[duke]

I would suggest that you cut the dash and fully mount the steering column. Include the u-joints and make sure the everything turns with no interference. Then drop on the body. You want to make sure you have enough clearance between the wheel, your hands, and the cowl on the body. There can be up to 1-1/2" of variation. Test fit a few wheels (or cardboard mockups) until you find what feels best.