Shorting Steering Column? 1968 3 speed column, shifter moved to floor...

[Loose Screw]

Ok, I have gone through the threads and searched the www and I'm still not real sure.
All the manual shifter linkage is not used, I have a Lokar shifter.
This is a Frankintruck btw.

Can I get an inch or 2 between my gut and the steering wheel easy enough by just loosening a few bolts and pushing the steering wheel in? That's really the question.

Thanks!

[Getter-Done]

Here's a couple threads.

You may have seen them already.?

Link: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...column+forward

Link: https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=191143

[samert111]

Originally Posted by Loose Screw

Ok, I have gone through the threads and searched the www and I'm still not real sure.
All the manual shifter linkage is not used, I have a Lokar shifter.
This is a Frankintruck btw.

Can I get an inch or 2 between my gut and the steering wheel easy enough by just loosening a few bolts and pushing the steering wheel in? That's really the question.

Thanks!

Yes you can, but the steering intermediate shaft between the end of the steering column and steering gear has a slip joint that is plastic injection molded to hold it in place that will need to have the plastic removed so you can push the steering column down a couple inches thru the firewall. Just heat it with a torch and melt the plastic out then drill and pin the slip joint once you have the steering column where you want it.

Mine was an automatic converted to 4 speed manual and I also wanted a couple more inches between me and the steering wheel. I removed the neutral safety switch on the bottom of column at the firewall since I didn't need it anymore. Loosen the bracket under the dash and the clamp at the firewall engine side and slide it down to where you want it. I think 3" might be about the max you can get.

[Loose Screw]

Originally Posted by samert111

Yes you can, but the steering intermediate shaft between the end of the steering column and steering gear has a slip joint that is plastic injection molded to hold it in place that will need to have the plastic removed so you can push the steering column down a couple inches thru the firewall. Just heat it with a torch and melt the plastic out then drill and pin the slip joint once you have the steering column where you want it.

Mine was an automatic converted to 4 speed manual and I also wanted a couple more inches between me and the steering wheel. I removed the neutral safety switch on the bottom of column at the firewall since I didn't need it anymore. Loosen the bracket under the dash and the clamp at the firewall engine side and slide it down to where you want it. I think 3" might be about the max you can get.

Ok, I'm going to look into where that plastic is.
I hope that if my 1968 "3 in the tree" column has that plastic my Bernzomatic Ole Blu can get it hot enough! THANKS!

[samert111]

Originally Posted by Loose Screw

Ok, I'm going to look into where that plastic is.
I hope that if my 1968 "3 in the tree" column has that plastic my Bernzomatic Ole Blu can get it hot enough! THANKS!

That slip joint is actually there for the intermediate shaft to collapse in case of a front impact to keep the steering column from moving and pinning the driver.

You just need something to keep the slip joint from moving in or out. There is a small hole in the lower part of the intermediate shaft just below where the two halves come together. That is where they injected the plastic and on the upper half there is a void machined into it and the plastic fills that void. Once you have the plastic melted out and the shaft length where you want it after pushing the column thru, drill through that same small hole and use a soft shear pin to keep the intermediate shaft from changing length.

[58 Special]

Cut the intermediate shaft down how ever much you are moving the column toward the dash, redrill the shaft to maintain the collapsible safety feature of the column.