My plan for now is to get the car on the road and in paint, but later on down the line I might wanna clip it and bag it. For the time being I wouldn't mind some power steering. I have heard about the conversion using a 68ish Volvo 160 series box. It has been said that the Ford pitmarn arm will work and you can retain the stock column with a U-joint conversion. Basically aside from mounting, which seems to be a farely straight forward bracket, it seems to be bolt-in. BTW this would be in a '51. Anyone done it? Why did you hate it? Why did you love it? I'm deciding if its worth the effort.
I've got one on my 50 ragtop. The good thing about it is the car now drives staight down the road. Now I don't have to chase the streering any more. The bad news is it still turns pretty had. Not as bad as stock but nothing like a power unit. Is it worth it? Yes.
Doesn't steer like a power unit huh... that kind of disheartens me some. I was hoping it was like the 60's pwer steering where you can parallel park with your pinky. But thats one vote for yes and I'm leaning towards it. Did you install? Stock column? More details please.
I think FUEL PUMPS car has the Volvo 140 box which is the manual version of the same box. I did a tech thread a while ago here is a link. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124380&highlight=volvo+steering+box Brick
Your tech article makes me sick, Brickster. I *wish* I had your skills. Are you still happy with your swap? Anything you would do differently? Mine has a good 6" of play in a rebuilt box, but if the weather allows I'm going to adjust it tomorrow. Did you adjust and rotate the plate on the bottom, or just the screw on the top? I had zero luck breaking the bolts loose on the bottom plate, so tomorrow I'm just gonna try the top one and see what that gets me.
I did the Volvo 140 manual box swap, it works great, sort of feels like power steering. All I know is that it removed all the play from the stock box. I followed Bricksters tech write-up when I did mine including the steering tube nylon bushing idea and everything worked out fine. I fabricated all the components including the frame mounting bracket I just made a template and then made the bracket out of some 3/8 flat stock. The only difference I did was use a Chrysler Pacifica universal steering joint the kind that can slide in and out on a track to absorb crash/road shock just because I had one hanging around. The neat thing was the stock steering shaft is like 5/8 diameter and it slid right into the pacifica sliding track thing making welding a breeze because it had so much support. I ts kind of hard to write about it I should have taken some pictures. I do remember using an old wooden push broom handle which was the same diameter of stock ford steering shaft for mock up so that I could assemble everything and get my lengths right before I actually made any cuts to the shaft. I do remember having to play around with the shifter linkage arms a bit but again nothing that was too hard. My car is a convertible so It was a little different then what Brickster did because his was a sedan, you have less room to work with on a convertible because of the x-cross member on the chassis. Hope some of this helps you Brent
I don't think they make a 220 flux welder so that leaves you out... Brickster, nice tech. Seems a bit more involved than I would like, especially if it would be only temporary. Are the 160 box and 140 box the same physically, meaning would I take the same steps if I were to go with the power version? Honestly that seems like a good amount of time to not even get power out of it, but taking the play out of the factory box is a good move so I still don't know.
I still enjoy the steering in my car. Some day when I come across a 160 power box I'll give it a try. Untill then it was well worth the effort. Brick
I tried to look for the difference between 140 - 160 steeringboxes on some swedish sites, but i didnt find anything usefull yet, but i now for a fact that a 140 box works good on a -51 ford with a sb Ford in it, my friend did the conversion and it worked great, took a little work, bot definatily worth it! I dont know for sure, but i think the 140 box is good for most aplications, in those days Volvo was known for overbuild rather then the oposite, not like the new pennysaning cars!
Hey slowandlow look at Brickster's tech and in there he gives a link to a search engine for junkyards. I saw a bunch up in MA area. Most of the boxes were in the $60 range not including shipping. Good luck. I really want to give this a shot. The fatman mount/u joint sounds like it saves a lot of time, but they don't mention that you need to use the stock volvo input shaft. Where the heck am I gonna find that for cheap?!? I guess I'll have to see what the junkyard has to say about it. Anyway good luck all!
The steering box is one of the most ignored, unmaintained, improperly adjusted, unchecked for lubrication, parts on any stock car. They are actually rather bulletproof in construction, extremely simple and fairly easy to work on once your wrestle the long shafted ones out of the car or truck to get them on the bench. Parts are often available, and if not, those that can't be adjusted or repaired are replaceable with a similar box from another make or model of car/truck. The best first step in checking any given box is to acquire the factory instructions for adjusting and rebuilding the unit from a factory Service Manual. This will tell you the torque values of everything and correct lubricants, adjustment procedures etc. Boxes should only be adjusted with the pitman arm removed from the sector shaft or the tie rod or drag link removed from the pitman arm, i.e. under no load.
The 140 and 160 boxes are not physically interchangeable. It's not much but the bolt pattern is different, and slightly larger. All 160 boxes are power assist. Most 140 boxes are manual, here power 140 boxes are chicken lips. For a power 140 box, look for a US sold 73-74' GL model.
Does anyone have a success story on putting a VOLVO POWER STEERING box in a shoebox? I'm trying, but the driver side exhaust is a BIG problem ... can't find anything that will clear the PS box ...??? HELP! - Dispatchrider
I have run into the same problem. I currently have the 140 manual box with a 351W using stock Ford cast iron headers from some unknown model Ford that work fine. I want to install the 160 power box and have all the parts, but I am sure the headers I am using will hit the box because it is quite a bit larger than the manual. SOOOO, I wonder if anyone makes tube headers that will exit at the back of the engine and tuck in tight to the block that will clear. So far I have not found them. Also, there may be a cast header that will work. Do you have any new info?
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