Anyone good with FORD part #s??

Got a steering box in my 51 Merc of unidentified model. Its a Ford #, and fits rather well, Ill remount it as it is hillbilly engineered a tad, but Im wondering if whatever it is there is a power unit available. Would make my day.

Here is the number.

3F6 on top, upsiide down...

C3AR
3550-C

It could also be...

C3AR
8550-C

Its kind of hard to make out. Just by guessing it looks very similar to an early (60s-70s) F100 box, but I could be wrong.

 

I can't find that series of numbers and letters in my books.

 

Its from a 1963 fullsize ford car I thunk

 

It should be C3AZ for a full size car.

 

Also, that is doubtless the number of the case or cover, not the steering assembly. Whatever it is was introduced in '63 and MIGHT have been used on more than one general model of box and was almost certainly used for several years on similar boxes...so you are real close to an ID but not 100% there. I can't actually go any further in ID because my bookage stops way before '63...you just need to find someone with a shop or parts manual covering a suitable range of years to finish the ID.

 

Looks like I have a 63 Truck box?

 

Can't find it in my truck parts book.

 

does it look like a car box or a truck box? truck pitman shaft sticks out the side, car sticks down.

 

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/FordTechData.html

 

C3AE is a 63 car casting number.Truck number would have a letter T where the A is and the 3000 group number is the correct number for steering parts ,all steering parts will have a 3000 group number but that is all I can tell.I had 30 years in Ford parts and sometimes it took awhile even with the Ford books.

 

Wow, so it looks like its out of a 63 Ford full size after all. There was no power steering then was there? As far as I know it was all power assist right?

 

Yes, it is full size car box. Ford started power steering boxes in the Lincoln line at least 1956 or 57, the ford line was not until 1965. All power steering was power assist on the full size until '65.

 

I wonder how close in dimension the Lincoln box is? Maybe close to a swap? The power assist thing is cool, but a pain.

 

The big problem with casting numbers on ford parts is that they are engineering numbers not part numbers. The C3 refers to 1963, but only the year it was engineered not the year it was used used. The AR may be a general application not a specific model. The basic number ( center digits ) will always be the same for a steering box, wheel, engine block etc. All bets are off on numbers when the part is handed off to the parts guys. By the way, has anyone had a good look at the new numbers? I guess the old system was to easy!