Obscure steering parts question

[M2obsession]

I have a 1930 Model A that was originally sold in May of 1931 in New Zealand.

The car has a RHD steering rack, nothing strange there, but it is a 7 tooth box that I read is not uncommon for cars as they transitioned from the 7 tooth to the two tooth.

Even though I’ve got the 7 tooth rack, the steering rod has a machined keyway like what would come with a 2 tooth box, and the steering shaft is 45.5” long, end to end.

Has anyone seen anything like this before or know of a replacement steering shaft (with or without the worm)?

Thanks
Matt

 

[KMBeers]

As far as I know the original factory Ford Model A 7-tooth steering boxes universally used a splined upper steering shaft and a corresponding splined steering wheel. Not sure if the right hand version had a key. The tapered / keyed shaft was not introduced on LHD until the 2 tooth was introduced. Perhaps other here in the barn have some different information.

 

[Joe K]

Very obviously Ford "adapted" to use 7 tooth parts of possibly earlier production against 2 tooth parts of more recent production.

Your key is in what you have - provided it is "functional." It certainly could be used as "model" to reproduce the part yourself - you know what you have in your hand.

The two shafts are available, either in their original used form, or in reproduction. Your issue, in common with most two tooth setups, is in total length of the shaft - to get proper "stick out" for mounting the wheel. This is where what you have is valuable.

I imagine your single most valuable dimension is the distance from the lower snap-ring groove (7 tooth) to the top thread/taper/key at the top. (2 tooth) Everything else falls within the dimensional "footprint" of the respective shafts.

Welding everything together and keeping the parts "collinear" will be a challenge. You don't want to set up a "step juncture" on the IDs which will hang up the light switch tube. Drills in lengths up to 16" exist which kind of suggest putting your joint closer to one end than the other - a mis-match of IDs could be drilled out and made collinear with a long drill.

Joe K