Hi there Dan - thanks for the questions and compliments.
The 60 column...the tilt feature is nice and all but the main reasons I want to go to the 60 column are:
-I can have intermittent windshield wipers
-I prefer that controls be at my finger tips when my hands are on the wheel, as opposed to dash-mounted switches that I have to take a hand off the wheel to operate
-I want to fit a diesel tach into the dash, and need to make room. With the defroster nozzles coming out of the left and right hand ends of the dash, I can't put the tach (at least, not easily) to the left of the instrument cluster, so it will need to go to the right. With the 60 column, I move the windshield wiper, headlamp, and hazard switches off the dash and onto the column.
-the 60 column has the crash-collapsible feature, which is nicer than the rigid 40 type (though there are 1980~'84 40-series with collapsible columns as well).
-the 60 series column-mounted switches are available and easy to get both new (and used from the wrecking yard), however the same is not the case for the 40 series dash switches and pulls.
With a 60 column, even with the tach and the digi-clock fitted into the dash, I will still have a cleaner looking dash overall, as half the switches will be gone. Also, if I choose to install a pyrometer gauge at some future point there will be room to do so without cluttering it up or recourse to some other sort of mounting bracket tacked on to the perimeter of the dash somewhere.
Once the decision was made to modify the dash, of course, the scope widened from there: I'm debating what to do with the radio opening (either put the stock radio unit in as a dummy and run a more hi-tech system hidden in the glovebox, or make the opening large enough for a standard DIN mounted CD player - or weld in a patch to cover it and go to some sort of iPod based system with an amplifier) and the ashtray (I don't smoke, so I don't make much use of ashtrays in cars). I will keep the cigarette lighter, as it is essential to running accessories, like my girlfriend's cell phone charger for instance.
Further, I have the '83~'84 silver dash plate and dash section as well, but they are for the RHD cab, and thus everything on the plate is laid out in reverse for the LHD set up. I can get a used LHD compatible dash plate (but not the dash section behind it) from a certain vendor, but for a mere $250
, so no thanks. The dash insert is cool, and improves service access to the switches, but with a 60 column, I'd end up with a bunch of empty mounting holes in the insert. and the service access issue becomes less important at that point as well.
Thank god for the auto darkening helmet
