41 steering column

M

mrcorvair

Senior Member
I just received an original 41 Merc steering assembly that was shipped.
It did not include the steering wheel so the top of the column was exposed.
The top of the column got bent by the shipper.
There are ribs and the bend was right over one of the ribs.
I assumed it was diecast and attempted to bend it with a padded plier.
That created a small crack.
So I then did something I wish I hadn't.
I gently heated it with a very small flame with an acetylene torch.
It melted like solder. AAAgh! The column is unique to Mercury as it is longer than the Ford one. I have an extra Ford column.
So now my question. Can the top of the column be removed from the tube?
If so--How? I could then replace the Merc top with the Ford one.
 
May be some other way; but when I switched top bells on a '40 column. I cut the steel tube with a carbide burr on the inside of the good bell and cut the diecast bell off the outside of the good tube. I had to "hone" the inside of the bell a little to slip over the good tube and then I coated both pieces with a thin layer of JB Weld, slid them together, and wiped off the excess JB. Worked for me.
 
A word of advise for anyone that might consider using an open flame torch to heat cast metal up..DON'T.. The cast metal will be gone in a wink of an eye.
If you feel that heat on the cast metal part would assist with the removal and/or straightening of the cast part USE An ELECTRIC HEAT GUN.. The electric heat gun will supply all of the heat the cast part can withstand, with no damage to the cast metal and/or chrome.
The use of an electric heat gun to remove body trim clips and/or bolts/nuts on trim, emblems works very well.
A master body repairman relayed the above info to me many years ago..
 
The 41 Merc column is longer than the Ford column.
The steering lock and start button assembly are unique to the early 41Merc.
Getting it off the column will not be easy.
 
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