 The steering column was installed into the mounting flange first. This was done with the panel in place on the floor. It fits snug and required a bit of twisting to make it slide in easier. Once it was in I realized I'd forgotten the lower clamp and 2 bolts for the column drop outside the car. I slowly let go of the panel and guess what? It held the column and steering wheel in place without the use of a column drop! I didn't want to risk cracking it so I took the whole panel out and set it up like this while I got the column drop pieces. |
Remember the tape on the floor? Here's what I was talking about. This photo is taken looking down through the front windshield. The column lines up with the tape as a guide to what's really straight. Works pretty good huh? The center of the column to doorjamb measurement is 8 1/2-inches and I still have 3-inches of wheel-to-door clearance.
Here's what it looks like in the engine compartment. I had to lighten this photo a little so you could see the detail better. Photographing something black in a dark hole isn't as easy as it may sound.
The end result is both sturdy and clean looking. This photo shows the new column mount brace that spans along the bottom edge of the dash.
The mounting flange on the toe-board is tight enough to keep water and fumes from entering. It should be easily covered by insulation and carpet.
Things aren't looking too bad from this angle either.