Steering upgrade
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 946
Likes: 266
From: McMinnville Oregon
Steering upgrade
Is there an upgrade to the stock steering in my 65 roadster?
It has power steering, with my heavy "Hemi" but I thought I saw some posts about an upgrade?
It has power steering, with my heavy "Hemi" but I thought I saw some posts about an upgrade?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,342
Likes: 2,717
From: Close to DC
C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified 2020
Since you have a very unusual engine install, I don't know if the Borgeson box conversion or the Steeroids rack would work. Maybe someone else has something in mind. 
Dennis
Dennis
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,633
Likes: 537
From: SE Pa
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 361
From: Smyrna/Vinings, Georgia
I have a used Flaming River Rack and Pinion power steering kit. Just bought from forum member, haven't opened box. Decided not to use it. It will fit your car, not sure about engine clearance.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 28,189
Likes: 2,872
From: Beach & High Desert Southern California
The concerns are header clearance, the pump and brackets, and steering column.
Header clearance with the Hemi is unknown territory. If you have a good one inch clear around the manual box, you SHOULD be good.
The pump, pulleys, and brackets are likely to be Hemi factory items. DeSoto or Chrysler vintage parts. Borgeson can probably match a Chrysler style pump to provide the pressure.
The steering column shaft needs to be one inch shorter, because the steering box is one inch longer. I used an Ididit tilt column, with the shaft cut. This also helped me use a smaller 14 inch steering wheel (more hip & head room
).I let a friend drive my car on Friday who had not driven it for years, from when it was stock manual steering. He normally drives a 01' C5 roadster, so he has a modern benchmark to reference. He was pleasantly surprised. His comment was why didn't I do the steering years ago, and that the results totally improved the feel. A skinny lightweight GoKart, compared to how his C5 feels. It is the best driving feel upgrade available.
Last edited by 63 340HP; Jan 8, 2017 at 10:14 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 946
Likes: 266
From: McMinnville Oregon
When I get back home from Arizona and the car comes out of the shop I'll look it over. It does have power steering but I don't think it's rack/pinion because even after I tightened up the steering box it still wanders and isn't precise like anything else.
