911 front end swap...Steering included
 

I helped a buddy out this weekend (3:30pm on Sunday) swap out his 914 front end with a '77 911 front end that he acquired a few months ago. We both figured it would be straight forward. So with beer in each hand and a smile in between, we started ripping the 914 apart. Everything went apart smoothly and everything went together smoothly. That is until I tried to hook up the steering column in the cab. The shaft that was on the new steering box was about an inch too short and would not reach. Now I had done my due diligence and read up on as much as I could about how to swap out the front ends. And I do not recall anyone mentioning that the steering column would be different. In the end we replaced the shaft with the original 914 one and it went back together flawlessly.

So I guess this is more of a question and a statement to help some others out that may run into this issue. Has anyone run into this before?

I just change out the rack as they are the same except for the length of the input shaft.

The rack body is the same, but the tie rods looked to be different. I don't know if the 911 is better, worse, indifferent???
EDIT - After looking at the tie rods on PP, He had the turbo tie rods on his steering rack.

After driving the car, by buddy claims that the 911 steering rack is WAY better. I just think he is feeling the 911 front end as a whole. His old 914 front end could of been out of a Cadillac it was so soft.

The Turbo tie rods could be part of the sharper feel.