Vertical steering columns

[Laplander]

After bugging a friend of mine for the last 12 years, he's finally decided to sell me his old T-bucket. It had been at least 7 or 8 years since I last saw it, and after looking at the pics he sent me, it dawned on me it's got that older straight up and down steering column. How involved is it to switch over to one that goes thru the firewall? Or is there really any benefit to switching it over? Any of you guys the know the pros and cons to the vertical steering column?
Thanks.

 

[Ted Brown]

YES!!!! WAYYYYYYYYYYY to close to the family jewels for the first thing.. and too hard to get in and out with it in your way, and the safest steering wheel is as close to a stock wheel as you can get it... Things happen in an instant, you react the same way, so steering correctly when not thinking is a very needed operation, in my HO.... :tip: plus usually the pitman are hangs way too low in that type of steering also, not good at all...

 

[rooster57]

After bugging a friend of mine for the last 12 years, he's finally decided to sell me his old T-bucket. It had been at least 7 or 8 years since I last saw it, and after looking at the pics he sent me, it dawned on me it's got that older straight up and down steering column. How involved is it to switch over to one that goes thru the firewall? Or is there really any benefit to switching it over? Any of you guys the know the pros and cons to the vertical steering column?
Thanks.

Its all about foot room. Set in it and imagine the column just to the left of the brake pedal. You could even moc it up using a cardboard tube just to get a feel for the new position.

 

[Ted Brown]

YES!!!! WAYYYYYYYYYYY to close to the family jewels for the first thing.. and too hard to get in and out with it in your way, and the safest steering wheel is as close to a stock wheel as you can get it... Things happen in an instant, you react the same way, so steering correctly when not thinking is a very needed operation, in my HO.... :tip: plus usually the pitman arm hangs way too low in that type of steering also, not good at all...

 

[Laplander]

So does someone offer a kit to switch it over, or is this going to be a fab my own kind of deal? Has anyone done the conversion in a tech article? Here's a pic of it in all it's 12 years of slumber glory. It's probably going to be a month or so till my other friend brings it halfway across the country for me, so that gives me a little time to gather needed parts. Whenit gets here, where would I look for an i.d tag to see who made the body?

 

[Rick]

So does someone offer a kit to switch it over, or is this going to be a fab my own kind of deal? Has anyone done the conversion in a tech article? Here's a pic of it in all it's 12 years of slumber glory. It's probably going to be a month or so till my other friend brings it halfway across the country for me, so that gives me a little time to gather needed parts. Whenit gets here, where would I look for an i.d tag to see who made the body?

Usualy there are no marks to tell who made the body.It will look cute with the snow blade on it,LOL

 

[Gerry]

After bugging a friend of mine for the last 12 years, he's finally decided to sell me his old T-bucket. It had been at least 7 or 8 years since I last saw it, and after looking at the pics he sent me, it dawned on me it's got that older straight up and down steering column. How involved is it to switch over to one that goes thru the firewall? Or is there really any benefit to switching it over? Any of you guys the know the pros and cons to the vertical steering column?
Thanks.

Just a couple of things. I have a rack, not a steering box so no pitman arm to hang low. I have seen many Ts with so little clearance on the pitman it frightens me.. Hangs just below the chassis and has more clearance than the flex plate or the sump. Also i have chain drilled the front of the column where it is bolted to the chassis in order for it to fold more easily if my jewels head that way.
Ignore the weld it was ground out and redone by a bud whos a certified welder. Cant take a chance on steering
Call me old fashioned but I think the vertical is part of a Bucket. It also keeps the firewall nice and clean plus the extra leg room. Only my opinion... go with what you feel comfortable with
gerry

 

[Old Rotor Flap]

I actually never thought of plowing snow with a T - not enough ground pressure with those big rears. I wonder if my wife will loosen the purse strings a bit if I suggest we get a plow?........ 400 foot driveway should help the sell.

When I was about sixteen, I went to a car show and saw a T with vertical steering and I've loved T's ever since. One of these years I might have one.

 

[Laplander]

Usualy there are no marks to tell who made the body.It will look cute with the snow blade on it,LOL

Don't laugh, that snow blade is what finally convinced my friend to sell it to me. He ran out of room for all his 4 wheelers and motorcycles.

 

[putz]

Look at it this way when you have to steer the center bolt on the steering wheel gets in the way. Not safe in my book if you have to steer quick.JMO

 

[fordsbyjay]

I would drive it first and see how you like it. I had a friend in high school that had one like that and at the time I didn't see anything wrong with it. You could do a normal steering wheel to avoid the center getting in your way. Put one of those old fashioned steering wheel knob thingies on it and you will be able to spin it as fast as you need.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Just a couple of things. I have a rack, not a steering box so no pitman arm to hang low. I have seen many Ts with so little clearance on the pitman it frightens me..

