I put 1/2" spacers in between k-member & frame on mine just because that was
how I believe they were built by hurst. As far as I know it was only done to keep
the carbs under the hood. This was a ssb class rule from the way I understood it.
My car will not be using the factory cross ram manifold but I believe they may also help
with header or valve cover room? Not for sure on this from experience yet but I think I have
read or been told this.
My steering column went in with a very slight bind. Nothing bad but It was there.
Nothing you could feel when turning the wheel.
I shortened the outer column jacket 4 1/4" and like it there. The 2" suggested in
the authenticity guide didn't seem enough to me once installed so I cut it to where
it looked like some of the original cars I have seen in person. It may be as the tubes
of the headers got larger the columns got cut back further.
I bought the guide when it came out and still use it as a resource but have found
items that didn't mesh when studying the cars in person.
A lot of items mentioned are easy to obtain modern substitutes rather than what
came on the cars.
These cars also got modified by the racers as they evolved and their is not many
cars available to use as a reliable reference.
I went to the Hemi reunion in 08 to see with my own eyes how these cars were built
and a lot of my opinions on how the cars came are from looking at the cars and
talking to the owners and others who had done more research than I was able to do without
access to a original car. I took many pictures of the cars and am still learning as I
progress with my project.
Anyway here's what I came up with on the steering column.