still confused-manual to power conversion shaft

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ppsi

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I should have gotten clear on this but I am going from manual column shift to a power/console in my 65 Dart. I have read a lot of posts about conversions but still am unsure about mine. It is not a collapsible column. Do I need to lengthen the shaft or make it shorter? Are the ends for both manual and power the same in 1965? Any help is appreciated.
Thanks-Howard
 
Manual steering to power steering conversion requires a shorter center shaft in the column and a different coupler. I would recommend swapping the shaft with the correct one instead of cutting and welding. A bad weld could be fatal.
 
Do you happen to know what year(s) I could use for a 65? I seem to recall a lot of posts regarding collapsible and non-collapsible columns being incompatible.
Can you tell me what you are calling the coupler? Is this the servicable part with the pin and plastic? If it is a matter of a difference in the splines on the end of the shaft then I can cut a manual shaft and mill the proper splines in the end of it or, if this was not practical maybe I could take the end off the power steering shaft and turn a "male" pin so it would mate with the PS shaft "female" hole I could bore in it and then pin the two together with a taper pin. This would be as strong as a single unit and I could even weld the ends of the taper pin to be 100% sure it wouldn't come out AND bevel/weld where the two parts meet. I would have faith in this much more than a simple butt weld.
Thanks-Howard

cudamark said:
Manual steering to power steering conversion requires a shorter center shaft in the column and a different coupler. I would recommend swapping the shaft with the correct one instead of cutting and welding. A bad weld could be fatal.
Click to expand...
 
ppsi said:
Do you happen to know what year(s) I could use for a 65?
Click to expand...

If swapping the complete column, interchange is 64 to 66 and possibly 63 but not sure on that.

ppsi said:
I seem to recall a lot of posts regarding collapsible and non-collapsible columns being incompatible.
Click to expand...

The collapsible columns were used starting in 68 or 69 and are not compatible with the early As
 
get a column from a pre 65 auto A body with the push buttons in the dash and you should be okay if your not going with power stearing (shorter shaft)....okay?
 
I have a pretty nice little column for an early A.
 
ppsi said:
Do you happen to know what year(s) I could use for a 65? I seem to recall a lot of posts regarding collapsible and non-collapsible columns being incompatible.
Can you tell me what you are calling the coupler? Is this the servicable part with the pin and plastic? If it is a matter of a difference in the splines on the end of the shaft then I can cut a manual shaft and mill the proper splines in the end of it or, if this was not practical maybe I could take the end off the power steering shaft and turn a "male" pin so it would mate with the PS shaft "female" hole I could bore in it and then pin the two together with a taper pin. This would be as strong as a single unit and I could even weld the ends of the taper pin to be 100% sure it wouldn't come out AND bevel/weld where the two parts meet. I would have faith in this much more than a simple butt weld.
Thanks-Howard
Click to expand...
The center shaft out of a '63-6 with it's coupler will fit. A whole column will work too but you have to swap the floor plate. The coupler is the part that actually slides over the splines of the steering gears' imput shaft.
 
So can anyone tell me what is different about the couplers for the manual and the power steering? I assume the splines and/or diameter?
Thanks-Howard
 
ppsi said:
So can anyone tell me what is different about the couplers for the manual and the power steering? I assume the splines and/or diameter?
Thanks-Howard
Click to expand...

Have been gathering parts for this same swap.....Manual to power on a 66. I think the diameter of the shaft from the steering box is larger on the manual setup.
 
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