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Greetings

Been reading about some of the problems with a 350 swap into a Chevy AD truck, mostly getting the headers to fit the steering box location.
What about skipping the headers and using stock
exaust manifolds - same problems?

Thanks

Wrongpaw

I used 2 driverside 77 Nova exhaust manifolds.They are a lot more common and,,,,,cheaper.I paid $5.00 each for them.I had to use 2 driverside ones because I have my small block bolted in with 55-57 pass car mounts (a four point mounting system, using the cross member at the front of the bell housing.The 77 passenger exhaust manifold dumps at a 45 degree angle into my mount so I used 2 driverside ones, doing that they look like 55-56 , 265 exhaust manifolds.The left side dumps at the back and the right side dumps at the front like a 55-56 chevy V8 now.Both sides clear the frame, but I had to move my steering box out 1 3/4 inch out.
Lothar

wrongpaw, welcome to the Bolt.... now, some time ago I was following a thread that if I remember correctly said that an original style early model header 55-57 might work??? Also most folks that move the steering box use a Toyoto steering box that will mount on the side of the chassis with just a small amount of modifications. Perhaps if you do a search here you can find those posts. I may have them printed out and in the shop somewhere but finding them quickly may be a chore! I also plan to put a small block in my 53panel.

I mounted a mid 70's 4X4 steering box in front of the axle, made a new steering link and used a tilt column to make room for the V-8.
That's how I did it,
Scott

You might want to doublecheck this, but I read that the early 'Ram horns' exhaust manifolds work well for that application...
Dano

I think a few months ago, someone on this forum tried ramshorns and said they still had to move the steering box. But I don't know. Seems like it should work.

I would think a header would work too, if you are capable of cutting and fabbing up your own primary tubes just where the steering box is. Shouldn't be too hard. It just depends on how tight it is.

Has anybody tried mounting the V8 engine and transmission slightly to the passenger side instead of dead nuts in the middle? If you have U-joints on the drive shaft, a very slight angle shouldn't matter at all.

I believe in the 60's and 70's, Corvettes had their engines slightly off center...possibly to clear the steering box on those cars.

if you use a 265 exhaust manifold on the drivers side it will clear the steering box with out moving it, you might have to use short spark plugs

Moving the box doesn't cost anything, all you need to do is make spacers to move it 1 3/4 "and a 3/8 plate to sit it on at the top of the frame with 4 holes.The only complication is that the hole that the colomn goes thru hits the column.To fix this simply move all the rubber componants there away .Now with the column unattached under the dash heat the firewall around the side of the hole till it's nice and yellow/red and pull on the steering wheel till it's a little past where you need to go.Sand the area ,paint your firewall and bolt your steering column back in place.TA-DA

Got any pics?

What about the linkage from the steering box to the rest of the steering system? How did you move that over?

And when it's moved, will it clear headers?

I did a SBC swap in my 52 using the tubular engine crossmember that everyone sells...my experience was that there was absolutely no way the stock steering box was going to work (with the engine centered) unless I spaced it out 3+" and was willing to unbolt the steering box every time I wanted to change a sparkplug.

I tried rams horns and other low clearance manifolds but I think the biggest problem is that the universal tubular engine mounts sit the engine too low in the frame. But other people have gotten similar setups to work, so maybe its just me.

I ended up going with the CPP power steering kit.

If I were going to do it again I would try to mount the engine an inch or two further forward and as high as possible between the frame rails. That should give you a little more room to try the steering ideas that people here are recommending.

In your opinion, is it possible to custom weld the primary tubes on the driver's side of a set of headers to clear the steering box?

One innovative solution that someone here had was to move the steering box rearward so that the rear holes mounted the front of the steering box. He then used a u-joint on the steering shaft and modified the linkage.
In your opinion, how would that have worked?

And another question. When you installed your V8, did you have to modify your firewall?
I would think mounting the V8 low like that would avoid modifications to the firewall. And moving the steering box would be the better of two evils.

I've also seen one guy in a car show with a very well-adapted steering system from a late-60's pick up truck that mounted the steering box in the wheel well. He then used an Ididit steering shaft and using a u-joint, went through the inner fenderwell to the steering box. That was a very pristine conversion, but looked like a lot of work.

When I moved my box 1 3/4"over it didn't seem to affect anything in my steering. It simply moved the pitmans possition slightly .

When you moved your box over, what kind of exhaust did you end up using? Would you say it allowed room for standard headers, or would you still need to use block hugger headers?

When I was mocking mine up it looked like there were a few exhaust options that would have worked, but all of them still would have required spacing out the steering box.

I didn't have to modify the firewall at all - I'll try to take a picture of my setup today.

Here's a picture of mine when I was trying to decide what to do with the steering- in this pic the engine is offset 1" to the passenger side:

[img]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f214/tkeahi/CIMG0109.jpg[/img]

Kind of hard to see but the spark plug is about 3mm from the steering box bolt. From this picture you can kind of see how moving the engine up an inch and forward an inch might have helped. It also looks like shorty spark plugs, a spaced out steering box, and an offset engine might have worked but I didn't like that idea. I didn't want the steering wheel at an angle even if I was the only one who ever would have noticed.

I think the idea of moving the steering box along the frame would work if you could figure out the linkage. I cut off my old steering column about 3" above the box so if you want the box to play with it you're welcome to it.

Here's some pictures I found online (not mine):
[img]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f214/tkeahi/IM002583.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f214/tkeahi/IM002587.jpg[/img]

They have plugs for your box that use a socket hole ,so it wouldn't stick out.Basically it cuts that square head completely off.

When you install a V8 into a original frame('48) what do you do with the 216 and 3sp cross mounts? What type of mounts do you install in their place? (1948 1/2 ton orig. frame) Thanx for the help in advance!

If you install a standard you could use 55-57 chev bell housing and drill for the mounts on that crossmember.You have to cut the center out of that bell housing cross member thou.If you have an automatic,I used 350 turbo tranny mounts and 55-57 chev car front mounts. I bolted in a 73-77 chevelle trany crossmember to bolt them to in the front.I just turned it around the other direction and trimmed and flannged the sides.It has the perfect configuration for the 55-57 front mounts, just a little drilling ,etc and I have a 4 point mounting system for my 53 1/2 ton.

KillerKnight, Thanx4 the info, but I'm installing a T5 and am not shure what bell housing to use yet. The V8 is a 1968 327 chevell and the T5 is a 1989 V8 camaro . so U c i'm still trying to put the pieces together. Did you remove your original 6 cyl cross mounts from your 53? If so what did you use there? Mike
btw, Happy Thanksgiving!

you could use a 57-62 corvette motor mount. they allow you to still use a stock fuel pump. the cpp 73-87 power box conversions that i have seen interfear with the turning radius. the toyota coversion is better suited for the TF trucks because you still have clearance issues. the idea of moving the stock box seems like a good one if your going to change the column. guess it comes down to " is it going to be driven daily?" + how thick is your wallet? good luck.