Period Power Steering

[EVBuilder]

I am looking to add a period correct "looking" power steering set up on a 57 3600. He wants to stay with the factory location of the steering gear so that means it can't be much bigger than the manual box that's on it now or there will be clearance issues.

Is there a system available that maybe would have come on either one of these trucks or a car of the era with similar suspension?

[raycow]

I believe the stock PS in the TF years was the external cylinder type which operates directly on the linkage. This arrangement was used until about 67 on trucks and until 64 on Chevy cars.

I have never actually seen one of these (on a TF truck) so I imagine that they are not terribly common.

Ray

[Russell Ashley]

Even if you found an original style setup I doubt he would be happy with it. It does provide assist but uses the same manual box so the steering is slow. It also is prone to leak.
There's kits available that use a Toyota box that mounts in the stock location. From the pics I've seen it's not much larger than the original box. If he won't mind using a jap box on his Chevy it might be the best solution, and closest looking to original.

[Russell Ashley]

I didn't know this before, but CPP does offer an original style power assist steering setup.

http://www.classicperform.com/power1.html

[mr48chev]

That CPP unit that Russel showed above would probably be as close to "period correct" as anything. With that style of setup I would only go new with every piece new. I fought enough of those cylinders when I was doing front end work to never want to touch one again.