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I've been looking at a lot of the photos you guys have taken during the course of your builds - and several of you (Robin & Patrick at least) have chosen to mount the steering column using a home made adaptor plate rather than the Marlin supplied bolts and tubes.
Why is this?
Is it just to keep the column the right way up, so the ignition switch is on the right side, or is it more than that?
And - looking at the photos with the column mounted that way, how close is the plane of the column controls to the dashboard? It looks very tight...
I've been looking at a lot of the photos you guys have taken during the course of your builds - and several of you (Robin & Patrick at least) have chosen to mount the steering column using a home made adaptor plate rather than the Marlin supplied bolts and tubes.
Why is this?
Is it just to keep the column the right way up, so the ignition switch is on the right side, or is it more than that?
And - looking at the photos with the column mounted that way, how close is the plane of the column controls to the dashboard? It looks very tight...
Cheers,
Jason
I didn't get said tubes / bolts and missed the pictures of it installed like that so I just sort of made it up as I went a long. Also I found I didn't like the position of the wheel so it left me little choice but to make a custom plate.
I highly recommend getting your seats to test this out
The stalk adapters hit the dash and the wheel is very close to it. I'm thinking of dropping the stalk controls and putting a spacer on the wheel but I've not started on the interior fittings yet
I agree that its best to get your seats and drop the column to the desired driving position and then fix the column> this will also give a little more clearance between wheel and dash.The stalks are easy to bend forward to give more clearance, and the ignition barrel can be reversed if desired.
Just a note here guys.
I dropped the position of my column so the driving position was more comfortable and the ignition switch is on the right side but I ran into problems with the SVA as the angle of difference between the 2 column parts either side of the universal joint was under 10 degrees. I then had to fit a colapsable steering wheel boss to over come this.
I've tried mounting mine with and without the spacer tubes. Then I realised that without the tubes the column would be too high so settled for the long bolts and spacer tubes.
However, I like Stuart's advice above and I will now fit my seats next before finally deciding the best position. (Thanks Stuart)
My advice to Jason is...... just bolt it on loosely for now with the long bolts and spacers provided and finalise the position when you have your seats and scuttle fitted.
I first made up the adapter plate because I simply couldn't get the sterring column to fit - it semed too long. However, once I had fitted the exhaust manifold, and could see the path that the lower column should take, it became obvious that the hole in the bulkhead was in the wrong place. Once I "moved" it the column fitted much better and I probably don't need the adapter plate.
Interesting comment about the hieght from other builders.... Looks like I better get and fit my seats ASAP.
