shortened steering column

[weddo]

Hi all,
Does any one know if it is possible to shorten an FC steering column, including gear change tube, selectors etc.
If some one has done it before are there any pics or directions to help me. I still wan't to keep the FC look and column change.

regards
Weddo

[Bob_FC_Ute]

Hi Weddo
I used a column out of a FB/EK manual. The column was short by a few inches and didn't require any machining. The wiring for the horn and blinkers was almost the same. I would not be hard to measure.
Regards Bob

[NO NAME]

why do you want to shorten a Fc colum when there is a range of bolt in colums in shorter lengths?

[RET]

Uh, 'cos he said he wanted to retain the FC look and column change?

The FB/EK column is a bolt-in swap, 2" shorter than FC. (The FB/EK wheel is dished so that the rim is in the same spot relative to the driver.) The honeypot is a bit different, but you could re-work the FE/FC bits if you really wanted the FC gear-stick.

I do know of someone who has cut and shut an FC column as you're describing. Let me know if you want to go down that path and I can put you in touch with him.

cheers
RET

[mcl1959]

If you want to retain the FC wheel - when you shorten the column, there wont be a lot of room for your legs.
As RET says the FB column is shorter but the wheel is dished and is roughly in the same position as the original FC wheel- this was a safety improvement to help stop the driver being impaled on the column. I don't think you can shorten an FC column and retain the FC wheel by more than 2 inches before leg clearance becomes an issue.
Most FB columns work best with a flat dished sports wheel since the diameter of the wheel is smaller and this gives you the leg clearance.
Kevin O'Neill in the Vic club has a V8 FE and has grafted the top of an FC column onto the bottom of a Torana rack and has kept the FE wheel in stock position and interior wise the car looks pretty stock, so anything can be done.

Ken

[weddo]

Thanks for the comments guys,
I do have the option of bolting in a shorter column and have been down that path with other FC's, but I would like to keep the originality of the FC columm in this one, albeit I do have a sports steering wheel.
RET, I would appreciate any info you can forward

regards
Weddo

[Kat58]

We used a EK column in th wagon with a fc wheel,looks factory.I chucked a hr column in for kat first up
but th wheel sat too low and my spare EK column work's a treat with plenty of leg space tho it does have camry buckets with adjustable ride hieght and yes i'm over 6ft.