Neal:
Just my opinion, but I have a '56 with good original steering and I've
decided to upgrade to power steering. In my reasearch I found two options
to upgrade and many of the major resto parts houses sell kits for both. If
you want to keep your original steering column and steering box, you can buy
a power kit that bolts on the existing suspension but it is pricey (approx.
$700 not including the power steering pump, engine bracket to mount the
pump, and the fluid lines).
I purchased a conversion kit for approx. $130 that has the suspension parts
and a bracket to mount a '69 to '78 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup steering box. You
have to provide the steering box, column, pump, brackets and lines. You
also have to remove the drivers side fender to mount the late-model steering
box (mounts outside the frame rail approx. 8-12 inches in front of the
original). I went this route because I wanted a late model tilt column with
key switch, turn signals, and headlight dimmer switch on the column. It
will cost me a little to locate the parts mentioned above at a salvage yard,
but I preferred this to keeping an original column.
I've just atarted tearing my cab apart for rewiring, smooth dash panel, and
power steering upgrade so I can't tell you (yet) how my steering conversion
went. Hope this helps.
Carl Ham
'56 Chevy TF Stepside
Pontiac, IL
>From: CHANDNE@aol.com
>Reply-To: CHANDNE@aol.com
>To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
>Subject: [oletrucks] 57 steering box help
>Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 20:05:16 EDT
>
>Anyone know of a place that does a good job on rebuilding my steering box.
>Also need to know if maybe I am going in the wrong direction, should I be
>looking at an upgrade? Is there any easy swap for replacing the original
>box
>to mate up with original front end? And last but not least, did Chevrolet
>offer a power steering option in 57? Thanx in advance for any and all help.
>Neal
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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