converting manual steering to power steering

-
ChazRam

ChazRam

1964 Valiant V200
Joined
Feb 17, 2005
Messages
962
Reaction score
61
Location
Carol Stream Illinois
Is this going to be hard to source out parts to convert my car to power steering? Real bad rotator cuffs on both shoulders are the blame for wanting to do this.
Trying to figure out what years of Valiants and Darts work best for the correct steering column to replace the column without doing any modifications. I know I will need a new steering box, might as well pop a new pitman arm on it at the same time. I want to start sourcing out parts cars so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
What car are you working on? I will be going the other way, from power to manual on a 69 Dart. We might be able to work something out if the parts interchange.
 
I converted......to Power steering that is. Almost any power box from a A, B or E will work. If its from an A it will work. There was a change I think in 73 they went large selector (1-1/4") so you car being a 70 would use a small selector (1-1/8"). I used a 900 PSI Saginaw box to drop the pressure bu with your shoulder you might want a stock pressure pump. You can reduce the line pressure later if you want but it requires removing the pump and shimming the valve. You'll need a crank pulley with the PS sheave and a PS pump brackets. I found the CVF bracket raises the pump a bit to clear the 72-down K-frame mount, which can cause a clearance issue with the high pressure line. I got my High pressure line from Bouchillon. For a Column you'll need a PS version of what you have floor or column shift. I used a Flaming River B-body drop in and it did drop in my Dart by shortening the D shaft. I would send the box to Firm Feel or Steer and Gear and get it rebuilt. I went Stage III Firm Feel and it with the low pressure pump feels like a manual fast rack in a very light car. My dad has the Stage 1 in a Coronet with a 440 and standard pressure pump and its a bit heavier than stock and precise.

Another route is talk to Bergman Auto Craft ( a sponsor and member of this site) and see if the Borgeson conversion will work and how heavy the fell is. The Borgsen box is a faster ratio than the stock PS Box.

I love my conversion. Can run wide front tires, parallel park, wife can drive the car, and get in and out on my driveway without slapping the crap out of the wheel 100 times.
 
For a '66 model, you can get just the center shaft with the P/S coupler and install it in your column if you can't or don't want to change the whole thing. You'll need pump, brackets, crank pulley, hoses, 90 degree pressure hose fitting if it's a stock manifold 273, and belt to fit whatever setup you get for whatever engine you have. The stock setup that year was a Federal (maybe TRW, I forget) pump with the large diameter return hose. That would keep it stock. The '67-9 setup with a Saginaw pump will work too if you get it complete so everything fits the early water pump and lines up right.
 
You have to cut the steering shaft maybe 2" shorter to fit the power gear-box, and drill a hole for the link rod. Most people go the other way (need an extender for manual box to power steering shaft), so you might swap with someone to not molest factory parts. You could also swap the whole steering column, but many disassemble theirs to restore anyway.

An early A would have the TRW pump. It looks like the later Federal pump but different brackets and fittings. The TRW pump for C-body has a larger shaft so pulleys don't interchange, and a C-body pulley has a different offset to not line up with the crank pulley (how would I know?). I vaguely recall B-body were the same as A. The TRW pump brackets only fit the early cast-iron water pump. The Saginaw gearbox is said more efficient and is much easier to source (GM). If there are brackets to fit the cast-iron water pump, Bouchillon Performance Engineering may have them.

You need the early power gearbox. Around 1973, the sector shaft got larger in A and B-body (same as C-body) so your Pitman arm wouldn't fit. The inlet and outlet fittings on the gearboxes vary between the three power steering pumps. You can interchange the bolt-on in and out housings to fit or adapt hose sizes inline. The A and B-body factory H.P. hose often had an inline coupler to change sizes. My C-body hose had the same fittings but a custom end adapter to change the flare size. Later setups used O-ring H.P. fittings at pump and gearbox. I've got several power gearboxes stored, but shipping for individuals is outrageous for anything but small parts.
 
Last edited:
I have a 63 Valiant power steering pump bracket (slant six, of course). I used everything else on something else when I switched to manual steering, but still have the bracket. Let me know if you want it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top