Technical 39 Chevy coupe steering box issue

just checked out a 39 Chevy. Guy is not happy with the steering. He first contacted me about a M2 install. After talking with him I think we just need to straighten out the steering. He is happy with the stance and ride but it takes 40 acres to turn it.
Looks like a pitman arm/box issue. The question is what have any you guys used on these cars with the straight axle.

This shot is with the tires cut all the way to the right

 

Any idea what the steering box is from? It’s definitely not the original 39 Chevy setup. I don’t really have an answer to your question, other than to suggest finding an original column and box to put in place..that’s what I would do anyways if keeping the original straight axle




I added some photos of the original setup on mine, sorry for the poor quality. Maybe they will help some. I will see if I have any pictures after I removed the box and column.

 

Stock stuff is long gone. It’s looks to have some companies box adaptor.
But that pitman arm set up ain’t gonna cut it.

 

If you can't find a 39 box, I'd look into a 50s truck steering box, it would take a bunch of work, but would sure be better than what's in there now.

 

Looked at a cross steer set up, that would help with that severe steering joint angle.
A reversed Corvair box may work
I think an early mustang would have mounting issues.
I wondered why they bent that pitman arm so far back.
I checked chassis engineering and they don’t list a box adapter for these

 

...hard to beat this set-up I used on my 37 coupe with orig. axle/springs,...525 Chevy manual steering (mine was from 65 Malibu), steering arms, tie rod and steering rod all from Speedway, made my own steering box bracket that bolted to bottom frame flanges,
strap over frame was just for a bit of xtra reinforcement....worked great, no bump steer, steered with 2 fingers.

 

Thanks
That looks cool

 

Back in the 70's I built a 38 Chevy coupe with a dropped original axle and rebuilt the stock steering box. This worked ok on good roads but when you were on a road where semi's left ruts it was a nite mare to steer. I don't know if it was the dropped axle or the steering box that needed changed.

 

I used a similar Chevelle box on my 39 years ago. I bolted a 1/2 inch plate to the frame and the box to the plate. Worked fine for me. But that was not a beam axle, but OE independent.

.bjb