jrs 427

Anyone tried or read the article on electric steering adapted to a C-1 ? I had contact with owner of a 59 that retrofitted a steering control from a Saturn. Power steering without a pump, leaking hoses, or an expensive system alternate. One can still retain the huge steering wheel ( which adds to the classic interior ) and parking becomes a breeze . There was an article on HAMB but I could not find it.. Sounds interesting from a research stand point.

wmf62

do a search. someone posted recently on that

Bill

jrm5657

I sold a 57 to a guy in Germany and he installed electric power steering on it. Used the original column, just had to cut it between the box and the firewall. I will see if I can find a picture of it for you.

Captain Bud

There is a video of it on You Tube

Frankie the Fink

The electric conversion is nice and provides variable assistance depending on the steering effort needed but it is pricey. If I had wanted power steering in my 61 I prob would have gone this route....it does require chopping the C1 steering shaft a certain amount and adds more clutter under the dash though... Never converted though - with the big steering wheel properly sized and inflated tires and a few steering techniques I taught my 110lb daughter to whip the car around with no problem.


Nothing is funnier than seeing some C1 owner trying to crank that big school bus steering wheel around to park at a DEAD stop with fat radial tires on the car.
Well maybe some "plus-sized" owner trying to do the same thing with a smaller 15" steering wheel replacement might be funnier.

Then they gripe about the old technology and how hard it is to steer..

Yeah you can give yourself a hemorrhoid muscling these cars around if you don't employ a bit of high-school physics.

hlvette

I have done this on a 59 Corvette a couple years ago. I got it on the road this year & works great. Be sure your steering box is good & front end steering, king pins etc are all good.
It won't help sloppy components. When done properly, you can steer with 1 finger. Even when sitting still. There are other drives other than the Saturn that you don't need the controller, but the controller is nice to adjust the feel to how you like it. I built the complete unit for under $ 200. I have 2- 59's. 1 has stock steering & 1 is modified. I like driving them both.

jrm5657

Here is a picture of the conversion, sorry, I don't have any info for the source of the unit.

kellsdad

A quick question about function - Does the power steering part have to be anchored to the chassis or can it float free?

hlvette

It does not have to be anchored to the frame

kellsdad

Interesting. I would have guessed that would transfer forces back to the steering wheel each time it tried to help turn the front wheels.

JF in MI

How did you do the controller box?

hlvette

Here is a link to the controller on ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Saturn-Vue-...LH_TitleDesc=0
You can get the power steering parts you need from a junk yard. I paid $ 40.00 for mine. be sure to have them cut the wires long & give you the wire plug, & the shaft splice parts.
I cut the corvette shaft in the engine compartment. It might fit under the dash, but its already tight under there. Both ends of the shaft housing are fastened to the steering motor, so you don't have to fasten it to the frame. I will see if I can find my pictures

firstgear

Frankie the Fink

Very clever if it works - but I'm also wondering how it works without an anchor point...

How can it assist anything just floating in space ?

hlvette

It anchors to the column tube. the shaft is cut & spliced to each end of the motor shaft. As soon as you move the steering wheel, it senses the movement & takes over.
It is really a motor assist instead of power steering.
This picture is from last year when I was testing it

hlvette

Another pic

Dan Hampton

This unit would be great for a '56/'57 since you can shorten the shaft when doing the conversion. The biggest pain of that year is the long column. Kill two birds with one stone.

64luke

wmf62

IF the power box is tight to the tube (notice the welds in the picture where the tub is spliced), then the steering box will prevent rotation because it is anchored to the frame
Bill

Dreaming60’s

Does this require modifying the outer steering column housing to the point you have to remove the VIN data plate? If not, this is an interesting idea. In another discussion I was told the electric motor went under the instrument panel, yet hlvette shows it on the engine side of the F/W. Is this just another mfgs way of doing it?

BH