Steering shaft straight or Bent?

[MarauderPU]

I bought a wrecked Marauder chassis and I am in the process of puttting a 63 Ford unibody pickup on the chassis. The steering shaft just above the rack has a slight bend in it. I don't know whether this was caused by an accident or if it is a factory bend. There is a distinctive factory looking mark on the shaft that looks like it may have been a mark for the bend.

Could one of you folks take a look at this on your Marauder and let me know if it has a slight bend in it or if it is straight. This is the shaft directly above the rack with a universal joint at each end.

Thanks
Karl

[fastblackmerc]

I bought a wrecked Marauder chassis and I am in the process of puttting a 63 Ford unibody pickup on the chassis. The steering shaft just above the rack has a slight bend in it. I don't know whether this was caused by an accident or if it is a factory bend. There is a distinctive factory looking mark on the shaft that looks like it may have been a mark for the bend.

Could one of you folks take a look at this on your Marauder and let me know if it has a slight bend in it or if it is straight. This is the shaft directly above the rack with a universal joint at each end.

Thanks
Karl

That is standard from the factory.

[MarauderPU]

I am trying figure our why? Must be a safety thing to put the collapsable universal joint at the right angle?