Hi,Specialists Bolters For a very good friend of me , What’s the best solution to add a power steering on his Chevy 1/2ton 1956(V8,265cui) Please We need if possible ,step by step description and photos and parts seller Great thank from France Alain Chevy
I have made email contact with Alain. Sent him lots of info in the CPP Saginaw and Toyota options. His early 265 front motor mounts present a few challenges for pulley compatibility and pump mounting. As Ed said: The Saginaw (which I've done several times) is outside the frame rail for added header/etc. clearance. The Toyota is mounted inside. The Toyota seems easier to install. No welding, No drilling, no moving of the shock mounts, as far as I can tell.
CPP has a special pump/motor mount kit for the early front mount (bird leg) SBC and they have the crank pulley. Crank may need to be drilled and tapped. Seems like Hot Rod Jerry has some kind of jig fixture/drill guide for that..... and instruction.
For those thinking of doing power steering, there are three phases of work to be done after the desired box is chosen. 1. Box mounting 2. Column mod or new column. Possible intermediate shaft and Ujoint needed. 3. Pump mount None of this work is difficult, lots of instruction and all in "kit form". The con is the price. I recommend CPP over POL. The CPP kits are sold by many vendors. There is/was confusion on the POL Saginaw kit because the kit says 47-59. I have helped several people with the POL kit. The POL kit, at the time I was involved, DID NOT realize that there needed to be two different hole drilling instructions. The frame on AD is 5 1/2" tall and the TF is 6" tall. One hole "fell off" the frame.
The CPP kit has two drilling instructions for Saginaw box mounting.
Be advised that parts are scarce, kits on back order, parts on back order. The cupboards are bare in America right now. Chances are you will wait for a long time for delivery and the prices of everything are going up. So pull the trigger now if you can. The excuse is Covid, not sure about that. Could be China choking us off for a while to see how we like it. Many things are automated and don't need a lot of workers. People working from home just fine. I guess transportation is the bottle neck and raw material.
I have seen references to the existence of the toyota version in a number of places, but have had issues tracking down actual hard info on it. Do you have a source you can share? I am looking at power steering options for my 58. In the end, I will probably end up building my own because I just like making my own stuff, but I would like to look at how the different versions are set up.
I used a Delphi(Saginaw) Delphi bought Saginaw a while back, both parts fit, name cast into unit, from GM application, unit attaches with 4 flat head bolts thru .375” adapter plate to frame, shop made, all frame mounts must be bushed with sleeve so frame w/not collapse. Must adjust unit so everything clears.
Ed
Last edited by EdPruss; 08/20/20213:07 AM.
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires. '47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle. '54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed. '55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
I call THIS the Toyota option. It is supposedly a "CPP design" clone. Actual Toyota boxes become very hard to find. This clone is better and has a better ratio. (CPP 400 series).
The hardest part of DIY is the pitman arm. Next, be sure drag link is level. The rest is straight forward for an engineer. Hook things up and plumb it. Maintain geometry. I've seen many DIY hybrid welded pitman arms. 1/2 fits truck, 1/2 fits donor box. They are forged so the weld will be good.
The most simple install is the factory type where the power steering pump is on the back of the generator and uses a ram assist on the tie rod. Wouldn't recommend for one that sits very low but although some bad mouth this set up it was used on Corvettes for over 20 years with most owners not even knowing it since a Corvette isn't known for "bad" handling. Still in use on many industrial machines.
As Bartamos has said some of the parts may be hard to find or on backorder. I had ordered a CPP series 400 steering box in April and as of this week still had no updated shipping status. The reason I chose to use the series 400 steering gear is that it bolts in the original location and can be used with the factory steering column.
I spoke with one of the Tech Reps at CPP and he advised me to look elsewhere as I my be able to find someone with the part in stock. I did finally locate a vendor who had the steering gear in stock, H&H Classic Parts in Bentonville, AR. They were very helpful and great to work with.
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
Come Bleed or Blister, something has got to give!!! | Living life in the SLOW lane
John, All the factory parts are retained; the box, the tie rod, pitman arm,etc. The p/s kit consists of a control valve that fits on the pitman arm end of the drag link, a frame anchor bracket for one end of the assist cylinder, a bracket on the tie rod for the other end of the assist ram, and pump and hoses. Here are a few pics of the set up on a 1940 International pickup with a 400 sbc. Not a tidy as on a Chevy but gives one the idea of how it works.
Thank you for the pics and information. I have two different '59 Apaches that I plan to upgrade with power steering. The first one is a stock Apache 32 with a 235 and the original 4 speed and will be a good candidate for going the original factory set up that you have shown.
My other truck is an Apache 31 that had been poorly hot rodded (butchered) by a previous owner and will need some major reconstruction in the steering department. As my plans for that one are yet to be determined I will continue reading post's by you and other Bolter's as I decide which way to go (IFS or retain the straight axle). It will however remain a rough around the edges hot rod and hopefully become my future daily driver.
Hi Bartamos Thanks for your precious advice The forum is a gold mine for me. I have many friends in France with 3100 pickup 53 And 56 mine is 54 deluxe 235 4 speeds manual all original Friends don’t speak English so I share with them all yours advices
