, now I woudn't have it any other way. Real easy to shift when flooring it. Now i'm trying to think of a way to make a ratchet shifter using the stock column.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 277
Likes: 1
From: Sacramento, California
If you're interested I have an extra column with all the column shift stuff still on it so it's complete but I don't have the shift rods themselves. Let me know if you want it and we'll work something out.