Steering column conversion

Sam

Ah well, perseverance furthers!! Now, about the collapsible column,
we got them starting in '68. Easiest way to recognise them is to
look under the dash at the clamp (just below speedo area).
Collapsible column models have a much meatier looking clamp than the
earlier models (I just happen to have one of each sitting
around...), and the steering wheel is pretty much the same. You
should know that our models and the models sold in the states differ
in a lot of details- we got the so-called export model, which meant
we got niceties such as disk brakes and missed out on that plastic
dash pad around that time. The collapsible column is just an
expanded metal tube at the bottom of the column, along with
plastic(?) fittings securing the column to the underside of the
dash. Idea of these was they would be a weak link that would shear
in the event of the driver impacting the wheel. So there you have
it, not something I've ever worried about to be honest, but hope it
helps the deliberations!

cheers

Gerard

samf wrote:
>
>
> Hi Gerard! The '69 I was checking out definitely didn't have the
> collapsible column, unless they'd somehow retrofitted the old wheel
> onto the new column. (I wish there was an easy way to do that...)
>
> As for the Beetle itself, the owner has been continuously out or on
> the 'Net when I call, and he won't reply to my emails. I'll try
> again soon I guess. Also I'm waiting for Philip from the Oval
> Registry to give me some more info; brian-in-nz passed on an email
> addy and a contact number a little while back. I'll post back as
> soon as I know anything new.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Sam F.
>
> Gerard wrote:
>>
>> Sam
>>
>> Pretty sure the NZ model '69 had the collapsible column- another
>> reason to buy it!!! How are the negotiations going?
>>
>> cheers
>>
>> Gerard
>>
>>
>> Craig T wrote:
>>>
>>> samf wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Has anyone here owned a Beetle/type 3 with the late-model
>>> collapsible
>>>> steering column? I'm just wondering in what year these were
>>>> introduced, and how hard it is to fit them to earlier model cars (if
>>>> anyone has tried that either). And finally, is it worth the
>>>> bother??
>>>>
>>>> Sam F.
>>>>
>>> I have done this to my 57 on a 70 chassis. The early wheel would
>> not
>>> mount to the late column, but I was not concerned with that. The
>>> worst part is securing the column inside the car. I had a couple
>>> parts cars lying around at the time and just removed the parts from
>>> the late model and adapted them to the early car body. (drill a
>>> couple holes, etc) It was a fairly easy thing to do. I am not
>>> entirely sure when they started the collapsable column...69? I could
>>> look that up easy enough, but I am running out of time. Craig
>>>
>>
>>
>
>