The early Mustang steering system is fairly basic and lends itself to a trouble-free life with maybe a tie-rod end replacement thrown in every decade or so. However, due to the basic no-frills design of the early Mustang, owners wouldn’t benefit from the option of basic tilt steering until the ’70 model year. True, there was the Tilt-a-Way option with built-in tilt (using the turn signal lever to activate) from ’67-’69. This complicated system, derived from the Thunderbird, allowed the upper column and steering wheel to swing up and away from the door for easier ingress/egress but has several support parts that are obsolete, making it a difficult swap for most.
Upgrading to a tilt column used to mean finding the rather rare ’70 option and installing it (which looked out of place in the ’65-’69 models due to the ignition switch on the column) or using an aftermarket street rod part that required an aftermarket steering wheel. That’s fine if you’re looking to install an aftermarket wheel, but what about those that want the stealthy addition of a tilt column but want to keep their stock wheel for appearance sake? If you spent some good money rebuilding your Deluxe Rim-Blow wheel, or perhaps have a Deluxe Interior woodgrain wheel, we can easily see why you’d want to retain it.
The folks at ididit have been building steering columns for nearly three decades, and while their name may sound funny, their work is anything but. Their columns are made from the finest parts and manufactured and assembled right here in the United States. A few years ago, its line of retrofit columns was born. First came the popular GM stuff, but us Mustang owners now have a full line of ’65-’69 tilt column options from the folks at ididit. Every column features self-cancelling turn signals using a Ford turn signal switch, eight-way tilt, hazard flasher switch built in, floor mount bracket, a Ford top shaft to accept your Ford spline original wheel (or aftermarket wheel with Ford adapter), tilt and turn signal knobs/shafts machined like the original Mustang parts, and a choice of three finishes—paintable steel, chrome plated steel, and black powdercoated steel. Check out the installation on this in-progress ’69 convertible to see just how easy the job is. The ’65-’68 Mustang installations are similar, with the long-shaft boxes requiring the most work, but the ididit instructions will show you what you need to do there as well.
Now you don’t have to worry...
Now you don’t have to worry about arm fatigue or struggling to get out of your classic Mustang when you have eight different steering wheel positions...
...as shown here from max...
...as shown here from max up to max down.
1 The tilt column from ididit...
1 The tilt column from ididit can be had in show-finish chrome, black powdercoat, or a bare steel finish. Since most of our readers will be aiming for the stealthy-stock look and will be painting their columns to match their interior, we went with the bare steel unit.
2 Included with each column...
2 Included with each column is a mounting kit for the firewall, appropriate looking turn and tilt levers/knobs, and a wiring connector/terminal kit if your factory connector is not usable. You’ll need to order a separate installation kit to attach the column to your steering box or rack-and-pinion.
4 Merv Rego of Classic Creations...
4 Merv Rego of Classic Creations of Central Florida preps the column with a full coat of primer followed up by a coat of black interior paint. Take your time and the finish will come out great and match your dash/doors as the column should.
3 To paint the bare steel...
3 To paint the bare steel column, the finish is wiped clean with a wax and grease remover. The wiring and wire grommet are taped up to prevent overspray.
5 While not necessary on...
5 While not necessary on late ’67 and up cars with a rubber rag joint, we opted to remove the steering wheel and turn signal lever to give us a bit more working room around the stock steering column.
6 Under the hood, the rag...
6 Under the hood, the rag joint hardware is removed to separate the column from the steering box. Later we’ll remove the remainder of the rag joint once the column is out of the way.
7 Reaching up under the dash,...
7 Reaching up under the dash, you can follow the turn signal wiring from the steering column until you get to the wiring connector and disconnect it. Ours was in fine shape and we plan to reuse the connector end on the new column’s wiring.
8 Remove the fasteners that...
8 Remove the fasteners that retain the steering column mounting plate at the firewall. A small screwdriver will help separate the mounting plate and gasket once the fasteners are out.
11 Now that we have the column...
11 Now that we have the column and mounting bracket on the workbench, you can see the third horizontal stud/nut affair we mentioned earlier. Don’t forget this on the ’69 or you’ll be struggling to free the column and could possibly damage the underdash mount.
14 Before working the new...
14 Before working the new tilt column into the passenger compartment, it is advised to slip the firewall mounting bracket clamp and the mounting bracket onto the end of the column tube. A little painter’s tape is a good idea to keep things from moving and scratching the column.
9 The various years had different...
9 The various years had different mounting points but with a little patience and a flashlight, you should be able to find all of them. The ’69 has three—two vertical studs/nuts (being unbolted here) and one horizontal stud/nut farther back on the left side of the column.
12 You’ll need a wire terminal...
12 You’ll need a wire terminal tool to separate the old wires from your original connector, but once you have, the new wires slip into the connector easily. If your connector shells or body side wiring is damaged, ididit includes male and female terminals and connector halves to completely remake the steering column wiring connection.
15 The ’69 utilizes a rag...
15 The ’69 utilizes a rag joint, and ididit’s installation kit includes a new joint of the proper depth and splines to allow the new tilt column to bolt right up and maintain the proper distance to the dash.
10 Now that the rag joint,...
10 Now that the rag joint, firewall mount, and underdash mounts have all been unbolted, the column should lower down off of the mounting studs under the dash and pull back into the passenger compartment for complete removal.
13 With the paint now dry,...
13 With the paint now dry, the original underdash mounting bracket is attached to the column. The two halves of the bracket are kept loose to allow for slight adjustments once the column is in place. Notice the machined slots on the column tube; these lock into the mounting brackets to prevent column tube rotation.
16 The new rag joint uses...
16 The new rag joint uses a set screw with lock nut versus the original Ford style with a pinch bolt. Ensure the column’s shaft is inserted so that the set screw threads into the groove in the shaft, locking it in place. Be sure to use thread locker on the set screw and the lock nut.
17 Raise the column up to...
17 Raise the column up to the dash and adjust the original column bracket as needed to get the three mounting points lined up and the attaching nuts started. Once all three fasteners are started, then you can go back and tighten them completely.
18 Remove the tape from the...
18 Remove the tape from the firewall bracket and clamp, then slide them down the column tube and into place against the firewall, ensuring the gasket and bracket are both aligned with the mounting holes in the firewall. Secure the bracket, then slip the clamp over the bracket’s “fingers” and tighten the clamp to finish the installation. Don’t forget to plug in the turn signal harness and thread in the tilt and turn signal levers as well.
19 While this owner had already...
19 While this owner had already invested in a new aftermarket wood wheel with a Ford spline adapter, if the owner so chose, he could easily reuse his stock wheel or upgrade to the ’69 Rim-Blow wheel using the ididit tilt column. Except for a slightly larger diameter “head” and the tilt lever itself, it’s really hard to tell anything has changed in the interior, and that’s the way we like it!