Six Column Conversion, Make your car look like a real six inside.... Options

[ClayPerrine]

From the Steering Wheel Thread:

Not a real six.. just the dash frame out of a totalled real six. I had to build the column up from scratch.

Thanks for the compliment though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

It's a good looking dash, & I'm still hoping you find the write-up on how you did that column..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Ok.. I found the pictures. Not really too detailed, as I got involved in making it instead of taking pictures.

Start with a 4 cylinder column. Remove the mounting plate from it.

Pict is of the leftover column tube. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)


Now you have just the column mounting plate.

Remove the mounts from the 911 column, saving the tube. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif)


Weld the 4 cylinder mount to the 911 column. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) You should end up with this.



Now you can put the column back together. I don't know about a car with a stock 3 gauge dash, but with the 911 style dash I had to trim the front edge of the top clamshell to get it to clear the gauge assembly.





Now on to the dash frame.

I got a rusted out six dash from a guy who totalled his six.

Here are both the 4 cylinder dash and the six dash together.



The four dash is from a 73. To use a six style column, you have to modify the dash to hold the ignition lock. I had the six dash, so I used it. The six dash doesn't have the holes for the air vents, and I have a future use for them (Air Conditioning) so I chose to keep them. This entailed cutting a hole in the left side of the dash for the vent.



I then took the dash frame and cut the glovebox end off because there is no hole for the vent on the right side. I spliced in the end from the 4 cylinder dash to add the hole. You have to remember that the early no vent glovebox is an inch wider than the 73 and later glovebox. I mounted the glovebox door from the 73 in the frame to hold it in place while I tack welded the frame parts together.

Finished dash....



The conversion also meant that I lost the location for one switch to the left of the column. So I moved the hazard switch to the right of the column.

If someone wanted to make a copy of the key location for a six column that could be welded into a 4 cylinder dash it would make this much easier to do. I am not a body man so I can't do something like this.

I know this is short on picutres. If someone wants one of these done, and can supply the parts. I will be glad to do a second one. But you have to come take pictures while I build it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)