Tranny Shifting

[Deleted User]

I'm thinking about using the original steering column in my 50 Pacemaker with the power rack & pinion set-up. I remember seeing a product that was a push button electronic shifter that you could use instead column/floor shifter. Now I can't seem to find it (old age getting to me!) and as I remember it was only around $600-700 for the set-up, which is cheaper than a FR custom steering column with shifter. Anyone got any ideas?



A guy on another forum said he uses a GM truck column in his 1950 Pacemaker. I've asked him to let me know if he made a custom cover to hide the mounting bracket or does it just show.



Jay

mrsbojigger

Jay,

Are you thinking of the "Smart Shift" by Mooneyes? It is priced at $695. Check out www.mooneyes.com

Their ad shows up in some car magazines too.

Chaz

Unknown

I was thinking of putting in some power bucket seats and building a center console and then it would be easy to put the shifter in the console, along with stereo and some guages.

[Deleted User]

You the man Chaz! Guess my darn memory is just going by the wayside lately. And Jim, the website shows a mounting in a center console.....looks great. Just seems to solve a couple issues for me.........keeping the stock steering wheel/column......and having a push button shifter.



Though, check this out, I didn't necessarily want to put a center console in, what if I put it on a plate that could fold out from under the dash. Wouldn't that be cool!?!



Jay

mrsbojigger

Jay,

The swing down shift controls sound great! You are only limited by your imagination.



As for the GM steering column, I did a lot of measuring when building my '47 Ford and now the '51 Hudson. The late '60's and early '70's GM trucks are ergonomically very similar to the interiors of '40's and '50's cars. On the '47 Ford I used a 72 Chevy truck steering column, gas pedal, swinging brake pedal with dual master cylinder and the emergency brake system under the dash. On my Hudson that I am building I am using an S-10 emergency brake system and the swinging pedal brake setup with dual master cylinder from a '72 Chevy pickup.

Have fun,

Chaz

mrsbojigger

Jay, I found this photo of under dash parts from 72 Chevy pickup. As you can see all 3 parts work.

Chaz

[Deleted User]

I can't tell Chaz, but is that a tilt column? Do all the pedals hang from the same assembly, or do they mount independantly to the firewall? Did you custom make the bracket holding the column to the dash? Want's the S-10 emergency brake system, I'm not familiar with it. Does it use rear disc brakes or drum?



I know I'm asking alot of questions, so I hope you don't mind! :-)



Jay

[Deleted User]

Oh Chaz, are you going to use the stock column in the Hudson?



Jay

mrsbojigger

Hi Jay,

FIRST, Let me add a disclaimer here. I was and I still am on a VERY tight budget and used parts that I could find very cheap or free. Most have to be modified some way. The '47 convertible is a prime example. It consistantly wins over cars costing 4 times as much. It's won best in show, quite a few 1st places and even a 1st place in a national car show. How do I know the costs of other cars? I asked the owners of the other cars what they had in them. I have to make do with what I've got.

Now for your questons.



'47 Ford convertible:

1. All assemblys are separate. I prefer the 69-72 Chevy truck parts. Any replacement parts are readily available such as rubber pads and plastic bushings, etc. If you use them, get one with power brakes. The brake pad will be wider.



2. Steering column on convertible is 72 Chevy but not tilt. Remember cheap is the key word. Also, why would I need tilt if I am the only one driving it? This one cost me about $20 as opposed to the $400 to $500 for a new tilt one. Besides a lot of engineers have already had their input into designing the cabs and relationships of interior parts. If you want inexpensive with tilt possibly try a company in Idaho that refurbishes Chevy truck tilt colums.



3. The steering column bracket is hand made. I used a piece of cardboard and made a template. Bent the metal in my vice. Look at the previous picture that I sent in the other thread. That lower horizontal part of the dash was constructed from sheet metal that I took to my friends A/C shop and they bent it on their metal brake. Also, the part of the dash that goes around the A/C control switches is made from the shroud of a BRIGGS & STRATTON LAWNMOWER ENGINE. Couldn't tell by looking could you.



Hudson:

1. Will I be using stock column. No, probably not. The reason is here again cost of updating my car. I purchased a COMPLETE front clip and rear end from an '80 Camaro which I will be using. This gives me disk brakes & power steering. This gives me the freedom to do something different if I want. Price of the complete front clip? $125 and they even thru in the dual master cylinder. Will send pic if interested.



2. I could possibly use the stock column by cutting off the steering sector at the bottom and making the end of the shaft a double "d" fitting so that connects to the Camaro p/s sector shaft.



3. There are a lot of clearance problems when using a swing pedal assembly in the engine compartment area. Be very careful measure twice before doing anything. I was forced to build a new flat firewall and did away with the diagonal braces. The new firewall was necessary in my case because the car is a total rust bucket and most of the lower portion of the firewall was rusted away.



4. The S-10 is a late model mid-sized Chevy truck.



Photos of pedal and emerg brake