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I want to update the sloppy old OEM '91 column I have to something new.
I will be wiring the car from scratch and will be using the Detroit Speed and Engineering wiper motor that has a separate dash mounted control.
I will not have any cruise control or anything like that.
So, given these parameters I was thinking of mounting a Jegs, Ididit, Summit Racing or Flaming River column in the car.
Has anyone seen this done on third gens? Oh I will also be making a custom gauge cluster as well as lower dash valance components. So the entire dash will be a lot of custom stuff. I don't want an old OEM column mucking it up.
Just want to see if anyone has any experience doing something like this on these cars. After reading and watching some vids from Ididit, it doesn't seem all that hard. You can even get columns with ignition switches. Figure I might just dash mount a start button though.
Find if anything is available yet. I did a quick search through Ididit and saw nothing as a direct replacement for a third gen. Only a third gen column will fit into a third gen so adapting a universal column is going to take some fabricating.
Nope, can't find anything. Figure I will go full custom then.
I don't want to use a crappy stock column.
If I go push button start, then I can pick up a new column for around $300.
Then there is just the issue of fabing up the mounts to mount it to the dash and seal it to the firewall. I can cut the base flange off my stock wheel and tack weld it to the new column. That would be the best way to achieve a clean install I think.
Seems crazy that I can't find other people that have done this. Maybe the car is not old enough yet.
My column isn't very street friendly so I can't really help. Mine is a stripped down non tilt third gen column. I'm only using the center shaft. I use a pillow block and some shaft stops to hold the shaft up and made a custom firewall bearing to move the shaft up and outward on the firewall so that the lower steering shaft can clear my headers. The steering wheel is attached to a quick release that's welded to the top of the steering shaft.
For a race car, it works just fine. For a street car, it would be an ugly hacked up mess.
I think the hardest part about adapting a custom shaft is at the firewall. It's the angle the shaft needs to sit at and the angle of the firewall. It's not like the firewall is a completely flat surface that the shaft bolts to. I have no idea how adaptable the aftermarket steering columns are.
If in doubt, contact Ididit, Flaming River etc and ask them if something is possible. I'm sure you're not the first one to ask them since these cars have been around for a while now.
Yeah, I will give all those companies a call when the time comes. Do as much searching as possible and then see what route is best. Feel like it will be custom, but who knows.
I am in the process of blasting the front clip and getting epoxy primer down now, so interior is a ways off. Just thought I would plant this thread as a seed and see if any ideas pop up as time for the interior gets closer.
There was a magazine article years back I thought of them using a flaming river or what not. I think it's a bunch of work and money for a small gain. Think it was Camaro performers.
Hey Tibo - Thanks for the heads up. I am not really looking for a "gain". I just want a clean install that provides a "new" experience that gets rid of the unused stocks from the OEM steering column. I am already making a custom gauge cluster (like I did in the past), so the dash will be modified to accommodate this gauge pod, just makes sense to update the column to match.
Still need to decide on what to do for finishing off the interior. Might just sand it all down, integrate my custom gauges and then add a little bondo to smooth it all out, then spray it with a few layers of paint to make it all look cohesive. Not sure. My brain is in metal paint mode these days. Will think of this more in the future.
Dennis, having worked for "The Worlds Largest Speed Shop" for many years I don't recall a direct bolt in column for a 3rd gen from any of our vendors, Reason being is that 3rd gens already have cruise, tilt, wiper, and ignition built into the OE column so aftermarket demand is way down. That said, if you do buy one stay with name brand like Flaiming River, Unisteer etc. and skip the much cheaper private label stuff as they are china and low quality. You get what you pay for. Clean up your old one and paint it, save yourself $500.00.
You could possibly have a thin collar machined. You could also use the cruise and wipers for switches. Popular to use them for nitrous or other items you want completely hidden.
Neat idea Tibo. Had never thought of using them for other stuff.
The more I build the car, the more I think it will just be a fun cruiser. Not sure I will be needing hidden anything.
I found an article on Ididit's or Flamming River's forum that showed a guy fitting a column into a G-body that was fully custom install. Def not super hard. Was not the cleanest install I had ever seen. The guy cut the lower mount for the firewall off the stock column and clamped it on. I mean geez a clamp. Like a hole clamp...
If I go that route I would do a series of very small tack welds then grind it smooth for a seamless mount. Same with the upper mount, or at least see if that is possible. If not, fabricate something. Seems like huge pain, but when making a custom build just the way you want, what isn't!
I will throw this into my larger build thread when the time comes. Thanks for the advice.
I have seen a stock column redone correctly for a clean and functional. Just for consideration, not anything specific against aftermarket columns. Replace the insides with new parts and powder coat where needed. Can shave the unneeded holes if desired. Couple of pictures from a truck forum on stock column rebuild. On this column owner is still looking for a new tilt lever to be finished but gives an idea. He did reuse some of the parts, so there was some rust pitting on couple of pieces but it is going to be covered.
Another alternative, similar to the g-body retro fit, flaming river and uniter sell universal columns by length. They also sell swivel ball mounts to attach column to firewall. You can get them tilt, non tilt, w/wo ignition switch.
Hey 83, that was what I was planning on doing but then the consensus here is that keeping the stocker is worth it.
I was going to build this up like a building an old '32 or something like that.
I was looking at the flaming river unit with the column drop, firewall ball joint mount and call it done.
Cost is up there, but for a NEW unit that gets rid of all the old 90s crap, it seemed like it might be worth it.
This is just a car I plan to put 100,000 miles on as I drive to work and stuff so I know its not NEEDED, but I do really like the idea of new components when it comes to parts that I touch and interact with as I drive.
Took a look at my stock steering column last night...
Thinking hard about its condition and what I really don't like about it.
I really just don't like all the writing on the lever that says functions the car doesn't have.
I still need the lever for my blinkers though.
Apart from that the column is in great shape (and of course, bolts right in).
So for now, I think I will start to look into the possibility of swapping the lever for something more simple, or maybe fill the end hole with resin, then sand an paint it black. Would much rather replace.
I really want a column that doesn't have so many dead levers.
My wipers will not be in there.
I no longer have cruise control, nor do I want it back.
I will not be running washer fluid...
Maybe you could get a turn lever for an older car and modify the end to snap back in place of the original to get rid of the unused functions ? Or just make just a plain lever turning some round stock.
11-01-2017, 12:18 PM
