The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk need info on '57 GMC power steering and Brakes

Looking for info on Obtaining power steering parts and power brake parts for factory 1957 GMC. Also looking for reputable rebuilder. I know the power steering pump and brakets also fit a pontiac but what about the lines and rams. do they fit or interchange with chevy? what all is needed to convert a non power steering 57 gmc to a power steering GMC.

Ditto for booster, master cylinder and brackets, need origional parts and the name of a reputable rebuilder.

Michael
520-432-3011

Hmmm. Where is 3rd rock?

rebuilder for what Mike? and can he be on the 2nd rock? or 4th? or maybe around Tucson?

AFAIK they didn't offer power brakes for the trucks other than the hydrovac for the bigger trucks - you might have better luck on odd GMC info over at oldgmctrucks.com, they're more into all the 1000 point resto stuff

the power steering setup most likely will be the same as the Chev, but doubt any part would fit the car other than the pump, which you prolly know is on the back of the generator .... might watch e-bay, but power steering was a rarely ordered option on any truck, so it'll be hens teeth on this rock

Bill

Didn't they offer power brakes on 57 GMC half ton's? 3rd rock is earth? I live on planet Bisbee in SE AZ.

Still need it if you got it. DITTO the power steering

michael,
v8 or 6 cylinder??? the 57 gmc used a 347 pontiac v8 or a 270 gmc 6 cylinder. The six cylinder had a tandem generator power steering pump. The v8 had a seperate power steering pump with a huge pulley.

gmc used a different power steering setup than chevy. the gmc used a speacial saginaw power steering gear for the years 1955-1959. they are very tough to come by and fetch a large price when you do find them. they also used a different steering column that was coupled with a borguesson (hope i got that right) joint.

There was an optional hydrovac breaking system used on gmc trucks. I don't know much about them other than they had a hydrovac unit under the hood on the firewall on the drivers side, and they utilised a rather large reserve vacuum tank located under the floorboard on the drivers side.

it may be eazier to convert to power steering by using the ram system that was optional on the chevies. it is most certainly eazier (and safer) to use an aftermarket power brake booster. these units bolt under the floor like the original, and add a measure of safety.

I have never seen one, but, according to the parts manual, Chevrolet offered a Bendix unit for non HD trucks. They list the repair kit as Bendix #377774 and the Chevy #3738755
I only see the Hydrovac offered on the HD trucks.
Power steering is a different issue. According to the parts manual, power steering was not offered on trucks until 1959.
Bob

the Bendix unit was a hydrovac, never seen one on a 1/2T ... power steering was offered from at least 55 on Chevys, maybe earlier - it's RPO 350, called "hydraulic steering", RPO 351 for bigger trucks, but still used the same generator mounted pump .... can't imagine GM designed a whole different setup for GMCs, they didn't do that kinda thing, used what already was at hand

never seen a 50's light truck with a rag joint either - any kit available for power steering invloves installing one tho - have you checked over at the old GMC.com forum? those are the guys who'll know

Bill

checked the assy manual - seems they did offer the hydrovac on the 3xxx series, V8 equipped only, mounted beside the engine on pass side, woulda been really rare considering the V8 wasn't common

I had a careful look at the parts manual and the booster for 55-59 2nd Series and the 60-62 D.D (which I am not familiar with ) as the same Bendix unit Part #379315 Chev# 3763467

There are numerous other listings for the HD vehicles, and they are all different than the numbers listed above.

To go back to the power steering question, I checked in another Chevy truck book that I have, which states that power steering was available as an option from 55-59. The book does not include any other information. Unfortunately, that portion of the parts manual is missing. There is a picture in the parts manual depicting a 2nd series power steering unit with the pump attached to the generator, but I can't provide any more info.
Bob