2 wheel drive steering column into a 4 wheel drive

[mstpn2]

I read thru the steering column tutorial on the main page but wasn't able to answer my question. I currently have a 69 F250 4x4 which the P.O. converted from a manual to an automatic. He added one of those floor shifters for the gear shift so it still have the old steering column. I'd like to find a steering column with the auto gear selector on the column so i can get rid of the aftermarket floor shifter. I don't need a tilt column. Today in the junkyard I saw 2 trucks with parts that might work but wanted some expert guidance before i start pulling parts. the first truck was a 70-72ish 2 wheel drive 3/4 ton and the second truck was a 78 4 wheel drive 1/2 ton. Will either of these trucks work for my application? Just from first inspection the 2 wheel drive shaft looked too short. The 78 looked like it still had the shift linkage attached (which i'll also need) so that might work too, just concerned about the neutral safety switch if that's something i'll have to deal with if switching to a 78 column. Any help or advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[hazelnut]

Since the 2wd shaft goes to a rag joint and the 4x4 shaft is splined I would think that you would have to take the shaft from the 4x4 and put it in the auto column to work. I think a highboy auto column is about as rare as hen teeth, If they ever made one.

[mstpn2]

so if i have my original steering column in the truck I should have all the parts i need to make this work?

[hazelnut]

I would think you would but I'm not sure, There was someone on here that used to be on here that put a auto in his highboy with a column shift but I didn't read what he had to do. I'm going to do a auto swap in my highboy in a few years so I'm hoping it would work.