[SOLD] WTB- Manual Steering Coupler (used is fine)

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73SwingerBuild

73SwingerBuild

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Hey all,
I'm converting my '73 swinger from power steering to manual steering and I need a manual coupler for a 67-72 manual steering box (the one I ordered doesn't have one with it). I know the steering shaft needs to be changed too, and I have a steering shaft from a B-body powersteering application that should be the correct length (I'm willing to gamble for now- I believe the splines on the steering shaft should be the same between a, b, and e-bodies, so if you have one off an a-body, that should fit perfect. Feel free to correct me if you think I'm wrong. Young gun, still learning.
Please let me know if you have any extra couplers laying around and how much you want for it shipped to North Smithfield, RI (zip 02896). If not, where can these be bought (besides Jim's auto parts... I can't afford $140 for a coupler...)?
Thanks.

-Mike
 
I believe all that I need is a standard manual steering box coupler to a manual steering column. There shouldn't be any other discrepancies, based on what I've seen online, regardless of the column I use. Jim's Auto parts lists the same part number for A, B, and E-body manual steering applications...
 
I measured the 1972 B-body P/S column that I have and it comes out to ~43" with the coupler on the end. The A-body manual steering shaft is ~41-3/8", without the coupler. I think it will fit, but I can't experiment without a few simple parts that I think I can gather here...
If it does work, I will do a write-up on it because B-body power steering columns are a-dime-a-dozen while A-body manual column costs have gone up significantly.

Anybody?
 
Yeah, barracuda kid responded first so I sent him a PM, but Greg, you are an extremely close second. Give me a day to hear back from barracuda and I'll post back here.
Thanks all.
 
I am in the middle of converting my 73 to manual steering. I have a buddy that did the same on his scamp and said there is a way to bust out the nylon nipples in the column which will lengthen the column enough to use with the manual box. Basically I guess this eliminates the small crush zone the steering shaft has if involved in a wreck. This is I'm sure a very crude explanation, but I'll know more about it in a couple of weeks. I'm just waiting on my coupler that I bought here on FABO.
 
Yeah, if my B-body column doesn't fit, I'm willing to experiment with extending the A-body column. However, I'm fairly optimistic that the B-body column will work. Also, my B-body column is meant for a floor shift while my A-body column has the column-shift, so the conversion serves two purposes since I'm also converting to a four speed.
 
You should never extend the column. It weakens the joint of the two sections and if you are on rough road or hit a hole in the road it could fail causing you not to have any steering. Rigging a steering column is just not smart!
 
I have extended several columns and there is a trick to doing it correctly and safely. The column is solid from the bottom until about 4-6 inches up where it becomes hollow. If you cut the correct length of extension column off your donor car where it is hollow, then slide the hollow extension over the solid shaft, it will fit right against the factory weld! You simply reweld it there. If a qualified welder does the job, it will look like a factory manual column and will work like one as well. If you screw up the weld, oh well you're dead.
 
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