So I have a 41 ford coupe 350 chevy to an automatic trans. Just last week I removed the block huggers that were rusted beyond repair and replaced them exhaust manifolds the rams horn types that were given to me by a friend. The passenger side fit fine and I did order the c10 passenger side pickup manifold for the drivers side which didn't work because it exited aimed at the front crossmember. So I used the center exit manifold only to have to make a piece of downpipe to go around the 800? series gm box. So my question is what can I use whether it be a manual or ps box to give more clearance? I know that I will have to go around most of them because there isn't a lot of room at all. I am not sure why the truck manifold didn't work out could the motor be mounted too forward? Has anyone ever used a manual box from a 67-70 mustang in here? It looks pretty short and would not interefere w the exhaust but I have only looked at them on the computer. Thanks for any input.
I had a "40 many door. Wife wanted power steering in place of the manual saginaw 525 box. I located a box out of a 80's or so Camaro. Was told it was a 505 power steering box. Bolted right in. Took the brackets etc off the 305 along with the PS pump. Made wife happy but it took a weekend to get everything together. The PS box was way shorter than the 800 Saginaw and more compact. Good luck.
My '38 pickup uses a GM Saginaw manual box that came out of a '64 Chevelle. I'm running a 307 Chevy. Used the Chevy pickup passenger side manifold on the driver's side. The guy who did my exhaust system, Bones Mufflers in Rockmart GA, is really good, got everything routed around the steering box, and the '38 frame has a lot less room to work with than your '41 frame does. It's a little tight around the oil filter and starter, have to use a short oil filter to be able to change the filter without dropping the pipes, and he took my starter off and put it back on to make sure it could be done without dropping the pipes. He even made a dimple in the pipe to give me enough clearance to remove and install one of the starter bolts.
Thanks for the replies. I was just looking into the p&j vega bracket which mounts to the frame and not to the original bracket, maybe that plus the smaller box would work out, How small is your Chevelle box in comparison to the power box? thanks again
So I found out I can't do the vega bracket because I have the later 41 chassis which is boxed behind the mounting points. I have heard of people using the early mustang manual box. It looks like it will sit where my pitman arm will bolts on but the mustang pitman arm looks to have a curve in it toward the passenger side and offsets up a little rather than down. My current one looks like it drops about 2" or more. Does anyone have any pics of this set up in a similar car?
The early model Chevell manifolds clear both sides and dump at the rear and clear the steering box, I used them on my 40 Ford with a SBC for over 50 years. I think Summit, Speedway, and Dorman Products handle them. Let me know if this helps Frank.
Hey Frank the passenger side worked well. I actually bought the passenger side gmc manifold to try the forward exit and it didn't work out because it lined up perfectly with the drivers side engine mount. I have to look and see if a rear exit will work I believe I have the same chassis as you do. Does the pipe drop down right near the x member where the exhaust runs rearward?
So let me get this straight; your car was completed, running and driving, but instead of simply replacing the rusty block-huggers with a new set of block-huggers you decided to try ram's horns that didn't work, then truck manifolds that didn't work so now you're convinced the steering box is the problem and needs to be replaced too. With a thought process like yours my advice is to find a different hobby.
I appreciate your advice new to the street rod game. I usually get direction from people on the hamb which has helped me a bunch. A lot of it I see is trial and error. It’s not fixing a 60s or 70s era car which is what I had been doin until I bought this one. Thanks for the advice
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