1st drive of my 51 coupe today

[LazarusLong]

I finally got the 51 to the point where it is safe to drive,and took it out for a 30 mile or so spin today.

The good news is the flat 6 has plenty of power for highway driving. Had no trouble at all keeping up with 60-65 MPH traffic

It also had a really solid feel with nothing clanking or vibrating.

The bad news was the seat backs have been damaged at some time in the past,and if I want/need to put my back against the seat back I have to practically lay down,and there is so much slack in the steering box that steering it is a two-handed job. Which was tough to accomplish because I had to hold on to the vent window frame with one hand.

Anybody know where I can buy a steering box rebuild kit?

[Drbrown]

Did you try tightening up the adjusting screw on top of the steering box ? If that doesn't help check linkage and fittings.

[LazarusLong]

Not yet. I've been too busy trying to get other things done,but thanks for the suggestion.

I'm going to try to do that next week,along with taking the front seat out so I can see what I can do about fixing it,and if I do get it fixed,see about getting it upholstered.

I have a bucket seat out of a 60's El Darado to put in the car while the original seat is out. That way at least I will be able to use both hands on the wheel while driving instead of having to hang on t the vent window frame with my left hand to keep from falling over backwards. It will also give me more room to work under the dash and I can put it in and take it out by myself a lot easier than I can the long bench seat.

You can bet that both are on my "do as soon as possible" list,though

[4t8v8]

As Drbrown said, check the slack in the box. It is easily adjustable. Also check all your linkage and king pins as a little slop can cause big problems.

[39topless]

Originally Posted by LazarusLong

Not yet. I've been too busy trying to get other things done,but thanks for the suggestion.

I'm going to try to do that next week,along with taking the front seat out so I can see what I can do about fixing it,and if I do get it fixed,see about getting it upholstered.

I have a bucket seat out of a 60's El Darado to put in the car while the original seat is out. That way at least I will be able to use both hands on the wheel while driving instead of having to hang on t the vent window frame with my left hand to keep from falling over backwards. It will also give me more room to work under the dash and I can put it in and take it out by myself a lot easier than I can the long bench seat.

You can bet that both are on my "do as soon as possible" list,though

I love it: drive, shift and hold on to the vent window. Someday you'll look back on these days and smile. Keep up the good work.

[flathead4rd]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Adjusting the slotted screw on top of the box is not the way to take play out of the steering wheel. I just did this a couple of days ago. Loosen the lock nut and back off the slotted screw about two turns. Then get under the car and loosen the four bolts, just enough to allow movement of the steering box housing where the the steering shaft comes out of the box. Rotate the housing clockwise a very small amount (it helps to mark a reference point on the housing). About a 1/16" of an inch at a time. Check the slop in the steering wheel after each adjustment. I ended up moving it about 1/8" inch of rotation to eliminate about 4" of play in my steering wheel. When your happy with the amount of play you have re-tighten the four bolts. Check the play again. Then turn the slotted screw back in until it just touches and back it off a hair before tightening down the locking nut.

[LazarusLong]

Originally Posted by flathead4rd

Adjusting the slotted screw on top of the box is not the way to take play out of the steering wheel. I just did this a couple of days ago. Loosen the lock nut and back off the slotted screw about two turns. Then get under the car and loosen the four bolts, just enough to allow movement of the steering box housing where the the steering shaft comes out of the box. Rotate the housing clockwise a very small amount (it helps to mark a reference point on the housing). About a 1/16" of an inch at a time. Check the slop in the steering wheel after each adjustment. I ended up moving it about 1/8" inch of rotation to eliminate about 4" of play in my steering wheel. When your happy with the amount of play you have re-tighten the four bolts. Check the play again. Then turn the slotted screw back in until it just touches and back it off a hair before tightening down the locking nut.

Thanks for the detailed explanation. The Ford shop manual says the same thing,but didn't say why or explain why like you did.

I vaguely remember adjusting the play out of the steering box of my 51 Ford panel truck (this truck later became the original Grave Digger after I sold it for less than I had been offered to a "restorer" that turned around and sold it to Dennis Anderson to make a monster mud truck out of. The 53 Merc engine in it was sold for scrap) .

To the best of my memory all I did with that one was to jack both front wheels off the ground and then tighten the set screw to snug it up,and that worked like a charm for the next 6 years I drove the truck.

My memory ain't what it used to be,though.

As for the rest of the front suspension,we checked all that when we had it up on a lift to replace the gas tank,gas line,brake lines,brake hoses,brake shoes,wheel cylinders,master cylinder,starter,fuel pump,shocks,trans and rear end grease,and engine oil. Everything was good and tight,and other than the slack in the steering wheel,it feels like a new one going down the road. No vibrations,no looseness in the suspension,no rattles,nothing.

Other than having to drive it all the time to keep it in my lane,the biggest problem was the cloudy plastic over the gauges and maybe dust under the plastic that made it hard to see what the indicators were showing. I'm going to have to take the speedo cluster out and either polish up the plexiglass or find a NOS one because I'm pretty anal about checking the gauges and I can't deal with not being able to see them without stopping and getting out of the car and then leaning in to get close enough to make out the red indicators.

The speedo doesn't work either. The only instrument that doesn't. That doesn't bother me as much as not being able to see the temp and oil pressure gauges,though. I may end up buying a used housing to send out to get restored so I can place my gauges in it and be able to see them all.

I already have a ton of money into buying this car and bringing it back to life,so another couple of hundred doesn't mean anything at this point.

[flatford8]

Mac Vanpelt's website has this written out in detail. Along with a bunch of other info. You'll enjoy the reading..... MARK

[LazarusLong]

Originally Posted by flatford8

Mac Vanpelt's website has this written out in detail. Along with a bunch of other info. You'll enjoy the reading..... MARK

Thanks for the tip,Mark.

[49 Spinner]

I have about 7 inches of play on my 49 Tudor, not much fun driving on the crappy roads we have over here. My wife say's i always look a little tense when I'm cruising, shouldn't i be happy.

Anyway i pulled the box today and here is what i found, time for a rebuild.

The 1949-1951 Shoebox forum on Facebook has a great Shoebox community of friendly people as well.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/250134582087/

RB

[Hamtown Al]

Congratulations! The first ride is usually one of the best and always very memorable.
Keep workin'
Al