Jerry do you have a conventional rack in there and essentially just connect to one end of it? I was thinking about doing something like that because I don't like the feel of my steering box.

 

[Gerry]

Jerry do you have a conventional rack in there and essentially just connect to one end of it? I was thinking about doing something like that because I don't like the feel of my steering box.

Well sort of conventional. And yes only one end is connected, but the rack is angled to the chassis to give a straight push to the steering arm when the front wheels are straight. The rack came from a small roundy roundy race car but is based around a Triumph Herald (60 car with a huge steering lock lock on it). There is a VERY small rack on a Japanese panel van which is called a Rascal over here. This van is about the size of a BBC and if I remember the rack is like 7 or 8'' long.
There has been some machining on my rack which includes screw cutting one end to take a ring nut which tightens up and secures the rack front to back. If you need more info just send me a message
Gerry

 

[putz]

Well sort of conventional. And yes only one end is connected, but the rack is angled to the chassis to give a straight push to the steering arm when the front wheels are straight. The rack came from a small roundy roundy race car but is based around a Triumph Herald (60 car with a huge steering lock lock on it). There is a VERY small rack on a Japanese panel van which is called a Rascal over here. This van is about the size of a BBC and if I remember the rack is like 7 or 8'' long.
There has been some machining on my rack which includes screw cutting one end to take a ring nut which tightens up and secures the rack front to back. If you need more info just send me a message
Gerry

I think I found a pic of one looks small. I think it is made by suzuki

 

[Gerry]

I think I found a pic of one looks small. I think it is made by suzuki

I think your right. Its so sweet and so small it opens up a whole new world of steering. The difference between a box and a rack when it comes to 'on the road experience' is like chalk and cheese'. If you can use one of these and it just takes a little bit of thought. the driving experience is sooooo much better. Thats why all modern manufacturers use racks. Looks like mounting it should be a breezeio. Its even got a clevis at the end. You may find that you need a right hand steering one as the one I played with needed reversing, but I am not sure about this as it was a LONG time ago.

 

[fordsbyjay]

Just a couple of things. I have a rack, not a steering box so no pitman arm to hang low. I have seen many Ts with so little clearance on the pitman it frightens me.. Hangs just below the chassis and has more clearance than the flex plate or the sump. Also i have chain drilled the front of the column where it is bolted to the chassis in order for it to fold more easily if my jewels head that way.
[attachment=4691:rack-and-col-mount.jpg] Ignore the weld it was ground out and redone by a bud whos a certified welder. Cant take a chance on steering
Call me old fashioned but I think the vertical is part of a Bucket. It also keeps the firewall nice and clean plus the extra leg room. Only my opinion... go with what you feel comfortable with
gerry

Sorry to bug you Gerry but do you have any pics where the drag link (?) attaches to the rack and goes under the frame?

Thanks, Jason

 

[roadmonster]

If you don't like vertical wheels (I don't), traditional steering with a reversed Corvair box is still a viable option. I hear complaints about it, but my T tracks and steers like a dream with it. It looks good, the Pitman arm is high, drag link short. I filed 4 new splines so the Pitman arm can be clocked vertically. Column is early GM tilt/telescope which is simply awesome in a T. Very reasonable 45' angle feels just like a regular car.

Everything for this setup can be found by shopping around. No real fab, just order the right size tubes and hardware. Do not over-adjust the steering box, there will be a little play in the wheel. Run a tiny bit of toe-in or it will "float" and keep you busy with the wheel. With toe-in it will track hands-off at any speed.[attachment=4725:steering box.jpg]

 

[roadmonster]

If you don't like vertical wheels (I don't), traditional steering with a reversed Corvair box is still a viable option. I hear complaints about it, but my T tracks and steers like a dream with it. It looks good, the Pitman arm is high, drag link short. I filed 4 new splines so the Pitman arm can be clocked vertically. Column is early GM tilt/telescope which is simply awesome in a T. Very reasonable 45' angle feels just like a regular car.

Everything for this setup can be found by shopping around. No real fab, just order the right size tubes and hardware. Do not over-adjust the steering box, there will be a little play in the wheel. Run a tiny bit of toe-in or it will "float" and keep you busy with the wheel. With toe-in it will track hands-off at any speed.[attachment=4725:steering box.jpg]

 

[roadmonster]

Here is the GM tilt wheel. I love the column shift, which allows you to have a clean floorboard. I shortened it and bent it up for extra kneeroom and added the 8-ball knob. Sweet.

 

["The Bat" out of hell]

We're all shaped def,so fit and your own likes is what it's about.
Drive it first and see how ya fit and it feels,there all kinds of things that can be done to feel good.
I happen to like vertical steering a lot,feels great to me,I used a stock Modal 30 "A" wheel and my column has a small"V" brace from dash out to it