...about this picture. No, it's not the fact that everything is apart. It's regarding "orientation" (I'm trying to be vague). If you guess it, tell me why. I'm a little concerned if it's what I think it is.
Chris
what the knob to the right of the heat controls (i havent had a knob there on any of my cars
Wheels are straight and the steering wheel is off?
Ah HA ! The key slot is way to high on the steering column...........
Somebody stole the radio! Somebody also add'd the air and put the controls into the dash in the wrong place.
uh steering wheel split...
FrankBoss
Quote from: apintonut on July 24, 2008, 10:36:59 PM
what the knob to the right of the heat controls (i havent had a knob there on any of my cars
Apintonut pointed out something of an oddity, though it was not "the" question - the "knob" he is referring to is one of two for controlling the air conditioning. I would have to assume the A/C is aftermarket or dealer add-on, since I have also never seen knobs before in this location.
I think BRAD is on to it...
Chris
Quote from: turbopinto72 on July 24, 2008, 10:37:32 PM
Wheels are straight and the steering wheel is off?
Brad:
That would be CORRECT, however, what I am questioning is the ALIGNMENT of the steering column.
Should the center of the steering wheel be diirectly in line with the center of the instrument cluster? I think my steering shaft is bent.
It works properly but looks really wrong. Comments, please.
Chris
As one who just adapted a Turbo Coupe steering column to his Pinto I'll say, "probably not" to it being in line with the instruments. I went through a lot of, "Hummm...., look at that" in the adaptation. I put the old column back in and and tried to set it to the bolt wear marks. I then ran a string parallel to the bottom of the column and marked a piece of tape on the seat.. This then became a reference. Frankly I noticed the misalignment to the seat center (by feel) more that the visual aspect of being in alignment with the instruments.
I would say ideally the lower end of the column needs to be as far to the left (from the drivers position) where it meets the universal joint to have any chance of being in alignment with the instruments. The problem is that the U-joints start to hit the inner panel. I looked at this from many angles. Looking through the windshield at the dash only confirms how curved the dash is. In the end I opted for centering the wheel to the center of the seat. This left the wheel slightly angled. By that I mean the inner edge of the wheel was closer to me than the outer edge of the wheel. but, it provided the least perception of being out of alignment and, "feeling funny."
You can see my post on this at :
http://www.fordpinto.com/smf/index.php/topic,9958.msg61986.html#msg61986
Notice especially the fourth picture, "column clearance." This shows how far off center from the rubber grommet it is and how much I had to "indent" the inner panel for clearance. Also, above I noted moving the lower end of the column around. I had that flexability because of the slotted adapter piece (picture 3 "intermediate piece") I made and the fact that I slotted ALL the lower column mount points.
I don't think your column is bent. You would feel that as a wobbly steering wheel movement. Personally I just thing it is a design compromise combined with tolerances allowed by Ford. Years ago I had a pricey Audi 5000 (I guess I have an affinity for all the dangerous cars - a '61 Corvair too!) and the side placement of the steering wheel was quite noticable.
Tom
Quote from: popbumper on July 25, 2008, 08:30:32 AM
Brad:
That would be CORRECT, however, what I am questioning is the ALIGNMENT of the steering column. Should the center of the steering wheel be diirectly in line with the center of the instrument cluster? I think my steering shaft is bent.
It works properly but looks really wrong. Comments, please.
Chris
The stock Pinto colum is at an angle.
Bill
Wow, that's what is great about this group, INFORMATION! Can anyone comment on the placement of the A/C controls? The plastic dash bezel has the proper molded detents for the controls, so it certainly appears to be a "Ford" modification.
Chris
Quote from: popbumper on July 25, 2008, 01:19:51 PM
Wow, that's what is great about this group, INFORMATION! Can anyone comment on the placement of the A/C controls? The plastic dash bezel has the proper molded detents for the controls, so it certainly appears to be a "Ford" modification.
Chris
Chris, my bet is your car has dealer installed air or else you would have the factory controls instead of two knobs. My dad's 79 wagon was ordered with factory air however when it arrived it did not have AC. My dad took his paper work to the salesmen and showed that it was to have AC. The dealer said they could put AC in the car or order dad another car. He decided to go with the dealer air because he needed the car. The controls are also two knobs, one for the fan speed and one for the temperature. The knobs are mounted on a plate on plastic the jockey box.
Keep in mind the fan belts will be different for a car with factory air vs dealer air.
Dealer A/C is correct. Our 79 is identical with the two knobs. Never having seen a factory A/C equipped car until I was in my late teens, I thought all of them were this way. I now know different. Perception is a funny thing...thinking everything is the same until you are shown or you find something different.
Doug and others:
Thanks for the support. I pulled the plastic panel from my dash last night, all four corners of it are broken where the screws attach, and the piece is completely warped. Like the instrument clusters, I am going to reproduce these dash pieces in molded urethane, so that I can have a flat, complete, nice unit.
I will document this process; once the molds are complete, if anyone needs one of these, let me know, I plan to reproduce a number of small pieces for the pinto and this one fits the bill; it may not be common, but I'm sure there are other broken ones out there.
Chris
Quote from: douglasskemp on August 08, 2008, 02:35:22 PM
Dealer A/C is correct. Our 79 is identical with the two knobs. Never having seen a factory A/C equipped car until I was in my late teens, I thought all of them were this way. I now know different. Perception is a funny thing...thinking everything is the same until you are shown or you find something different.
That is one of the truest things I've heard in a while.