<VV> Re: Buy the box - You get the shaft!

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

Okay, let's kill the hype and get these boxes sorted out for the 
uninitiated:

The 60-63 boxes and the 67-69 ones are the same dimensions (very short 
shaft) it is just that the earlies have the aluminum case. The FR box is 
a direct replacement on these cars.

The 64 has the very longest shaft at more than four feet with the 
introduction of the cast iron box.

Most (earlier) 65's have the same unit as the 64's but the shaft is a 
bit shorter than four feet -- probably covering the deeper dish in the 
steering wheel, back when the deep dish was a 'safety device' (so why 
they waited to implement a jointed shaft is beyond understanding - they 
had recognized the problem - and the shaft lengths are different than 64 
so they weren't just using up over production of the 64 unit)

In late 65, and continued for 66, the shaft is intermediate in length, 
about 16 inches, with a coupling device under the car. This box should 
also be found on telescopic columns of the same models.

The early 65 telescopics had their own unique box with a shaft length 
somewhat shorter than the 66.

67 - 69 supposedly used the short box for telescopics

Flaming River's 'adapter' is a shaft extension to make their short shaft 
box work on these longer shaft applications. With a little creative 
engineering, the short shaft box could be adapted to your long, 
intermediate, or tele column, but the FR adapter would do this for you 
at less liability exposure to FR.

Most hot rod applications are not for the popular Mustang II styled 
suspensions, but for solid front axle cars, and typically, the worm nut 
is drilled out and the shaft its 'reversed' for the desired operation 
and the old hole is plugged. Modern use of the early Corvair box in hot 
rods is a nostalgia thing, or for replacement of one that has worn out, 
which is still a nostalgia thing.

*If* one wanted to change their Corvair from a 'front steer' to a 'rear 
steer' design, reversing the box may be an option to consider.

Bill Strickland