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MY wife's arthritis in her hands is getting so bad that she now cannot drive little MaryAnn, her beloved 53' pickup that I built and gave to her as a wedding gift.

I know some of you folks have added PS to your ol' Chebbies and I'm asking for opinions, personal experience, do's & don'ts, etc. I am wondering if a mid 50's GM slave cylinder setup would work on the solid axle of the truck? I havea 57' Chev generator/PS pump combo already and would like to use it. Seems reasonable to me at this point but I don't know so here I am. Really wanted to get to Kansas City this year to ask some of you personally but circumstances won't allow for that. So have a great time and I'll try again next year, Lord willing.

I had asked a question along the same lines and member who uses the user name achipmunk really helped me out. I have his email but I don't know how he would feel if i gave it out. here is the thread where i asked about what to do with a 50 3100 front end https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...Main=112287&Number=768205#Post768205

i bet if you PM'd him he could help out. really good fella.

Thanks.

you might check this out

never had one on mine, used the poor mans power steering.. knob..lol

that's the exact kit I picked up. they threw in a 5 position tilt steering column with the automatic on the column shifter handle

Yeah, that 's the kit I put on my 51 panel.

I did move the column to the outboard side and down about 3 inches. I
did so to clear the 455 Buick I put in it & to reduce to angle
of the new shaft a bit.

Effortless steering; even with 265-75Rx16 truck tires up front.
Get the optional tie rod (one inch billet steel) and the 1 1/8 inch
stabilizer bar. Makes everything nice and strong and reliable.

mike

How did you end up mounting the steering column in the fire wall? I picked up the tie rod upgrade but not the stabilizer bar. I guess I will grab it to.

Tracern1

If you you end up not having your shift linkage on the new column in the way of the motor then you really don't have to move the column as I did.

Since I had little fore and aft latitude in engine placement I chose to simply
weld up the original column hole and exit the firewall about 2 inches down and two inches to the outboard side; and then welded up a piece of 1/8 in steel plate to re-enforce the floor around the new hole.
(By the way I used a Kugel Komponents T400 column shift linkage kit. It proved to be high quality and highly adjustable for custom applications like this. Didn't want to wrestle with adapting stock stuff or junkyard parts. )

The stabilizer bar I got from CPP was really beefy and installed with no drilling
using existing mounting points at spring perches and front frame crossmember.
Since I have a panel that weighs a LOT more than a pickup I chose to keep the solid
front axle, but beef everything else up.

m

I don't wish to use a replacement steering column because I have 3 on the tree and want to keep it. Also I don't see what brackets are supplied for the PS pump but my guess is that it's for a V8. I have and will be keeping the 235 engoine. What about steering box frame clearance issues? Have they been addressed?

I'm just leary of these kits when so many questions are unanswered. So Tracern1 how did yours work out?
Thanks.

The CPP kit will place a later model Chevy pickup power steering box
on the outboard side of the frame and well forward of the axle.
They provide all the spacers and brackets necessary to precisely weld up
the mount and then bolt the steering box to .... very well thought out and well designed
in my opinion. However, you are correct in assuming that the pump bracket is for a Chevy V8. I simply used the brackets from a Buick in order to bolt my pump
to the motor.
Since you wish to keep the 3 on the tree, however, I'm betting that the necessity of cutting of the steering shaft on the stock column will negate the use of the stock shift linkage; but I'll bet others have insight into this part of the project.
mike

I haven't installed the kit yet. But from what I can gather from researching on the net and test fitting the kit and information including pictures from Achipmunk. The steering box mounts on the outside of the frame nearer to the front then the original steering box. So you have to cut a notch out of the inner fender and use a knuckle joint to get the steering shaft inline. And they say these kits are bolt on, and they are as far as the gear box and pump go. But you still have to do some welding. You have to weld a piece of steel where the 2 top steering box bolts go that comes with the kit and is pre drilled to the top of the frame. Then put the other 2 steering box bolts on. So some of the ads for these kits are a little misleading when they say "bolt on" power steering kit. There is not much welding to install the kit. But the welding that there is to do is on a important part. It wouldn't be to good taking a turn a little fast and the 2 steering box bolts breaking loose with the piece of steel at the top of the frame. But I can weld and have a buddy who still welds for a living so that won't be a problem.

You stated you want to keep the factory column and shift so the tie rod assist power steering is the way to go. You can use the drag link with the control valve on it, make a bracket on the tie rod and axle or frame for the power cylinder, and run the hoses. You keep EVERYTHING from the factory---the column, shifter, steering box, and nothing has to be moved or repositioned. Chevy cars used this up through 64, Mustang up through 70, and Corvette to about 1980 (we all know how lousy they steered and handled).