1965 Standard Column steering coupler

[Donald H.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Don, How did you install the 2 rivets?

Rich

I'll post some pictures later. I built a jig to hold the part and keep a tip on the rivet. I have actually improved this from when I did the pictures I posted. I use a pneumatic hammer and with a tip I modified to help shape the crushed side of the rivet.

Don

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Gary,

Hopefully these help.

Lawrence

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Don,
I noticed your restored coupler has what looks like the Dana Spicer emblem and a 2. My coupler has the emblem an a 3. Any idea what that means?

Lawrence

[Gary B.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Thanks everyone. Great photos and great stories!

Gary

[Gary B.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Lawrence,

The single digit number may be a mold number.

Gary

[Gary B.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

All,

I probably erred in previous posts when I called the ground strap a copper strap. In postings in 2008 and 2012 Jim Shea calls it a stamped brass ground strap. As you may know, Jim worked at Saginaw and if anyone knows what material the strap was made from, it would be Jim. I suppose there is a small chance that Jim misspoke, but I doubt it.

Gary

[Donald H.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

First, understand I try to make simple jigs/tools when need to do something that needs a jig or tool. My stuff is by no means highly finished or 'professional looking'. You can tell that for sure from my welding of the two pieces of the jig base.

I use an air hammer and bit to set the rivets. I modified the air hammer bit to get a bit of pattern on the rivet.

The first two pictures are of what the rivets look like now.

The third picture is of the jig I made to hold everything in place. I tried to do the rivets free hand, but it is hard to keep everything squeezed together and keep the hammer bit on the rivet.

The fourth and fifth pictures are of the bit showing the modified tip.

The sixth and seventh are with a rag joint in place to be riveted.

By the way, in the first picture you will note a hole in the middle of the jig. This is for the 67-69E rag joints. The rivets for them have a 'hat' like tip which I place in the hole to prevent damaging the hat. I flip the jig over when doing the 63-66 rag joints.

Don

[Donald H.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Another interesting factoid:

The 63-66 and 67-69E rag joints have the rubber rag riveted to what I will call the bottom side of the coupler. Then the sides are bolted together. As mentioned earlier, the 63-66 coupler used the same casting on both sides of the rag. As can be seen in Rich's photos the 67-69E uses different castings than the 63-66 on both sides.

What is interesting is the 65-66 telescoping steering uses a unique coupler. It has one of the 63-66 castings sides, and the lower side is the same as the lower side of a 67-69E; however, both sides are riveted.

I restore the couplers when I can find parts just to keep busy in my old age. I was thinking of doing one for telescopic steering since when you see one on eBay, the prices are outrageous ($700+).

Don

[Lawrence S.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Thanks Don

[James W.]

[Gary B.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

IMG_9545.jpg

Even knowing there should be a ground strap connecting the two coupler flanges, for the life of me I was never able to see the ground strap. Until today that is, when I unbolted the two coupler flanges and lo and behold there it was.

IMG_9549.jpgIMG_9566.jpg

[Donald H.]

[Richard M.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Years ago David Crane(Crane's Corvette in San Diego) and I were talking on the phone, discussing a big block water pump I bought from him, which was rebuilt by a rebuilder he uses. The bypass pipe was rusted pretty badly and he needed to know what I had to do to replace it, a pain. David always treated me well and the reason I maintained business with him. Pricey stuff, yes, but we'd haggle sometimes like we would at a swap meet. It was fun.

If you know David, he can be a "talker"! Not a fault of course, as I have that personal trait as well...lol.

Anyways, he tells me as a young man he worked at Saginaw, in the machining area in the manufacturing facility. He said it was amazing how many pumps and various castings he worked on. I recall him saying there were many flaws and many pieces were scrapped and sent back to the foundry to be recycled, remelted, and castings remade.

He also said that many castings had unreadable numbers or dates, and most were caused by the mold depressions for the characters not being cleaned properly, thus deeming them not recognized, but still usable.

I think this is the case here with the steering couplers, as all steering components like this were done in Saginaw.

Rich

[Gary B.]

Re: 1965 Standard Column steering coupler

Rich,

That would explain things.

Gaty

[Gary B.]