The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop V8 in 47-55 A D Truck

Has anyone moved the engine off center towards the curb side to get the exhaust manifold of a SBC to clear the steering box? Or is that a common way to do it? Pros and cons? Please share your experience and knowledge. Thanks.

You can do it that way but in my opinion the best way is to relocate the steering box to the outsde of the frame using a late model steering box. Speedway sells a kit do this and that will solve the clearance issue with the manifold.

Just use a driver's side exhaust manifold from a 1955-57 265 V8. They're available at swap meets, and they come up pretty often on Ebay at dirt cheap prices. The outlet is forward of the steering box and it eliminates the need to modify the steering or offset the engine. Unless you're planning to run full throttle all the time, that manifold won't result in a measurable power loss at any sane RPM on the street. I've proved that on a dyno many times.
Jerry

Jerry is spot on. Use a set of "ram horns" from the 283's, and some use the one from a 265 which, as Jerry mentioned, it forward enough to clear. They are available new but a tat pricey if you go for new.

FYI....one guy here offset the original steering box one...or one and half inches and said it didn't seem to matter and you couldn't tell it in the column either while sitting in the truck.

For me, I used a rebuilt Saginaw steering box from Advance auto. That box covers several years so I asked for a '76 as they seem to be plentiful. (I have the number if interested)......then I purchased the kit from Classic Parts which came with instructions and move the steering box outside the chassis by cutting a slot in the inner fender. Bought a new power steering pump and hoses. I drove this 52panel afterwards for 7 years with ZERO problems......I used a steering column out of a 68 so I"d have turn signals and automatic shift column on the steering column so I did have to buy a section of double "D" and universal to hook it up. Nice neat and compact.....a little pricey but not near what some of the other stuff cost.....OH, and a pitman arm from a 69 Skylark worked just fine.....and a lot of other GM's pitman arms will work. I think its about 5 or 5 1/2 inches.

Hope this helps or motivates you.

Thanks for the good responses. I am familiar with moving the steering box outboard of the frame - the 50 Pickup I bought in 99 had a SBC in it when I got it. The box was moved approx 1-1/2" and the hole for the column enlarged just a little. A person wouldn't notice unless he knew what to look for. That engine had 305 or 307 manifolds, I think. The driver side exited at the rear at about a 45 angle, as best as I recall. The other side exited more or less straight down forward of the # 8 port, again as best as I recall.

Deve's Tech Net has a scan of a 1977 Street Rodder magazine article entitled V-8 Juice For Your Stovebolt that describes moving the steering box. It also shows and describes a 307 “smog header” with indentation on drivers side. I really think that’s what my had as I remember the indentation.*

I have attached pictures of the engine in my 50 Pickup (sorry does not show the exhaust very well), and of a dirty/rusty SBC in another A D truck with rams horn manifolds (thanks 2-Ton). The steering box in that truck may have been moved, it's hard to tell.

I know some vehicles had the engine/drivetrain moved off center from the factory - many 60s-70s Mopars, for example. Also 88-99 GMT400 trucks had the engine towards the curb side.

It's just a thought. Making off center engine and trans mounts, etc. may not be easier/cheaper than relocating the steering.
Again thanks!

Alvin, Rams' horns don't work without making steering gear modifications. The 265 manifold moves the driver's side outlet forward far enough there's no interference without relocating the engine or the steering gear.
Jerry

Jerry, you are correct. As I was typing I was trying to express the use of 283 manifolds as I did....but, as you mentioned, I did put the steering box outside the frame.........and right again about the 265 manifolds. (That was my first complete engine build many years ago)
Sorry if I got off track and confused anyone.

I did both. I moved my box out almost 2” and i also offset the engine to fit my LS in. People freak out sometimes if you tell them that. Like its a bad thing. It honestly dosent matter. Multiple car manufacturers have done it for 80 years. Thats what u-joints are for. Mine is almost not noticeable unless i tell someone. When you look at the motor mounts its very clear though.

Thanks again.

Here's what I did in my 46 to keep stock steering. I used a manifold ( forgot what yr) from passenger side and installed on drivers side . 1st attempt with pics, one with casting #, one bolted on engine.
exhaust outlet is toward front at maybe 45 degrees, I had exhaust pipe bent around steering box to finish.

Now, that's an example of thinking outside the box. On most of the dyno runs I've documented, rams' horns give a measurable gain in HP somewhere above 3K RPM, and they don't rob low end torque as badly as most headers do. Cast iron exhaust manifolds also don't leak, burn spark plug wires, and increase under-hood temperature the way headers do. Other than giving the rubes at a car show something to marvel at, I can't see much of a reason to run headers on a street-driven vehicle, particularly a stovebolt truck.
Jerry

Thanks again all for the helpful responses. Much to think about. If you have followed some of my other posts you see I am exploring many possibilities. My questions are mostly academic at this time though, since I don’t have a truck. But hopefully the discussions may also help someone else.

Lots of guys offset the engine. If you're already fabricating mounts it's no extra work or expense.

I think offsetting the engine is the BEST way because that little extra weight on the passenger side helps counteract the notorious "Chevy lean" to the drivers side.

Thanks Superav.

Like is one Jerry???

I'm not Jerry but that is the correct manifold for the driver's side to clear the steering box