Return to the BUILD

“In this assembly session you will attach the steering wheel to the steering column, and connect the wiring for
the lights and sound effects.”

Contents

Parts

Materials: This Middle Section of the Car Body is metal.

Assembly Guide (Digital Version)

Build

Attaching the Steering Wheel

Stage 61.1

Retrieve your Steering Wheel assembly from Stage 2. Drive one (1) JM screw through the hole at the end of the Steering Column from the flat side, and then remove the screw.

This process pre-threads the hole to prepare this part for the next step. This is also your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:

Stages 61.2-61.3

Retrieve your Steering Column Washer from Stage 57 and your Chassis assembly from the previous stage. Slide the Steering Wheel Washer onto the end of the Steering Column Cover assembly, as shown.

The Steering Wheel Washer has a tab that aligns to a notch in the end of the Steering Column Cover:

Slide the shaft of the Steering Wheel assembly through the opening of the Steering Column Washer, as shown:

Under the Dashboard, match the flat surfaces of the two Steering Column parts (2C and 20E), then press the pin of the lower Steering Column through the matching hole of the upper Steering Column, as shown.

This was a tricky picture to take so I hope it is able to show how the joint of the Steering Column works. You may notice that the JM screw from the next step is already installed here:

Secure the two Steering Column parts together from above, through this square hole of the Lower Dashboard Panel, with one (1) JM screw.

With this screw installed, you should be able to lift the front of the car off the surface, turn the Steering Wheel, and see the front wheels steer:

Stage 61.4

In front of the Dashboard, connect the following plugs together, matching the wire colors together:

• Wiring and Switch for Sound Effects (green/green)
• Wiring and Switch for the Lights (white/white)
• Dashboard Lights (orange/white)
• Wiring and Switch for the Brake Lights (black/black)

Stage 61.5

Retrieve the Wire Grommet from Stage 56. Gather the four wires from the previous step, fit them between the two posts at the front edge of the Lower Dashboard Panel, and secure the Wire Grommet over them with two (2) EP screws, as shown:

Stage 61.6

Remove the screws holding the bars across the bottom of the Middle Section of the Car Body and discard them. Their function was to protect this large part from deformation during transport.

I like to keep these bars in place until they get in the way of future steps. We will be handling this body a lot as we build it and there is no harm in  protecting it along the way:

Thoughts

This is a huge, heavy chunk of metal! It is worth noting that this is not the final external body shell, but the substructure onto which we will mount the shiny black painted body panels. I have a feeling this is going to only get bigger over the next few stages.

Next Up

 Stage 62 – Rear Section of Car Body