Thread: 55.2-59 steering colume conversion
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Old 08-15-2019, 12:41 AM   #4
mr48chev
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Toppenish, WA
Posts: 15,346
Re: steering colume conversion

Unless you want a column shift you need to hunt for a column out of a 4 speed truck or a floor shift car.
Outside of the key switch the column in my 77 1 ton Chevy dualie isn't cluttered with a bunch of junk and lends it's self to being put in an early truck.

the best way to work on the column to get rid of the area the switch sets in is to take the column apart It's not rocket science but if you haven't done a couple it is a real challenge when it comes to putting it back together. If you were close I'd give you one of the clunkers I have out here to play with. I got rid of some of them but still have a few dead tilts laying around.

Otherwise you would have to take the wheel off take the turn signal switch loose and move it out of the way and either take the screw that hold the lock cylinder out or push down the retaining tab on earlier cylinders to pop it out. Then after you take the ignition switch off the column you pull the rod out. You might find a cup freeze plug that will fit in the hole the cylinder came out of tight enough to use as a backer for your filler of choice.

Take a flap wheel to the raised part the switch went in, smooth it down and maybe make a slight dish around the hole and then use the filler of choice to fill the hole and when it hardens work it smooth. Prep the column and paint it.
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