Automatic Column Options for 1967

[hsach]

I am trying to decide between a GM based tilt column and a Direct Fit tilt column, both from Wildhorses4x4.
GM Tilt
Direct Fit
I have read the pros and cons that I could find on here, but I still wanted to ask the group.

Here is my current situation with the 67:
Everything mechanical and electrical is/will be new. For the wiring, I have a complete Painless kit. I have a 3.75 turn power steering box from Tom's. I will buy the custom lower shaft for whatever column I go with. I have the original steering wheel, but too big and apparently wont' work with newer horn. My current Hazzard switch is on the dash, so I am not sure if it should stay there or move to the column.

I like the original steering wheel, and see that Tom's sells a 14.5" version. For that, it looks like I would have to go with a Direct Fit. Am I going to be limited on steering wheels if the wife ends up not liking the wheel (it is her bronco)? I lean this way because it stay all Ford.

The GM tilt has more wheel options through Wildhorses4x4 and Tom's. It also sounds like the GM blinkers are better. I don't have any experience with the GM blinkers, but I certainly have experience with my '78 bronco column. The tilt is stuck, and both blinkers are broken inside, so it is working properly, lol.

Basically what I am asking is, if you had chance to start fresh with a '67 or other year, what column would you want to install and why? The transmission is a 4R70W.

 

[73azbronco]

What is endgame goal? Daily driver, show, offroad?

 

[hsach]

What is endgame goal? Daily driver, show, offroad?

Daily driver, some offroad but nothing more than fire roads most likely.

 

[DirtDonk]

I can’t guarantee this will work from personal experience, but since you want to keep the stock, or stock style steering wheel, you might be able to retrofit the 73 and older bronco turn signal switch in place of the 74 and later version that comes with the column.
That way, your old steering wheel would work with the old style horn contacts.
Unless one of the steering wheel choices is a stock looking one that has the single horn trace rather than the dual. Is that an option for you?

But either way, to use any stock style steering wheel, you would need to go with the direct fit series column.
I only mentioned it because I think a couple of years ago a forum member here did exactly that. Retrofitted either a new turn signal switch for an old one, or an old turn signal switch for a new one.

 

[hsach]

I can’t guarantee this will work from personal experience, but since you want to keep the stock, or stock style steering wheel, you might be able to retrofit the 73 and older bronco turn signal switch in place of the 74 and later version that comes with the column.
That way, your old steering wheel would work with the old style horn contacts.
Unless one of the steering wheel choices is a stock looking one that has the single horn trace rather than the dual. Is that an option for you?

But either way, to use any stock style steering wheel, you would need to go with the direct fit series column.
I only mentioned it because I think a couple of years ago a forum member here did exactly that. Retrofitted either a new turn signal switch for an old one, or an old turn signal

If I decide to go with a stock type steering wheel, it would probably be the one from Tom's that is 14.5". My wife is leaning towards the steering wheels that fit directly on the GM based column. Also, it looks like both columns have the hazard switch, and my 67 has it in the dash. I haven't looked at the wiring, but I assume that I should use the hazard switch in the new column to make things easier. It doesn't look like I will go wrong with either version, but I wanted to check so I didn't overlook something obvious.

 

[toddz69]

I've kept the dash mounted hazards with my different tilt columns that I've retrofitted over the years. There's nothing easier than leaving things alone that aren't broken .

The GM turn signal switch is definitely more robust than the Ford. I've had two different GM columns in my truck for probably close to 20 years now and never broken a switch. I couldn't say that with the Ford switches that occupied that space in the previous decades.

Todd Z.

 

[DirtDonk]

I hate that the new ones are such crap. The original ones actually lasted fairly long as turn, signal switches, but the canceling cams would break every winter or at least when it got really cold during the winter, on mine.

 

[hsach]

Good idea about leaving the dash hazard switch in place, one less thing to do.