I think these became popular in the late sixties and seventies on model A's and '32 frame hot rods among others in a side steer set up. I'm wondering if any of you have any first hand experience either building or driving one so equipped. Seem to be a different box from the early '65-'68 style vs the '69-'70's early ones look to be smaller. Any reason to say away from theses boxes? Or what years might be be a better choice? Thanks.
I'm running one in my deuce roadster which I'm currently building. I took one from a 1968 cougar. I find you don't have to run a panhard if you run this setup. Now I know there is a chance of your geometry from steering arm on the spindle to box being out of line. I know on my I had to heat up and bend the pitman arm on the box to align it on mine. You also have to take in account for clearance issues as well. exhaust and on sbc the oil filter which sometimes makes it more practical to use a vega box. Many of my buddies used the corvair box though many told me they had issues with those as well. My buddy is building a deuce 3 window and after building many rods over the years said he wished he put the mustang setup in this one. I'm sure there are many other more educated opinions than mine you will hear from and this is just my 2 cents. I came across a 1956 ford pickup box which I will probably use next if I ever get done this project.
i salvaged one from a comet. the steering shaft was full length. I have never used it but after reading the cowl steering post I would think that the 4 bar like you posted would be the way to go.
I put one from a 67 Mustang in my deuce coupe back in the early 70s. It was the early model with the steering column affixed to the box. That particular model really limits how and where your steering wheel and angle end up. But I think it worked fine. I bought a mounting bracket, and pitman arm from Pete and Jake's because the stock one would not work but I don't remember why. I didn't have a clearance problem with a SBF engine in it. Its still in the car and seems to still be fine but I no longer like the look of it and I bought an F1 box to replace it when I redo the car.
I put one in a '32 Plymouth, it still had the semi elliptic springs. Mine was a full length steering shaft that I cut off about 3" out of the box. Adapted a rag joint to it and used an early Barracuda column. It looked fine, and worked better than it looked. A long time project "T" touring will get the next one, with 1/4 elliptic springs.
I was going to use one on my Plymouth build, but hated the way it looked hanging under the frame. Went with an F-1 box instead. The mustang boxes are nice, smooth feel and good ratio.
I'm running a P&J 4-bar with a later (rag joint) non-power 5:1 lock-to-lock Mustang box with no issues at all.
They work great on 4-bar systems but limit where you can locate the driver's side radius rod end if you are running split 'bones like on my coupester. This can be problematic as it was on my car. As has already been mentioned the column location will also be difficult, perhaps requiring a tilt-style column to get the steering wheel angle to be acceptable. The early Mustang/Fairlane/Comet steering box is probably best left to the street rod guys...
Manual and power assist “ power steering “ are the same box by deminsions . Power assist is a better ratio for quicker rate steering . If I remember correctly 16:1 vs 20:1 . I have one in my 32 for many trouble free miles . I always use 67 and later with the short sector shaft . Finding the correct grease is getting tuff in later years . I have been using John Deere corn head grease , I know go ahead and laugh . Google it , it’s the correct name .
Rebuilding is pretty much restricted to bearings and seals, so if the worm is worn, forget about it. Also, sectors are 1 inch and 1-1/4 inch out of the box, depending on early or later, and the 1-inch is too small for most aftermarket pitman arms. Get the later, rag-joint out of the box instead of the long shaft earlier version if you are buying aftermarket, so that you get the larger sector. Just my two cents.
On a slightly different note, I've always wondered whether there are Australian rhd mustang boxes that could be flipped and used as lhd, underthrow pitman arms more traditional to an older hotrod look. Wisdom out there from the down under rodders?
My avatar had a Mustang steering box on it . Drove it into the 9's without much problem. Withstood hundreds of wheel stand's.
Thanks all. I've done the vega and I have a reversed Corvair box sitting on the frame right now. I want to do the Mustang this time tho' and will get a steering box asap and start measuring.
Yes, there are. Falcon boxes. I did an A model chassis way back then with a local RHD version of the P&J suspension. I used the later rag joint one.
Thanks for that info on power assist as I wondered about that. I pulled my box from a power assisted cougar and wondered about it's ratio.
I had an issue with radius rods and the mustang box as well. I'm running hairpin radius rods and ran into slight location problem on the drivers side. I was using an oldsmobile collapsible steering u-joint end which allowed me to shim the steering box down to clear the hairpin rod.
I used one on my '34 with 4 bar. Worked fine but when I went to buy a pitman arm I discovered I had the 1" sector shaft. Found one on ebay but they're kinda scarce.
For all the guys with the 1" sector, if you have the original pitman arm just cut the arm off the original and use the splined section in a pitman arm blank.
If I’m thinking correctly the 1 in sector is only on the box that the worm shaft goes all the way to the wheel , rag joint boxes are large sector also . But not 100% sure of this . If you are loooking for an NOS box , Green Sales Co . Cinti ., Oh maybe a good source
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