Mark:
I'm sorry, after reading my post again I realized that I didn't really explain what the problem is.  Brain fade, I guess.  

You are correct, the original column can be used with the Borgeson box and the original steering wheel will still work.  The problem is with the horn wire.   The original Ford setup has the wire running from the contact with the horn ring, inside the steering shaft all the way through the column, then through the steering box and out a hole in the lower end.  The Borgeson boxes don't have the hole or the hollow shaft so the original horn wire cannot be used. With the Borgeson setup they advise you to use a custom column and wheel or to run a separate wire to a horn button on the column or dash.  I would really like to use the original column and wheel and have the horn ring work.  To do so the horn wire will have to come out of the steering shaft and column, preferrably somewhere under the dash, and then it coud be run through the firewall with the wiring harness. I couldn't see any easy way around the rotational problem in getting the wire through the shaft and column until I looked into the Unisteer kit. The Unisteer kit uses a modified steering shaft that brings the wire out of the shaft inside the column and then out of the column using a bearing-like sleeve and a connector that rivets onto the column.  Look closely at the picture of the kit and you can see the wire coming out of the shaft and the connector kit. It looks like a simple but ingenious way around the problem.

I wanted to know if anyone had tried to put one together in this manner.  I know that the Unisteer shaft has been shortened and the original Ford shaft has to be shortened to use the Borgeson box and was not sure that the lengths would work out. If anyone has any input, I really appreciate it.

Larry

No need to be sorry Larry, I do that all the time (especially the part about not explaining the problem).  On my pickup I built my own rotating contact plates (copper) and ran the horn wire along with the signal light wiring into the bell at the top of the column.  Much like new cars.  I looked at the Unisteer set up but they wanted way too much money for the horn kit. On my '55 Fairlane I have a Mustang shaft, which is solid, so i will need to do the same thing.


Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia