Choices, choices, choices. Today's rodder has more than ever, enough to make his head spin like a Moon disc at Bonneville. You want air conditioning in your '32 Ford? No problem. Tilt steering? You got it. Heated seats? Hey, we can arrange that.
It's great to have options, but it can also seem overwhelming for those who subscribe to the KISS principle--you know, Keep It Simple, Stupid. That's the approach Todd Gold is taking with his Rod Bods '32 Ford. Though it's being built with all-new parts, the roadster follows the simple guidelines of an age-old rodding formula: stuff a big engine (in this case, a 500ci Cad) in a small car and forget the frills.
The back-to-basics theme will carry over to the roadster's cockpit, where there will be few accessories and no extraneous equipment. With that in mind, Todd had an easy time deciding to use a '40 Ford-style column and wheel from Lime Works Speed Shop. The choice was even more obvious when you consider that Todd's business, Streamline Hot Rod Parts, is a Lime Works dealer.
There's really not much more to say about a '40-style column--it's just a simple, classic design. Lime Works builds theirs with a 1 3/4-inch-diameter main tube (compared to a 1 1/2-inch original) so they can use flanged, double-sealed ball bearings instead of plastic bushings. The columns are offered in plain steel or polished stainless, in two lengths (30 and 33 inches), and with or without a horn option. The reproduction '40 DeLuxe wheel is another great design, one that looks perfect in a wide variety of rods. The Lime Works version is 16 inches in diameter--an inch smaller than a stock '40--to allow extra room in cramped hot rod cabins.
A few other parts were necessary to finish the installation, including an aluminum GMT column drop, a floor mount, and a short length of Double-D steering shaft with two universal joints from Flaming River. All told, the installation was relatively simple. Follow along and we'll show you how Streamline's Aaron Holdaway did it.
The primary parts for this...
The primary parts for this installation are a Lime Works column, wheel, and floor mount, plus a GMT column drop. All parts are available through both Lime Works and Streamline.
Steering should never be an...
Steering should never be an afterthought--it should be mocked up at the same time the suspension, engine, and other major components are being installed. This is especially true if you're using an unusual (or unusually large) engine like this 500-inch Cadillac.
Before cutting a hole for...
Before cutting a hole for the column, you'll need to consider things like engine clearance, steering...
...box location, driver position,...
...box location, driver position, and pedal placement.
The big Cad mill pretty much...
The big Cad mill pretty much dictated routing the column through the toeboard area as shown.
Aaron found that he needed...
Aaron found that he needed to trim the column drop to fit the contour of the Deuce dash. There's plenty of meat on it to allow for a little trimming with a bandsaw.
The column drop was also drilled...
The column drop was also drilled and tapped to accept studs for attaching it to the dash.
Then it was time to connect...
Then it was time to connect the pieces--column drop to the dash, and steering column to the column drop.
With the column mocked in...
With the column mocked in place, Aaron made a cardboard template to determine where, and how much, to trim the toeboard.
Aaron then transferred the...
Aaron then transferred the template dimensions to the Bitchin Products toeboard. He used a plasma cutter for initial trimming and a rotary file for fine tuning.
After some trial-fitting and...
After some trial-fitting and a few trips back to the grinder, the toeboard fit as it should. Screws hold it in place.
This is the "economy" floor...
This is the "economy" floor mount from Lime Works. Installation is pretty self-explanatory, and it will typically be hidden under carpet and insulation. Before cinching things down tight, you'll want to adjust the column's overall height (how much it protrudes through the floor) to suit the car's primary driver.
Once he was certain about...
Once he was certain about the column's location, Aaron moved under the car to link the column to the steering box. This should be easy if you've planned everything properly--just trim a Double-D shaft to the proper length and attach it using universal joints (these parts all came from Flaming River). And that's it! Now it's time to hop in, crank that wheel, and see if the tires turn. If you're lucky, you can test your car's newfound cornering ability by convincing your buddies to push you around the block!