The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1950 3100 with a 400 small block question

I picked up a 1950 1/2 ton a few months ago. The truck has been fitted with a 400 small block and auto trans. the truck still has the original steering in it. The engine has a exhaust leak on the back of the exhaust manifold. The original steering shaft makes it impossible to fix the exhaust leak or change the plug without jacking the motor up. The steering shaft is like less then a inch from the exhaust manifold. So I would like to fix it where in the future I would not have to jack the motor up to change plugs. Does anyone know of a fix for this problem? thanks for any help

Having the original steering column makes for a very tight installation with a small block V8. My truck had this setup when I bought it.

Some people space the steering gearbox out from the chassis; this still makes for tight install though.

I fitted a Saginaw power steering box from a later Chevy truck. This mounts further forward on the chassis. I used the top half of the original column and connected it to the steering box with two universal joints. This gives plenty of clearance.

CPP make a kit for the complete Saginaw conversion; they also make a kit that uses an early Toyota Landcruiser box which also gives better clearance for your steering.

Stuart.

thanks for the help Stuart, would you happen to have a link to the site that makes the conversion kits?

The company I mentioned was CPP -Classic Performance Parts. This should link to the Saginaw kit on their website. If you search their site the Toyota steering box option is there too.

There's a photo here of the Saginaw steering box installed on my truck.

Stuart.

tracern1....as already mentioned there are several options to yoru situation. I have a small block in my 52panel and decided to put a power steering box on mine outside the chassis and toward the front. I bought a reman mid seventies Saginaw box from Advance Auto ($116) a kit containing the steering arm,drag link and bracket/bolts from Classic Parts ($99) and installed it on my truck per the instructions that came with it. Instructions were good. Then I bought a section of double "D" shaft and two universal joints ($90) and attached it all. It works nice and the steering box is outside the chassic. I did cut a small section out of the inner fender for the double D shaft to go through and a nice round hole for one of the power steering hoses to go through. OH...and you'll need a pitman are which is not cheap. Most want about $65 for one. I used one off a 1969 Buick Skylark and there are several more that will work.

Hope all this helps you in some way to make the best decision for you. Oh, there are some photos of it in my my photo bucket if you want to take a look.

Alvin

Thanks for all the help and the great info. One more question though. The truck I have has the original steering set up. So it does not have power steering. Would that make a differnce as far as a conversion would go?

Alvin, this won't apply to your situation since your steering is in and working, but I've discovered a sneaky trick when modifying race car steering systems. Lots of the Pitman arm/steering gear combinations have one or more wide splines which limit the location where they can be assembled. By using a 3-cornered file, the wide spline(s)in the Pitman can be modified so it can be installed at any position on the steering gear output shaft. This allows for more flexibility in positioning the Pitman arm in relation to the drag link.
Jerry

Jerry, as always thank you for your input. THAT is a good tidbit to know and I do have a 3 corner file!!