Steering & Handbrake

Steering Column Extension

It's been a while since the last update, but holidays are out of the way, the kids are back at school and I can get back into the garage. This weekend I managed to get the steering column installed. Originally I had an issue with the extension that links the column to the rack, but the factory have dealt with that and it all fits OK. The lack of steering has been a problem as every time I push the car out of the garage it moves a little off center and it was hard work to get back in the right place. I have one final issue with the steering and that's with the bush arrangement that the factory supplies, I can't get it to sit flush against the bulkhead. It seems to be the angle of the column as it comes through the bulkhead is forcing the bracket out of line. I'll have to have a play with this and see if I can get it right. Another matter is where I've run the clutch pipe, it is fouling the bracket for the steering column bush (that's why it's bent out of the way in the picture below). I've decided to reroute it over the transmission tunnel, others have done this and I think it'll look tidier. It's one of those irritants that get you every so often, I've already fitted the thing twice.

Steering Column - Upper

Steering Column Bush

The other job I've started, is fitting the handbrake. I connected the lever to the cable to find the natural resting place for it. The bracket needed some minor adjustment to stop it from fouling the body work or sticking out over the side of the ledge around the tub. I was surprised to see that the rear mounting bolt appeared to be immediately over the seat-belt  anchor point that is built into the chassis, or at least it was over the hole that the factory put in the body for this anchor point. A quick inspection showed the hole in the body was in the wrong the wrong place, I found this on both sides of the car. Good news as it meant I could install the handbrake where it 'wanted' to go on the cable, but did mean putting another hole in the body as you can see in the picture below. I'll connect the handbrake at the weekend and test it out.

Handbrake Bracket