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65 vs. 68 drag link

tarafied1

Well-Known Member
I am putting the 68 shock towers in the 65. I have the 68 drag link but its different where it connects to the pitman arm on the gear box. Will the 68 pitman arm fit the 65 gearbox?
ujeva3yv.jpg

e6e3ase8.jpg
 
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Yeah, I agree. I have one I was going to put in my 67 but I think I will hunt down another one for it and use the one I have in the 65. Then I can use the 68 gearbox and everything on the 65
 
I was going to say, pretty sure the '65~'67 pitman shaft is 1" and '68> is 1.125" so yes they are different and the same pitman arm won't fit (put a '68 in my '67). I'd agree to put the '68 column/box in, couple things to figure out - the upper column mount is different, I think the '68 has 4 mounting holes and the '65 will only have holes for 2 - fab or mod. The '68 column is fatter and may hit the brake pedal as the '68> had a bigger bend to the pedal.
http://www.mustangsteve.com/fyi_brakepe ... edals.html
Jon
 
I traded my 65 "spear-o-matic" , column and steering wheel for a 68 gear box and late 67 column. Looks like the 67 will clear the brake pedal and use the stock 65 mount. The guy came over and even helped pull the 65 stuff. We stuck the 68 gear box up just to take a look.
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"Jonk67" said:
The '68 column is fatter and may hit the brake pedal as the '68> had a bigger bend to the pedal.
http://www.mustangsteve.com/fyi_brakepe ... edals.html
Jon

The pedal is indeed a little different, but the '68 column is the same diameter as a 65-67. The upper collar is a larger diameter where it meets the steering wheel on a '68 though. I currently have a '66, '67 and a '68 all sitting in the garage disassembled. The '66 came out of the car (a '66 obviously! LOL), and I'm combining the '67 collar with the '68 column. That gives the small upper collar, emergency flasher switch on the column and a collapsible column.
 
cool! thanks for the info. Can I put a 65 TS switch in a 67 column with a 67 steering wheel? Or can I modify the wring on the 67 TS switch to pug into a 65?
 
I had thought the same thing Craig. Unfortunately, no. The T/S switch is unique to 65/66, 67 and 68 (respectively). The steering wheel contact plates and T/S cancelling system are similar on a 67 and 68, but are totally different than a 65/66. You CAN put a '67 wheel on a '68 column, but there will be gap around the perimeter due to the larger diameter of the '68 collar.

I had an injection in my spine earlier today so I'm laid up for a little bit. If all is well later this evening I'll walk out to the garage and shoot some reference pics for ya. If not, I'll get some tomorrow and post when I come home from work.


p.s. I'm not sure how a late '67 with a collapsible column is set up. Seems they're not too common.
 
thanks, hope ya feel better!
the late 67 isn't collapsible but it does use a rag joint
so I think I need to put the 65 TS switch in the 67 column and use an after market wheel and adaptor...?
 
Thanks Craig. Been getting them for over 4 years now so my hands stop going numb. None available for my head though! LOL

I'll get pics tomorrow for ya. In answer to your last question, if you use the '65 switch, use the '65 collar assembly. Same for the '67 set up. I don't think the screws for the T/S switch line up between the two years. I'll check tomorrow to be sure though. The other thing is the '67 T/S has the emergency flasher switch built into it. The '67 collar has a notch for the switch knob to protrude from. IF the '67 switch would indeed fit into the '65 collar (physically as well as attaching points), you could go that route and just not use the wiring for the emergency flasher circuit from the switch.

Your steering wheel choice depends on which T/S-collar set up you use. Since you're using a '67 column things are actually a little easier. The retaining bolts for a'68 collar don't line up with the notches on the 65-67 columns. The column has to mod'ed to adapt the earlier collars. Any of the 65-67 collars line up with each others columns though. Matter of fact the tubes on those columns are identical to each other! In addition to the '68 getting a collapsible section, the T/S switch runs externally and gets a snap on cover on the underside of the tube to cover said wiring.

Mine is going to be a bit of a mutt. As I posted earlier, I'm using the '68 column, '67 collar and T/S, '67 wood grain wheel (hopefully), and then adapting the 65/66 style cap for the wood grain wheel.
 
well I have no excuse for my brain going numb...

I traded the 65 column, gearbox ans steering wheel for a 68 box, late 67 column and I already had a 67 steering wheel. I didn't keep the TS switch so if I need a 65 I will have to buy one. I have a Grant steering wheel and an adapter
 
Ok, thanks John, now my heads numb too...
If it helps any here's a pic of a '68 column
IMG_0762.jpg


Mounted in my '67, no wire cover on yet as john mentioned:
IMG_0527.jpg


Here's the difference in size of the top of the '67 vs. '68 tube where I had to get a larger slip collar to fill in the gap between the '68 column and my MotoLita wheel:
IMG_0623.jpg

IMG_0624.jpg


Jon
 
"tarafied1" said:
well I have no excuse for my brain going numb...

Marriage :nut. That's the excuse for most of us. No ones lets their wife read this right?
 
"Jonk67" said:
Marriage :nut. That's the excuse for most of us. No ones lets their wife read this right?
oh yeah, that's why I'm Tara-fied, I'm married...

thanks for the pics, did you have any issues with the brake pedal?
 
I switched to PDB from nonpwr drum so I was switching the pedal anyway. I think with the nonpwr pedal it would have rubbed on the rubber collpaseable boot so if you have a late '67 solid it should clear.
Jon
 
Craig, here's some comparison pics like I said I'd post. The 65/66 T/S has a different screw pattern so it will only go into a 65/66 collar. The 67 and 68 T/S will interchange between the two collars.

Collars:
267-230113200645.jpeg


Note the different screw patterns between the 65/66 and the 67/68 for the T/S.

Turn signal Switches:
267-230113200724.jpeg


Notice the different styles of flasher knobs on the 67 and 68 assemblies. The 67 has, IMHO, a nice looking separate chrome knob that screws in. The 68 has a narrow integral black switch.

67/68 Collar Comparison:
267-230113200805.jpeg


Both have the slot in the side for the flasher switch to protrude through. But the outside diameter of the 68 is larger than the 67 (which is the same diameter as a 65/66).

I looked at the sleeved section of the 68 column and it is indeed a slightly larger diameter as Jon stated. I'll just have to get my column in place and see if there's any interference with the brake pedal. Hope those images help you sort things out some. BTW, the 66 collar in the pics is a spare if you need it, just let me know.
 
THANKS
Would the 66 collar fit the 67 column? and if I use it, can I put a 65/66 steering wheel on the 67 column with a 66 collar?
If the answers are yes then I want to buy it from you (T/S switch too if that's extra). I traded mine away :hs

the guy has already put it in his 65
 
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