[murrsue]

A friend has a 56 Vicky (stock). He wants power steering and we're wondering what his options are. Look for original? Modern R&P retrofit? Would appreciate any advice.
thanks, Murray

[pzatchok]

I'm going through that one right now on my car. Same car by the way.

You have a few options. The origional power stearing units are available either new or rebuilt. new is over a thousand and your still need a few odd parts to hook it up. A rebuilt that last time I looked was over 800. Don't forget the WHOLE power steering pump unit. I can NEVER find the brackets step bolt that holds the bracket to the engine block. The unit shakes a lot unless you get the small brace that goes from the pump to the exahst manifold also. Don't need it but it really helps.

I have heard but not tried it yet that a ford turous(SP) r/p unit fits with a fabbed up bracket to hold it to the round crossmember under the engine. But that also means you'll be fitting the R/P unit to the old steering shaft also. There are kits for this out there.

Theres a lot of room under there so my guess is most anything from a mid sized to large ford car might fit with work.

I'm going to be trying a Ford truck power unit out of a 250 that looks like it might fit in easier.

I'm installing the Granada front spindles and disk breaks tomorrow. I'll post a few picts of that when I can.

Post any other 55/56 Ford questions you have.

[murrsue]

thanks pzatchok. What year Ford truck for that power unit? Does it have to be a 250? That's one of those steering boxes with power built in right?

[FiddyFour Customline]

Yup... My F-250 steering gear is an all in one unit. same style i am considering for my '54 .

It seems like a pretty simple(in theory) conversion.

T

[murrsue]

What year of F-250 will work? What mods are required?

[FiddyFour Customline]

well...
as to what year, the steering gear i refer to is on an 88.

what mods are needed, how and if it will work, those are yet to be determined.

my biggest concern is in the steering arm geometry, and how easy it is going to be to mount the column to the gearbox input shaft...

like i say, this idea is in the VERY early stages of leaning on the fender and saying, "hmmm i wonder if ..."

[pzatchok]

Thats exactly were I'm at now. But tomorrow i'm going to the bone yard to get one to see if it will work.
So far it looks like the streering shaft will fall into an acceptable are so i wouldn't need do major universal work to get it to attach to the colum.

I'm thinking it should bolw right up to the linkages. Might have to retaper the hole but thats not hard.

It looks like attaching it to the frame should be as easy as drilling some new holes and filling the old ones in the frame. Don't need to fill the holes but why not since I'm there already.

I'm taking the old box and colum shaft with me to get a better idea.

The Granada spindles went on easier than I thought. No problems there.

The '54's '55's and '56's are all VERY similar. A lot of parts interchange and the frame geometry and size is all the same.

FiddyFour, I just looked at you gallery/journal. What are those disk breaks you found on the car? They are deffinately not like my Granada ones. Bet that was a good suprise though.

[murrsue]

Pzatchok, keep us updated on your progress.

I was searching around on the internet and found a couple of other options. No Limit Engineering (San Bernadino) sells a complete bolt on pwr. steering kit for 53-60 Fords. It's out of a Toyota 4x4. It's $579 or $289 less the box. I wonder what year 4x4?
Also So-Cal Speed Shop in Phoenix sells a kit for 53-56 Fords that is a GM ps box for $299. It would be nice to find out what box they use.
Pzatchok, you might want to search out these options at the wrecker. Murray

[pzatchok]

I got hold of a 79 power steering box off of an f150. The same box was used for all 72 to 79 ford trucks. It has to be the rear steer type. Steers from behind the wheels.

I worked a deal and got it for 40 bucks.I'll still have to adapt it to the steering colum and make sure it fully clears the inside wheal well. If it touches it I can just bump out the wheel well or shim it off of the frame some. But I think it will clear fine.

If you want to keep the old steering colum you'll have to find a way support the part that pokes through the fire wall. I would make up a plate that both holds the colum and supports everything to the colum the correct way. Shouldn't be to hard.

I'm going to be using a ford tilt colum if I can find a nice one. That has the support plate to the fire wall.

One or two cheap universals should then be all I need to hook it all together.

I've heard of the Toyota box idea but I'm trying to stay all Ford. I'm just stubborn that way.

While in the wrecking yard I actually found a 76 Ford Granada V8 with front disks. Just what I was looking for months ago. I might pick them up just for the next project.

I posted some new pics in my gallery/journal.

[Slickriffs]

I believe the Toyota box is 79-85 4 x 4. They're readily available new and used on Ebay. Take a look at one..and memorize what it looks like...The othe Toyota boxes are different..I'm looking at the same box for my '55 Chevy truck.

Keith

[FiddyFour Customline]

Originally posted by pzatchok

FiddyFour, I just looked at you gallery/journal. What are those disk breaks you found on the car? They are deffinately not like my Granada ones. Bet that was a good suprise though.

That is a real good question... the calipers are some mid 80's GM, welded (half arsed) to the stock spindles. I'll need to grind the welds down and see just how bad they are before i take any furthur action.
on a different tac, i found a great source for front end components for the "orphan" fifties blue ovals... seems like a good place to start for dropped spindles, brakes, and steering stuff that is a bolt on.



Gearheads cruiser products

[pzatchok]

The F150 stearing box idea I had didn't pan out. After actually measuring the part I found its just a bit to big. Hits the firewall or upper a arm depending on exactly were you place it.
It might still work if I use a spacer to move it off of the frame but then I would be needing custom headers to get around it.
Oh well.
That toyota box is looking better all the time. The chevette and taurus R/P units need two or three universals to work right and get around everything.
I'm thinking I'll just skip power steering and the tilt colomb this year and install them later all at once since its all simple bolt in parts for that.

Sorry to hear about those front brakes. I'm not sure if I would drive on something like that.

[KULTULZ]

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[pzatchok]

For 850 bucks I could go with the factory system. One just came up on Ebay if anyone wants it. Looks complete.
And I don't have to go through the effort and expence of adapting my hollow steering shaft to fit some type of new horn button The horn button wire goes down it and out the steering box.
And I wouldn't have to adapt the factory shaft to the new box with a universal.

All of this adds expence.

The only advantage a modurn one has is less turns lock to lock

And its not Ford. Again I'm a bit stubborn.
.

[KULTULZ]

Originally posted by pzatchok

For 850 bucks I could go with the factory system.

And its not Ford.

Uh...The origional system is by BENDIX...