Couple of ?? for Weekend projects

[TheSeeker]

Hello all, I recently have had the chance to get my fathers 69 chevy back on the road. After fixing the shifter and the clutch and brakes etc. It is in the shape to get it titled and registers and emissions blah..

Anyway. I have a couple of small projects to tackle this weekend in order to make this thing a semi daily driver and need your guru's advice!/knowledge!

1. I bought a new center belt for my bench seat to go on my toddlers car seat. (mom says she can ride if she is in the center) It looks to be a universal type dealie I got from the local truck shop. How hard is it to put one of these bad boys in?

2. I bought a new printed circuit board so my dash would light up correctly again, as the old one was torn. I suppose I could use some new brighter bulbs while im at it. Any suggestions to fit the stock holders? Id prefer not to go LED right now due to the cost of the bulbs. Thanks!

3. Steering box/Steering wheel. Now this I probably wont get to this weekend, but info is info non the less.. There is about 3/4 to 1" of play in the steering wheel and pops says the box is just old and worn. is it better to rebuild or buy a new one? (manual steering btw) Is there a website that sells parts or kits to rebuild? and the standard stock wheel is what? 17 or 18"? a portly fellow like me wont have too many problems wheeling one thats 15" or so with new tires and manual steering should I?

Thanks for all your responses in advance! this website is always full of the best info.

[brad_man_72]

there should be 2 threaded bolt holes behind the seat for you to bolt in the seatbelt if it fits.

I think it's pretty hard to find the stock dash lights much less anything brighter. I'd make sure your bulbs and gage cluster are clean and adjsted to the brightest settng.

no real advice for the manual steering setup wth a small wheel. It would proba ly be ok going down the road, I'd hate to have to maneuver around a parking lot with that setup.
I think it would be pretty cheap and easy to find a donor truck in a junkyard for a power steering setup 68-88 should bolt right up.

[TheSeeker]

I should clarify a little on the steering wheel/steering. It has a little 14 inch wheel on it right now, its all worn out and cracked and I wanted something bigger but am afraid that with the bench the stock wheel might cramp my legs a bit. (im a bigger guy at 275) and the engine is a 6cyl. 250. So the powersteering box and pitman arm are easy, its the damn brackets and pullies I cant find haha. Thanks!

[71tahoe]

I think I remember GMC Pauls sells manual boxes. You may be able to adjust out a little play before tackling the change though. Also, a wheel off a pre-airbags astro is nice size.

[geezer#99]

Here's some brackets on ebay. If you need a pulley on the balancer I know of one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PS-P-...item4aaeccf705

[cdowns]

if you take the gauge cluster holder apart and pain the inside with bright white or even a bright silver it will brighten the light display

the replacement bulbs are readily available at local parts stores i've never had a problem getting them