Can anyone advise me on which is the best column available relating to being collapsible that will fit an FC. I will be fitting a 202 engine and the engineer requires the column to collapse due to the engine capacity being larger than 200 cubes. The car is currently fitted with a HR column.
I'm pretty sure the only real modification required to fit an HKTG column is realigning 1 hole where the steering box bolts to the chassis rail, though I could be confusing this with EH or HR column. Perhaps someone will confirm that?? HKTG is collapsible.
John,
I've never heard of that requirement before. Plenty of early Holdens with 202s in them with original steering columns. I'd be asking another engineer. If you don't already have the 202 then I would be thinking long and hard about going 186/192 instead.
FC229 is correct though, that's how you make a HK-T-G column (the earliest collapsible ones) fit.
cheers
RET
I have a friend with an FJ with 202 and his engineer wanted a collapsable column fitted.
I have a LC Torana column in my Chev powered sedan.
cheers Scott
Some years ago when I built a very much modified FX, I used a HT Column and adapted the FX steering box to suit. It was simply a matter of cutting the shaft and outer tube where it comes out of the box (leaving the shaft about 35 mm longer than the outer tube) and machining a flat on it to take the HT flexible coupling. Where the outer tube was cut I simply found a seal of the correct dimensions and fitted it to the box. It passed rego inspection without hassles and worked fine.
Cheers
Jock
If you are using a steering box, then any of these (even original FC) can be cut off and have Torana uni fitted.
Once you have the uni joint then any collapsible column can be adapted to fit.
HKTG steering box is not easy to fit to FC (the HR is the one which needs one hole realigning)
Conversely, an original column can be cut at the bottom and have a uni fitted then adapt a rack to the bottom of it.
Have you ever had a look at Kev O'Neils 350 Chev FE with original column and steering wheel?
A beautiful job indeed !
Ken
Thanks to all for the great advice, this is what makes this club so superior and a pleasure to be associated with.
Many Thanks
John Pisani
I had mine modified by Rod (Rods Racks), he grafted a VL bottom section on, and even modified mine to take convert to a column shift auto.
He did a great job, can get you his details if you like (He is in QLD).
Cheers
Mike
Many thanks great help.
John