Bhebert449

I am in the market to purchase my first corvette and am looking at a 1970 C3 convertible 454. The car is not equipped with power steering or power brakes but has 4 wheel disc brakes. My question is will this make the car difficult to drive?

Is it difficult to add power steering and brakes? The car has all of the other components I am looking for (color, convertible, big block, nicely restored, driver).

Originally I was looking for an AC car equipped with more power options but this car was built for power and has the look I am going for.

Easy Mike

Take it for a test drive and see how it feels. If you have never driven a C3 with power steering and power brakes, you may not notice a difference.

All C3s have four wheel disc brakes as standard equipment.

LS4 PILOT

Not bad without , all mine have had pwr .

I could live without them on an older vette.

More then likely your looking at a an very original car ......and people wanted to leave it stock as from the factory. Which is kinda cool . Usually cars like that were always ordered special by the original owners .

Not the type of option group dealerships order for their lots.

This would be my type of car . BB 4 spd , convertible , no options , but the latter the corvette years , the more likely they are loaded with all,the options listed that's year.

I d,say it's more rare in that state myself and would have to leave it as such.

Bhebert449

What are the key affects to drivability for power brakes and steering vs. non-power? Is the stopping performance less functional? I am sure without power steering it is more difficult to drive at low speeds.

toylman

I have 2 C3s with manual steering and manual brakes. No problem. Rolling at any speed; the steering is fine.

Alan 71

Hi Bh,
There's no doubt that parking a 70, especially a bb, without power steering takes more steering effort from the driver than a p/s car does.
There's no difference in the brakes themselves between a power brake car or one without… the brakes are just 'power assisted'.
We have all gotten very used to driving cars with power steering and brakes now, but I'd think it's up to to the individual owner as to whether he feels that's required on a toy like a 70.
Personally I wouldn't pass up a car that I was interested in because of a lack of p/s and p/b.
Regards,
Alan

About two thirds the cars built for the 70 model year had power steering and about one half had power brakes; a bit more than one third had air conditioning; a bit more than one third were convertibles.
So finding a p/s, p/b, a/c convertible is very nice, but perhaps not too easy… especially when a b/b is added to the list.
This situation makes them desirable for some (many?) people, but not everyone.

marshal135

Hello,
I have a 68 BB w/ PS PB tele wheel.
If you are going for any length of a drive they are nice
comfort items.
If you just drive around the corner no big deal.
I've taken mine out on a Sunday and driven 100+
miles for the day w/o any fatigue.
Navigating a big block around w/o P/S will give you some what of
a workout at a stand still. I think it all goes away once your moving.
PB are nice no two footed Fred Flintstone stops needed.
Tele for the belly
Marshal

MelWff

If this is the same car you mentioned in another post you are quoting the listing by stating "built for power". It has an unknown engine and every Corvette from 1965 on had 4 wheel disk brakes. You need to have someone who knows these cars check it out with you before you make a $35,000 mistake.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-roadster.html

joewill

I have owned and driven both. don't pass on a car because of it. corvette power steering back then was 'assisted' and not the one finger driving that today's cars are.

in fact, I owe my muscular broad shoulders to my 16 year ownership of a 70 corvette and 67 bel-air, both without power steering.

dan1495

Also, the power steering systems on these cars are prone to leak. I sometimes wish my 72 didn't have it.

65GGvert

My 72 came with a/c only, no power anything else. I drove it a couple of months and couldn't stand how hard it was to steer, particularly when turns were needed at slow speed. I added Borgeson p/s and kept the old box. Easy swap back if necessary. Nothing was changed under the car. I disconnected the pitman arm and put the Borgeson in and attached the pitman arm to that, added a pulley and p/s pump. The Borgeson only has two hoses one pressure, one return and they go directly to the box. All assist is inside the box. Very slick and easy change. It has made me love driving the car now. As a plus, it also is a much faster steering ratio than stock. I have non power brakes and have been ok with that.

jnb5101

I think the biggest challenge is to switch between the Vette and the car you drive on a daily basis. The cars will feel very much different.

sandy laker

Even with that heavy engine under the hood, the steering will not be fatiguing if it is still equipped with the OEM skinny bias ply tires.

Installing a Steeroids R&P system is probably easier that trying to go with the OEM slave cylinder steering...and no leaks. I never thought doing ANYTHING under the left dash was easy...you'll spend a lot of time there changing to the vacuum assisted brakes. Unless you pay someone else to do the wrenching.

Zoomin

No power steering becomes a factor only at walking speed. Above that, not an issue at all, in fact it provides good feedback and feel. Non-power brakes are not noticeable.

65GGvert

It becomes a pretty big issue backing out and turning at the same time, and pulling from a stop with a turn if you try to make an evasive move. Maybe mine was worse than others, but I could barely turn it with 225-70 radials when parking.

Zoomin

I haven't tried an evasive maneuver at walking speed. I'll have to try that out.

65GGvert

Try it in a Walmart lot when someone backs out in front of you, or anything runs into the road or you see a pothole, or any other reason you want to make a quick turn. At slow speed, mine took two hands to turn the wheel a half turn. With the quick ratio and ease of turning, the Borgeson will make a 90 degree turn in that half turn. And considerably more than walking speed is affected. If you're happy with standard steering, great. I wasn't and I enjoy the car much more now, particularly when I'm going in and out of the garage, or backing into a parking spot at a cruise-in. Something as simple as moving the car over a foot or so for spacing was a chore. I won't give my p/s up. I'm sure it makes some guys feel more like a man, but I'm old and prefer not struggling with it.

The Hot Rod Grille

I've been driving my Laguna grey '70 LS-5 for 45 years with no problems! It's only options are deluxe interior and painted hard top. No PS, PB, AC, PW, Auto, etc. I have the original size/type bias ply tires on it and have no trouble with parallel parking. Does it drive like a new Camry? Heck NO, and that's part of the allure of piloting a 4-speed, big block C3.

Jim

jr9170

Hot rod, your LS5 is one the nicest ones I have seen and one of favorites....