I switched to a Flaming River (Vega-style) manual box years ago. Cost a lot of money, it worked well, but I went back to p/s. One thing that was cool is that Ames Perf reproduces the manual steering alternator bracket, which drops the alternator down MUCH lower on the engine. Looked very strange seeing so much of the intake manifold, and the drivers side valve cover. I loved the look.

However, I can give you a warning here! If you have wider than stock tires up front, or radials, the car is nearly impossible to park or turn around, which is embarrassing at a cruise night. With skinny bias plies up front, or pizza cutters, it's not too bad driving around, but with slightly fatter radials or fatter bias-plys, it was just miserable to drive.

We had a 1988 Hyundai (back in 1988) with manual steering, and with those tiny 13" skinny radials, it was no problem getting around. In fact, it was my wife's car, and she's 5' 2". Her old car was a 1972 Opel with manual steering, so she was used to the manual steering. And honestly, that Hyundai didn't feel much different than a 1990's Bonneville power steering, which Pontiac designed in a alot of 'road feel'.

But with bigger/fatter tires, well there's a reason why p/s was mandatory on the Trans Am! Also factor in the size of your steering wheel. The little Formula wheel takes a LOT more effort to turn manual steering than a giant wood wheel.

I put P245/R14's all around, and with the Formula wheel, I could barely get out of the driveway without pulling a muscle. With a larger wood wheel, it was much better, but still a chore.

For the negligible amount of horsepower you may be saving, it's not worth having a car that's no fun to drive. It's like taking the heater out to save 5 lbs, then freezing your butt off at every at cruise night. Just not worth it...