No Limit Engineering's latest work on the 28th Annual F-100 Supernationals giveaway truck focuses on the cab. No Limit recently fashioned a center hump dashboard, dubbed Cyclops, out of the BeBop's fiberglass dash. In last month's issue of CCT, No Limit fabricated a custom trans hump from raw sheetmetal to cover the Tremec manual transmission.
At the same time, Rob MacGregor, No Limit's fearless leader, installed the truck's steering column. Instead of opting for a pure off-the-shelf item, No Limit contacted the steering column specialists, ididit. Given the F-100's Ford Racing theme, No Limit wondered if ididit could provide a brushed-aluminum, black-anodized tilt steering column. Knowing ididit, we would have been surprised if they had said no. Thanks to No Limit's idea, hobbyists can now custom-order a black-anodized, brushed-aluminum column for their truck. Everyone at ididit liked the racing-oriented, blacked-out look so much they added the item to their special-request product list.
Rather than describing how cool the custom column looks, why don't you see for yourself? Watch over No Limit's shoulder to see how to install an ididit tilt column in a custom classic pickup. By doing so, you're bound to get some stylishly smart ideas.
Rather than a brushed aluminum...
Rather than a brushed aluminum or polished aluminum tilt steering column, No Limit asked ididit if they could provide a black-anodized column. Creating a new product and a great look for the Ford Racing-themed F-100 giveaway truck, ididit's tilt column was installed in two hours. You'll find out how by following along.
After making a reference mark...
After making a reference mark on the center of the toeboard, Rob drilled out an opening 10 inches on center from the mark. The bottom portion of the ididit column will mount here.
The top of the ididit column...
The top of the ididit column will be 14 inches from the dashboard's center point.
Using the gray-primered dashboard...
Using the gray-primered dashboard as a whiteboard, he wrote the applicable measurements there for easy reference.
Since the column drop is 2...
Since the column drop is 2 5/8 inches wide, No Limit marked where to drill the holes 1 5/16 inches on either side of the column's center point.
With holes drilled in the...
With holes drilled in the fiberglass dashboard's bottom lip, the column drop will mount thus.
Rob measured from an inner...
Rob measured from an inner metal reinforcement brace to the dash's bottom lip to determine the metal column drop reinforcement bracket's dimensions.
At the shop's Ironworker machine,...
At the shop's Ironworker machine, he transferred the bracket's dimensions onto a piece of sheetmetal.
The Ironworker's 40-ton shear...
The Ironworker's 40-ton shear station made quick work of cutting the bracket to size.
He marked where the column...
He marked where the column drop holes should be in the bracket and punched 31/48-inch holes with the Ironworker.
Using another station on the...
Using another station on the Ironworker turret, the corners of the column drop reinforcement bracket were swiftly rounded. Making the bracket took one minute with the Ironworker. It would have taken 30 minutes with hand tools.
After sanding the brace on...
After sanding the brace on the belt sander, it was ready to be welded to the underdash reinforcement bracket.
The best way to hold the brace...
The best way to hold the brace in place when welding is to drill the dash lip holes for the column drop and the bracket.
The bracket will fit under...
The bracket will fit under the lip as shown.
With the bracket and column...
With the bracket and column drop fastened, the bracket is ready to be welded to the inner reinforcement brace.
As usual, No Limit's founder...
As usual, No Limit's founder laid down a perfect weld despite welding upside down.
The steering column hole in...
The steering column hole in the toeboard was a bit too snug, as it was originally cut to accommodate a 2-inch-diameter stainless steel column.
With an air die grinder and...
With an air die grinder and a sanding wheel attachment, he made the hole bigger to fit the ididit 2 1/4-inch black-anodized aluminum tilt column.
To prevent aluminum-to-aluminum...
To prevent aluminum-to-aluminum galling from the column to the column drop and achieve a snug fit, Rob wrapped the steering column with black electrical tape. The yellow tape indicates where the electrical tape should go.
Before installing the column,...
Before installing the column, he added more tape.
Still more tape did the t...
Still more tape did the trick.
No Limit attached the column...
No Limit attached the column drop.
Now that the steering column...
Now that the steering column is in its new home, the engine side of the steering equation must be addressed.
After attaching the universal...
After attaching the universal joint steering coupler to the column on the engine-bay side, No Limit could determine the steering shaft's length.
The steering shaft needs to...
The steering shaft needs to be cut to 12.5 inches in length.
Once he cut the shaft to the...
Once he cut the shaft to the proper size, he ground smooth the cut end.
While Mike manipulated the...
While Mike manipulated the steering column from inside the cab, Rob nestled the steering shaft between the header tubes.
He fastened the steering shaft...
He fastened the steering shaft to the universal joint steering coupler.
Although there's clearance...
Although there's clearance between the steering shaft and the rearmost header tube, more space is needed. Rob will move the header tube back a bit and reweld it for sufficient clearance.
Before drilling holes in the...
Before drilling holes in the toeboard to locate the bottom steering column retaining clamp, No Limit secured the column within the column drop.
With the clamp held in position,...
With the clamp held in position, he drilled the first hole.
A good tip: Rob installed...
A good tip: Rob installed the first Phillips screw before drilling the second hole.
No Limit drilled one hole...
No Limit drilled one hole at a time and inserted each fastener until the other three holes were filled with Phillips screws and tightened.
Rob tightened the pinch bolt...
Rob tightened the pinch bolt to complete the installation of the ididit tilt steering column.
Prior to fitment of the steering...
Prior to fitment of the steering wheel retaining ring, he installed the horn wire.
Concluding the two-hour job,...
Concluding the two-hour job, the steering wheel adaptor ring found its rightful place atop the black-anodized, brushed-aluminum ididit tilt column.
The ididit tilt column works...
The ididit tilt column works as well as it looks, and that's saying quite a bit. See what No Limit Engineering has cooked up next on the F-100 giveaway truck in an upcoming issue of Custom Classic Trucks.