Overbuilding a steering column clamshell

[Slartibartfast]

When I got my '93, the stock plastic clamshell was trashed. It wasn't worth putting back on, and I couldn't be arsed to fix it, so my column's been running around commando ever since. I live in a rural area so I didn't worry about it.

 

I'm driving through Seattle next month, though, and that's got me thinking. An exposed ignition cylinder and a mess of wires seems like a great way to meet suspicious cops and car thieves, and I'd rather avoid both groups if I can. I've read that the stock clamshells are about as good against thieves as a bunny rabbit with the word "boo" painted on its nose, so there's the easy solution off the table.

 

After a little cardboard-aided design, the butchery of a scrap GMC hood, and some sparks, I've come up with this thing.

 

 

As much as I like the Mad Max look, I stripped what was left of the paint and primed it.

 

 

I'm happy with the fitment, and I think a bit of Bondo will hide my various sins against the art of panel beating. Once that's cleaned up, all I need to do is build a bottom half for it.

 

Speaking of the bottom half, I've got a question for you guys. Do the clamshells in your rigs have flat bottoms, or this weird bulge at the edge that meets the dash? I assumed they were all like this, but the ones I'm seeing on eBay and in the Nissan diagrams have flat bottoms. Mine's shaped like an oil pan to house this... whatever the hell this is.

 

 

Placeholder for a trailer brake controller? Counterweight? There was nothing mounted to it, or (as far as I can tell) any provision to mount something to it. It doesn't seem to have anything to do with the column. Whatever it is, it's going in the art bin, and my fabricobbled version's getting a flat bottom--but I'm still curious why Nissan bothered.

[Citron]

It will be nice to see the completed project, and I like your CAD work.

 

I believe that piece is to improve the aerodynamics of the electrons from the steering column so you have better force feedback.

 

Why in the world do you want to go to Seattle? My advice is to drive through without stopping. I am really struggling trying not to say something political.

[adamzan]

I believe it is a counterweight so when you use the column adjustment, the motion is smooth.

[Slartibartfast]

Well, all this steel I'm bolting on has probably screwed the weight balance anyway, so in the bin it goes!

 

Speaking of adding steel, I started on a bracket for the bottom side. The stock one's got these hollow risers in it (broken, naturally) where you put the screws that go through the brackets on the column. I made my own out of 1/8" wall pipe with washers welded on the ends. Probably beefier than it needs to be but a 10mm socket fits up there nicely. Now I just need to make the sheet metal to mount to it.

 

I forgot how fun Bondo is. Wait, not fun, the opposite of fun. It's not perfect but it looks a little less like a puppy chewed on it.

 

 

My freehand plasma cutting didn't leave a clean hole for the ignition cylinder, so I'm working on some kind of trim plate for that as well. I'm going to try and make it light up while I'm at it. I think there was a factory option for that, but I've never seen one in the wild, and I suspect I can roll my own cheaper than tracking one down.

 

I've got family in the Seattle area. I don't mind the politics so much, but the population density is something else.

[Citron]

Looking good.

[adamzan]

Well, all this steel I'm bolting on has probably screwed the weight balance anyway, so in the bin it goes!

 

Speaking of adding steel, I started on a bracket for the bottom side. The stock one's got these hollow risers in it (broken, naturally) where you put the screws that go through the brackets on the column. I made my own out of 1/8" wall pipe with washers welded on the ends. Probably beefier than it needs to be but a 10mm socket fits up there nicely. Now I just need to make the sheet metal to mount to it.

 

I forgot how fun Bondo is. Wait, not fun, the opposite of fun. It's not perfect but it looks a little less like a puppy chewed on it.

 

 

My freehand plasma cutting didn't leave a clean hole for the ignition cylinder, so I'm working on some kind of trim plate for that as well. I'm going to try and make it light up while I'm at it. I think there was a factory option for that, but I've never seen one in the wild, and I suspect I can roll my own cheaper than tracking one down.

 

I've got family in the Seattle area. I don't mind the politics so much, but the population density is something else.

Mine has the lighted key ring, came with it. I think you can still buy the part from Nissan. Last time I remember it was like 30 bucks.

[Slartibartfast]

Yeah, I remember looking those up once, but I can't seem to find them now--not sure it would fit the profile on the sheet metal anyway. I've ordered a piece of 1 3/8" clear plastic tube that should slide right over the switch, and then I can go from there.

 

Is the stock one just tied into the dome light, or is there some kind of time delay on it?

[adamzan]

It's on the same circuit as the dome/floor courtesy lights.

[adamzan]

Actually, that's a lie. Because one of the wires got pulled out of my door switch connector, and the dome/floor lights don't come on and neither does the light on the dash. But the key ring light still comes on when the door is open. So I think it actually has it's own circuit! Weird.

 

I'd confirm for you but I'm currently in italy lol

[Citron]

I looked in the electrical diagrams for my 92 and didn't see the light, must not have been an option in 92.

[Slartibartfast]

Huh, that is weird. And no worries--Italy sounds more fun than the inside of a dashboard!

[adamzan]

Huh, that is weird. And no worries--Italy sounds more fun than the inside of a dashboard!

 

It would seem that way, but I've been here for 2 weeks and the family (that lives here) is starting to wear me down, lol.

[Slartibartfast]

LOL I can think of a few family members I wouldn't last two weeks with.

 

My acrylic tube came in today! I went with the cheapest I could find with an ID of 1 3/8", which fits snugly over the ignition cylinder. I cut about a 1" section of it, notched it out to clear a couple things, sanded it matte, hot-snotted an LED strip around it, and painted the outside black. I tapped power from the driver's foot well light, but I didn't want this thing to turn off as soon as I shut the door--seems like that would defeat the whole purpose here. Rather than build some kind of timer circuit, I wired a 3300 microfarad capacitor in parallel with the LED strip. A diode isolates the capacitor so it's not trying to power the whole dome light circuit.

Luckily most of the assembly is hidden inside the clamshell, so it doesn't have to be pretty.

 

 

Here's full brightness with the door open.

 

And here's the same shot fifteen seconds or so after pressing the door plunger. The light peters out quick at first but sticks around at a low level for a while, and even that low level is more than enough to find the ignition in the dark without turning on a map light.

It does what I wanted it to do, it was cheap, and it looks like something out of Tron. I'm pretty damn pleased with this thing!

Also, that's the lower clamshell all done up in CAD. Steel to come!