Ok, I've searched all over the forum, and YouTube, and can't find anything about adding power steering to a manual steering car, in this case a '70 LT1 Coupe. Has anyone done this? Feasibility and degree of difficulty? Or, if you have a link to an article or video I'd appreciate it. Everything I come across deals with upgrading a car that already has an old, leaky PS system. And I've seen the electronic systems, not interested in that, too much tearing apart and cutting.

 

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...model/corvette

 

I'm having the exact opposite problem. Thinking about swapping mine over to manual from power. Can't find anything about that.

 

Buy an AIM for your year car, everything you ever wanted to know about power steering and manual steering is in there. A GM chassis manual and Motor manual for the year is bonus items.

 

If you have a CTU suffix code engine it has a 6QT oil pan. Power steering will not fit. If it is a CTK code you can add power steering. Here are some kits you can check more vendors online for their costs.

https://www.zip-corvette.com/63-68-3...rsion-kit.html

https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-35...on-kit-sb.aspx

 

I can't recommend the Borgeson steering system highly enough, especially if you don't have headers. The only modification is to partially collapse your steering column. This kit may work, I converted a 79 that already had a pump, which I had to replace anyway. Do you have the pulleys installed to support a power steering pump?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/b...model/corvette

Start a new thread! I did this in my 80.

 

It is a CTK code, but it does have headers, although I think the seller has the original manifolds, which I would prefer. I haven't driven it yet, I'll just have to drive it and see if I am ok with manual steering. I know a small block won't be as bad as a big block. I had a '69 428 Mach 1 without PS and it was overwhelming! I had to add PS. What is an AIM?

 

Don't overthink it before you drive it. The Borgeson system is great, my wife loves it in her car. The manual system is also great, if the car is aligned for it. In my 80, I have a 13.5" steering wheel, lots of caster, and I can barely turn the wheel if the car isn't moving. It's perfect. With less caster, I bet that LT-1 will be a lot easier to drive. The engine weight matters a bit, but the alignment matters more.

The AIM is the Assembly Instruction Manual (sometimes called the Factory Assembly Manual), the guide for building the car. Pick up that and the Shop Manual for your year.

 

The Borgeson power steering kit made my 68 from a two fisted workout to a two finger pleasure to drive car. No other option that I can see this simple. The best add I have made to the 68.

 

the oem stuff can be found piecemeal inexpensively. bolts right in.

 

Drove it today and bought it! The effort on the manual steering was barely noticeable, so at this point I'm not going to mess with adding power steering. More power to the rear wheels anyway!

 

All that and no pictures? I'm glad it worked out!

 

Somewhere I saw a part that replaces the p/s part of the center link with a manual piece or replace the centerlink from a manual steering car. You will also need to change to a manual steering pitman arm and of course remove the pump and hoses and belt. look at the belt/pulley arrangement for your year and engine.

 

Back in the day I had a mid-80s Fox Body car and the power steering was way too light- no road feel whatsoever. I swapped out the pressure relief spring with a lighter one and it was a huge improvement.

 

Stay tuned for pictures in a couple of days, have to get it moved to my storage area.

 

Thank you 3X2 I'm going to look inti that one. Mine does have the outer holes to move the tie rod ends to. I had a 68 Chevelle back in the day with no PS Wasn't a big deal

 

this forum is littered with threads about the Borgeson.

 

"Back in the day", we were stronger, more tolerant of simple "issues", and had some patience. Now.....not so much.

To drive a non-P/S C3, you have to park so that you do not have to turn the wheel much before you can get the car moving. Once it is moving, the steering effort becomes reasonable. Trying to drive a non-P/S car with P/S car methods DOES NOT WORK. You cannot turn the wheels while dead-stopped without arms like Popeye!!

Plan how you park the car and get it moving before doing much work with the steering wheel. Once you get the hang of it, it's not much of a problem. {But still more than I'm willing to accept at my age.]

Putting a Borgeson box in your C3 will be no easier....or better....than just putting [decent condition] stock stuff back on the car. But the Borgeson method will cost you $$$$ more than going with stock parts--especially if you buy used parts and rebuild them with simple kits, which are not expensive. If you buy all of the stock P/S parts as 'new', the costs for either method are similar.

If you are ditching the P/S system, that is not so difficult. But, you may wish you had not done so, afterwards.

 

I have posted on many threads regarding my thoughts on power brakes and power steering in a C3 Corvette. I started with factory power steering and power brakes in my 77 Corvette. I since have converted it back to MANUAL brakes and MANUAL steering, and could not be happier. The factory power steering had free-play that was not acceptable to me, even with all new parts and a Gary Ramadei built steering box. The car did NOT steer like a Corvette should. Now, with manual steering, there is virtually no free play....you move the wheel and the car moves with it. As for the effort to steer.........it is a joke to say the car is hard to steer. The best part is the road feedback and handling. With manual steering, as the you take turns at higher speeds, the pressure back on the wheel increases, and you can feel it, providing a useful feedback that I find enjoyable. Modern power steering has ZERO feel. I like it better with manual......but that is a personal thing. One thing is for sure.......anything above 10 mph, and the effort is minimal.......no more effort than opening the door. As for parking lot, yeah, with zero speed, you have to have some level of strength, but I do it every time I drive, having to three point out of my garage. Its not really difficult, unless you are a very weak person. With a little movement it is easier. The other bonus to manual steering is that you have NO power steering pump, pulleys, belts, fluids, and clutter under the hood.

As a side note, not related to this thread topic....but I switched from power brakes to manual brakes this last winter, and I have been driving it this spring. The factory power brakes system was working properly, but I felt it lacked any feel. Any quick panic stops and the tires locked up. I switched it all back to factory manual brakes. I am shocked how easy it is to use the brakes. The fact is, the car will stop in exactly the same distance, because the calipers / rotors do the braking, its only a matter of the effort required by your leg on the pedal. The pedal is now rock solid, and the effort is really shockingly minimal. Yes.....more than power brakes, but in no way does it feel that I am pushing hard and the car is not stopping. Its stops very easy with very little push. Bonus is that there is a feel for it that gives you a more direct and controllable sense of braking. The other bonus is no giant vacuum booster on the left side of the engine, no vacuum takeoff.....just bone stock simple.

I have read many posts on this subject, and the true determining factor is more about you than it is about the car. I own, drive and love my C3 Corvette because it is DIFFERENT than a modern car. Its raw, simple, loud, and with manual steering and brakes, you have a connection with the road when driving the curves. The best word that comes to me is FUN. I can drive the same roads with my wifes 2006 Camry, or my 2015 F150, and they will take the road as fast as the Corvette.......but ZERO FUN. For me, the FUN factor went way up with the conversion from power steering to manual steering, and to a lesser extent with the power brakes to manual brakes. So......many people do not seem to have the capacity to appreciate these differences.....and only look for comfort and ease. Decide which person you are and that will guide you to which setup to put in the car. When you hear people who truly are "drivers" talking about a performance car, they talk about road feedback, the sensory connection between you and the road.........those things are more evident to me with my setup than before,.....making the car FUN to drive. Otherwise, it would be just another car.

 

7T1Vette and Flyboy1958 Thank you. You both make very valid points. Currently the PS is all factory ( as far as I know ) Full of fluid and not whining. But it's definitely not working. I'm sure you all know what that's like.
I'm on the fence about this one. May end up flipping a coin. WAY over budget on this project. ( as usual ) But it's staying with me until I'm dead so maybe I should just fix it. Not getting any younger. That's for sure.
Going to start shopping this weekend for parts and figure it out
Thanks again for the advise.

John