First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List Re: steering box/header woes by <hugoba@apcom.com> Power steering conversion by "Gary Patrick" <Gary@tcworks.net>
(back) Subject: Re: steering box/header woes From: <hugoba@apcom.com> Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 21:58:22 -0800 (PST) Danny, I can't comment on most of your questions, however, I have just swapped = out the power steering box for a manual in my 69 and it is a good bit smaller. Without knowing where it hits I could not tell you if it would help or = not. Usually the place where headers interfere with the steering mechanism is = at the pitman arm but maybe the Hookers are different (I had to do a bit of pipe shaping on a couple of the pipes on mine that hit the pitman arm. Actually = if it would have been the correct pitman arm the problem would not have been = there. Long story). If you describe where the interference is I'll look to see if going to = non-power might help. Hugo > From Firebird-L@oakmediacreations.com Wed Jan 10 21:08:34 2001 > Delivered-To: fixup-Firebird-L@oakmediacreations.com@fixme > From: "danny" <dannyboylll@qwest.net> > To: "First Generation Firebird-L" <Firebird-L@oakmediacreations.com> > Subject: steering box/header woes > Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 20:02:06 -0700 > MIME-Version: 1.0 > Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > X-Priority: 3 (Normal) > X-MSMail-Priority: Normal > X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 > Importance: Normal > > First Generation Firebird-L Mailing List > = ......................................................................... > > i am not a very active member on the list but i do try to respond to the > stuff when i feel i have something good to input so if you don;t = remember > me i am from albuquerque new mexico and my car is at my parents house (i = am > in the air force) i have spenthe last 5 years getting the cash and the > parts togther and my car is almost ready to go. my motor has the = edelbrock > aluminum heads and i bought a set of hooker headers for it. summit told = me > the headers would fit both the heads and the car. the problem is that = they > only fit the heads. they hit on the steering box no matter how i have = them > arranged. i can;t work on my car all the time because it is 1300 miles > away. i was planning on driving it back on the last trip i made up = there in > august but that header/steering box problem stopped me cold on the last = day > before i had to leave so i left empty handed. this is my last chance so = i > have to make sure i am going to make it because my parents are moving. = does > anyone have any experience with this problem?? can a good muffler shop > re-work those headers to make them fit around my steering box?? = (preferred) > a friend of mine told me that the manual steering box is quite a bit = smaller > than the power steering box. will this give me the extra room that i = need? > i don't want to dump hundreds of $$$ into a steering box if it is going = to > be the same size. another idea that i have is to get a set of RA IV = stock > manifolds. i can get repos from ames for 300$$ the edelbrock heads = that i > have are "patterned after RA IV stock heads"so i assume that the RA IV > manifolds would fit. my firebird is a '68. i think the RA IV came out = in > 70 so will i run into the same problem as i did with the headers that i = have > now??? any help would be greatly appreciated. i hope someone here has > successfully jumped this hurdle wile building their car. ok... this is = the > parts that i am trying to get to fit togther.... > > edelbrock heads "RA IV" > hooker headers (super comp) > power steering box > > these are my ideas to fix the problem... > > stock RA IV manifilds > manual steering box > cut and weld the tubes on the header. > > > thanks a lot -danny albuquerque nm 68 coup
(back) Subject: Power steering conversion From: "Gary Patrick" <Gary@tcworks.net> Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 06:14:16 -0500 Subject: Power Steering Conversion From: "Dave Byers" <dbyers@casgen.com> Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 14:57:12 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=3Dus-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I am interested in putting power steering in my 68 Firebird 400. What is the best approach? Is there a later model Firebird that has a steering box, pump, brackets, etc. that will directly bolt up? Dave ,Use all the engine mounted hardware from a 68 Pontiac V-8 Each year is different in the pulleys,brackets etc. Best gearbox to use is one from a 78-81 Trans Am with WS-6 suspension option. Next best one is any Trans AM(69-81) The WS-6 has 2.2 turns lock to lock and gives a real nice road feel.It is a high effort box so doesnt give the steering the mushy feel.You must replace the relief valve located behind the = pressure port in the ps pump as the Trans Am box requires more pressure. There are some quick ratio A body gearboxes but stay away from them as the internal stops are differnt.Any gearbox that you use must have the pitman arm replaced with the correct curved 68 one.These are avaliable in repro form for about $90. Its not cheap to do it right but what is. Gary