I have a 64 lark with a 455 in her and just picked up a full power steering set up for the 455. I have read many threads about transferring over from manual to power but it seems everyone is going with the GC box or even a GN box. I can't seem to track one down locally and was curious to what the easiest/quickest and most cost effective way is to make the transition. Can I just buy a box from a local parts place that will drop in and all the lines will match up or should I really consider doing something like the GC box? I just re-did my whole rear and without having the rear wheels hop around turns now I can only imagine what I am missing without PS and having to crank the wheel 50x to turn.
If it were me, I'd get the bugs lined out of the basic power steering first. Unless you need new lines and a new rag joint, this will be head and shoulders above manual steering. If you need a new rag joint and lines, then I'd consider making the swap as those are the parts I had to swap when going to a Grand National power steering box. Your other option is to have your existing box rebuilt to quick ratio specs by someone like Lee's.
It currently has a manual steering set up from how it came originally, adding the power steering is my goal. I'm trying to find the easiest most cost effective way of doing this since I just picked up the power steering pump, lines and brackets to fit the 455.
Do you not also already have a power steering box to swap in? You said you picked up the whole power steering setup for a 455 but didn't indicate if the box is new, reman or used. If that steering box is good, I'd put it all on and run it and see how you like it. If the box is used, consider having it rebuilt to quick ratio specs. That way you use factory hoses and rag joint. Otherwise, swapping to a GN box requires a new rag joint as the shafts are different and the hoses either need to be swapped or you need to buy the adapters from o-ring to flared from Lee's Manufacturing.
The last fast ratio swap I did was a box from a Caprice cop car into my '66. As mentioned, the hose adapters from lee Manufacturing had to be ordered. The rag joint from your '64 with manual steering will fit many of the newer fast ratio boxes. Sure, you can buy a rebuilt box from an auto store. Order one of the fast boxes for a Grand Cherokee, GN, or Caprice. It'll cost you more than a used box, so it's not as cost effective, but it's easy. What store is in your area? There's tons of info on this board and on the net in general.... try doing a search.
Sorry there is confuision, I didn't pick up a box, only the pump/hoses and brackets to fit the 455. I need a box to add still. I see all the threads about the GC and GN boxes that people are using but if i'm reading right I will need a new rag and fittings to make it work. I read another thread that someone mentioned a chevelle SS box would drop in and has the quick ratio but didn't know if there was a box easier to find. I found a scrap yard that has two 94 GC's in it so I may take a run at that tomorrow and see if I can yank out the box if one of them still has it. I read I need a rag joint out of a mid 80's GM truck to make it all work too besides the fittings. I was just hoping not to need 3 or 4 different parts added from different vehicles to make all this work and instead there was a simple drop in box that would be ready to roll with a better ratio.
Your '64 MANUAL rag joint might fit the newer box. You have the smaller 3/4" diameter shaft. The early power steering boxes used a larger 13/16" shaft, and 3/4" for the later ones, so you might be okay. Not sure if your '64 pitman arm will fit the newer box, so a 64-67 power steering pitman arm might be needed. Better do some research on it.
Well I pulled a 95 GC box this morning with the lines and pitman arm from a junk yard. Gonna clean it up and see where exactly I am at with this.
Does not look like my rag joint fits the new box so I need to get one. I've read that there is a rebuild kit for $15 or so that I can use but I can't find it anywhere and don't know what the PN is to track it down. Does anyone know if this is the case before I go back to the junk yard and find a rag joint off of a mid 80 GM pick up? Is there a more readily available pitman arm I can use as well for this swap?
Here's an article from Car Craft with some details: http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/ccrp_0901_gm_steering_box_upgrade/viewall.html The aftermarket coupler is mentioned at the bottom in the parts list, #31011, $40. An equivalent is made by Lares Corp, #200, $17 at Rockauto. Another good thread on Team Chevelle: http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276344 Pitman arms are repo'd. Some of the early 64-67 cars have a center link with a smaller stud for the pitman arm, 13/16" vs 7/8". Check what you have before buying. You might as well search the Team Chevelle site as it's bound to be there.
Got all the PS pieces in and seem to have an issue. I have been trying to find a PS belt that fits properly and none do. The issue I have have is with the mounting brackets for the pump and range of movement to allow for adjusting the tension. On the front side of the bracket you can see there is more room to adjust in either direction to loosen or tighten the pump but when adjusting to loosen it the bolt on the back of the pump that moves up and down in the bracket bottoms out to soon and when trying to adjust to tighten the pump itself is hitting the bracket at the top to soon so I have barely any range of motion. What am I missing here? Is this common? The belt I have on now I had to work pretty hard to get it over the pulley to fit but when I adjust the pump mounting bracket as much as I can to tighten it up the belt is still to loose. The next size down I can't even get the belt to fit over the pulley. Right now I am in between 45 3/8 belt and 45 1/8 belt. I think there should be more move to adjust but I just don't see how at this point.
What is the pump and bracket off of? Can you post a picture? It sounds like your brackets didn't match up. I know I have more than enough room to use a few different belts on mine. At full loose, the belt easily falls off.
It's off a 71 455 elantra I believe. Everything lines up to the block for mounting but it just doesn't have much movement withing the brackets. It was all off of the same motor. There is a bracket that seems to interfere with getting the tension tighter at the top of the set up. Possibly the am bracket if I were to have it..... I will try to get a picture later of it and post it
OK, so as looking at the motor from the front of the car, the left most bolt (closest to the front cover) is the pivot bolt. The mount and the pump brackets are all one working set from a working car, correct? The two slider bolts tighten into the bracket, right? I see three mounting holes on the back of the bracket that I believe all bolt down to the head. The front bracket is solidly bolted to the pump. Here's what I'd try based on the pictures. We think it came off of a 71 455 Electra. Did you get a belt for that engine? I'd take the front two slider bolts completely out as they look like limiting factors. The rear stud looks to have way more travel than the front two bolts. See if the proper belt fits easily with the back stud only then snug it up with the back bolt as tight as you can get it. Then see if the front two bolts line up and put a little more tension on it when you tighten them. If that doesn't work, confirm which one of the bolts allows the most travel? I have to believe the rear stud is the key since you can't possibly remove it and get any kind of stable adjustment. It only makes sense for the front bolts to be the problem. Good luck.
I had to damn near unbolt the whole thing but I got a smaller belt on and have it all tightened back up. I get a squeal in the beginning when i first start the car then its fine so I am going to let the belt break in a little then adjust again and see if it helps but for now I think we are good. Thanks for the help so far.
