I'm converting my 65 Corvette with a 396 engine, from manual to power steering. I'm using the Borgeson Steering Conversion kit 999016.
I've run into 2 problems:
1. Shaft from steering column shaft to long to fit into rag joint on Borgeson. Understand I may have to cut shaft from steering column. Any other suggestion or solution?
2. Had to purchase harmonic balancer pulley for big block, but pulley is rubbing against the front chassis cross member. Has anyone run into this problem? Is there another pulley that solves this problem?

 

Larry - Welcome to the Corvette Forum. Tell us a bit about your 65, did it start out at a factory 396 or did someone add it along the way?
I added PS to a 65 396 Roadster and a 66 L72 Roadster in the last year or so. Both had their original harmonic dampers and everything cleared that front crossmember
divot but I was using the stock style power assist setup. I've never done the Borgeson PS installation but quite a few on here have so I expect you'll be getting some
first hand advice soon. To help us understand the problem, can you post up some pics of the interference with the front crossmember?
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

It's a factory 396.

 

Larry - I and a friend have 65 L78s and a couple years ago, we started compiling a list of any and all 65 396s we come across. Mine is a NOM Maroon over Maroon Roadster, Gary Cowans is a matching number Silver/Silver Coupe. Actually, there's two lists, one on the NCRS site and another on the public C2Registry.org site.
So far we're up to 361 out of the original 2157 made in 1965. On the public C2Registry.org site, if you click on 1965 then do a Control-F, that'll bring up a query box at the top right and if you just enter 425 it will highlight all the
65 Bigblocks on that site.
Along with finding the answers to your PS question, maybe post up some pics of your 65 L78 and some info, love to see it.
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

Hi Larry,

Does this seem like (or look like) the (cast) pulley you had to purchase for the harmonic balancer?

C.J.

 

Yes, that's the pulley. It's too tall (diameter) and to wide to fit harmonic balancer, and sit behind front cross member.

 

Larry, can you post a picture of the interference? It should clear the crossmember and provide enough space to change the belt. The pulley fits the notch in the front crossmember that all ‘65+ C2 corvettes have. Also, yes you have to cut the end of the steering column shaft for all C2 Corvettes except ‘67 which has a collapsible shaft.

 

 

Here's a few pics from my 65 L78 Roadster showing the notch that Factoid is talking about that started with the 65 model year. All horsepower versions got it, not just the Bigblocks.
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

Thank you for this information it is helpful. Unfortunately there is no notch in my crossmember. I'm going to have find a workaround solution.

 

Here's a couple pics showing the pulley proximity to that front crossmember divot. I can just squeeze my fingers between the outer edge of the pulley and the divot.
I put GM power steering systems on both Bigblock Roadsters and as far as I know, there is no 'smaller diameter' crank pulley that could be used, especially since it's a double pulley.
Before you started in on adding the PS, I'm guessing you had a single crank pulley but it had to be close to that front crossmember even then.
Any chance someone swapped out frames on your 65 some time in the past?
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

I have no knowledge of any frame work done on this car, I purchased it several months ago. As I look at the pictures of my crossmember compared to your crossmember it looks like the notch starts at bottom by my hose then it was smoothed out of the cross member as you move up the page.

Looks like I'll have to find a new manual steering box that may provide some relief over the original?

 

While I prefer power steering over manual steering, there's lotsa guys on this forum who are quite happy with the manual steering setup. Besides the actual steering box, do take a good look at the rest of the steering gear and
with it in good shape and a good alignment, it should work well for you. Are you still running the stock 5.5 inch steel wheels? What about tires and especially...tire pressure?
I've gone through quite a few GM/Saginaw steering boxes and most times, was surprised to see how worn and poorly adjusted they were.
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

I'm running the original knockoff wheels and tires. Not running any oversize wheels or tires. We found the original steering box was shot after we remove it, I think this was the source of the extra effort needed to steer. Thanks for your help Mike T.

Larry Calloway

 

Larry - If you happen to have a magnet handy, next time you're messing with your 65, try laying the magnet down in various areas that would normally be where the divot
would be and let us know what you find. The pics you posted have some 'uneveness' to that center part of the front crossmember. Could just be a distortion in the pic itself
but...I'm just curious. Got any other pics of your 65 to share, from your Avatar, it looks to be Nassau Blue?
Mike T - Prescott AZ

 

That looks like a ‘64 frame in the picture. A picture under the car where the seatbelts mount by the driveshaft tunnel would help confirm.

I have a ‘64 and had to add the notch for my engine to fit.







it was not too bad to add but I had to remove a lot of the front pieces like the radiator and core support to get in there.