Steering box mystery

[Heard]

Hello fellow Barners! I need a steering box sleuth to educate me a bit.

During this LONG restoration of my '35 pickup I decided to put a '40 steering box in so I bought one from someone a long time ago. Somehow, I ended up with two '40 boxes or so I thought. I have no recollection of where the 2nd box came from. I also ended up with 3 horn rods. I have the original '35 from the pickup and 2 '40 rods. One of the rods I bought separately without the steering box.

Well, I finally got around to rebuilding it and during the rebuild of the box with new gears, etc. I discovered that one of the bottom plates is different. Specifically, the little tube that is attached to the bottom plate is a different diameter as you can see in the attached photos.

All of the horn rods I have are the same diameter of about .375. As you can see, there is no way any of these rods are going to go through that small diameter tube. The brass tube works perfectly.

So....my question is, when did Ford make smaller diameter horn rods or is it possible that this is Mercury or ??? The boxes seem to be identical except for these tubes.

Thanks,
Heard

[deuce lover]

40's do not have a rod but a wire that goes down the worm shaft from the horn button.Here on Ebay what it looks like
https://www.ebay.com/itm/295967427521

[rotorwrench]

They moved the light switch to the dash in 1940.

[Heard]

Oh...makes perfect sense now. So I must have one '40 box and one '39 or earlier box. And all of the horn rods I have are pre- '40.

Thanks, guys.

[Heard]

Well, after thinking about this 'wire down the shaft' comment, I am now wondering how they keep from wearing the insulation off the wire after you have made a few thousand turns of the steering wheel. Seems like you might have permanent horn at some point.

[flatford8]

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When you’re driving, you have to remember to take as many left turns as you do rights!!.......No really, I have a ‘50 and a ‘51 with the horn wire that is routed down the steering shaft and it’s never been a problem......Honk Honk......Mark

[Andy]

The brass tube is for use with a horn rod. You can add a bracket and retain the switch at the box. The steel tube is for use with the wire setup.
The brass one is very sought after.

[deuce lover]

barnfind 08, Southside Obsolete in MN, on here has those NOS

[Heard]

Originally Posted by flatford8

When you’re driving, you have to remember to take as many left turns as you do rights!!.......No really, I have a ‘50 and a ‘51 with the horn wire that is routed down the steering shaft and it’s never been a problem......Honk Honk......Mark

HaHa!! I can remember my dad always saying he was going to invent a car that only turned right.

[Ol' Ron]

A Toyota steering from the 70;s has the inpit shaft to the Left of the output shaft. Giving moore clearance to the exhaust manifold in the early cars. Not very expensive.
Gramps