The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors '54 Steering col cover & wire routing?

Will you please explain how the access cover should be positioned on the steering column of my 1954 3100 4-spd; and how the horn wire should exit the cover and be routed to the rear of the dash?

My steering column hasn't had a cover on the access opening since I have had it. It covers the square opening on the bottom of the steering column and the white wire in this pic. The wire connects the horn button to the horn relay. The cover is described as a "wire clamp" on p.109 in the '54 Accessories Installation Manual, but the screw location in the diagram is different to mine.
< PIC - 1954 ACCESS OPENING & WIRE >

I got a cover for the access opening. Strange looking thing, but I believe that it is correct. The tab on the end that is opposite the screw slides into the square access opening on the bottom of the steering column. It is secured by a screw into the right side of the steering column, not into the bottom of the column as shown in the Acc Inst Man.
<PIC - COVER >

My cover dosen't look like the cover on DADS50's 1950 3100. His small cover and screw are on the top of the steering column and appear to be much lower on the column. Plus the cover has a hole for the wire to exit.
< PIC - 1950 COVER >

How does the wire exit a '54 cover? The only place that has a gap large enough for the wire is on the "screw end" of the cover. If it exits there, it will be fully visable on the right side of the column and it will be unprotected as it goes behind the dash. Do I have the wrong piece? Is my steering column mounted wrong? I'm baffled.

Sorry for such a long-winded post about a simple question. Photos may help me understand. Thanks for your help,

EDIT: Just had a thought ... are the hole and cover for the turn signal wires that were new for '54? If so, what is the routing for the horn wire?

Lonnie,

If you can wait until the weekend, I'll take a piture of mine.

John

That wire cover was intended for the turn signal wires(new to 54)
and also to house the horn wire.

54 Steering col cover

Thanks guys for answering my question.

> delux54panel: I got the cover from another Stovebolter. Since '54 was the first model year that it was used, I consider myself pretty lucky to have found one - and one that is in great condition.

> healingbear: My cover and horn wire will look exactly like yours. I now see why the cover did not go to the top of the steering column ... the column shift would have been in the way. (I have a 4-spd)

> 54John3100: I received the pics that you sent to my email. They show the wires for the turn signals plus the horn wire. The horn wire looks exactly like healingbear's. For anyone interested ... the turn signal wires are a flat ribbon of wires that neatly exit the cover at the same place that the horn wire exits.

I posted my "puzzlement" last night at 10:40pm EDT. I read your replies and pictures this morning at 7:00am EDT and now feel like an expert. This is a great forum.