Falcon

Does anyone know where a rebuilt steering box for a '61 can be purchased or is it rebuild kits only?

Donald #31176

Paragon Corvette can sell you the overhaul Kit or you could send it to them to do. Its not to hard a job
The hardest part is getting it out of the engine compartment.


http://rarecorvettes.com/Steering1.html..
http://rarecorvettes.com/Steering1.html

https://www.paragoncorvette.com/p-35...rhaul-kit.aspx

DZAUTO

ALL 53-62 steering boxes are the same.
The difference is COLUMN length.
The 53-57 column is longer than the 58-62. So, other than the actual length of the 53-57/58-62 column, ALLLLLLLLLLLLL the guts are the same.

Corn Fed

Are any of the parts such as the sector or worm gear interchangeable with other GM products or are they Corvette specific?

csherman

http://www.rarecorvettes.com/RareCorvettes.html
Joe does them
750.00
He is a very knowledgeable guy
BEWARE of the rebuild kit - there is an issue with one of the bearings (not made correctly) (I know - long story on a 53 box rebuild)
Joe and I have had this conversation and he knows about it.

DZAUTO

Well, NO, not exactly.
The 49-54 pass cars used the EXACT same steering box. BUUUUUUUUUUUUUT, the column and mast jacket were a different length for pass cars and Vettes. The mast jackets are a press fit into the steering box, thus to separate the mast jacket from the box, it will ruin (or at least damage) the lower end.
Also, 49-52 pass car boxes used bushings for the sector shaft and 53-54 boxes used the EXACT SAME bearings. And the sector shafts for 53-4 pass cars and 53-62 Vettes was the same diameter. ALTHOUGH, pass car and Vette turning ratios are DIFFERENT!!!!!!!!!! Thus, the car and Vette worm gears/sectors/rollers are different.
Will car and Vette worm and sector interchange? Yes, but the turning ratio will be slower with the car worm/sector (because cars were bigger and heavier and required a different turning ratio) and the steering shaft (which the worm is attached to) will not be the correct length.
How do I know? Because I have worked on both and have both.

62corvette

Put a worm and sector from a passenger car into your Corvette, and it feels like power steering. Easier to turn, but more turning the steering wheel to get around the corner.

reedkona

But the question is: with passenger and Corvette worm gear shafts side by side, how do you determine which is which?

AkrHack

Thanks for sharing this info on the similarities and differences of the C1 steering boxes and columns. What are the lengths of the 53-57 column versus the 58-62 column?

Dan Hampton

Roughly about two inches, with the '58-'62 being the shorter column. You will often see them employed in '56-'57 cars. I swapped in a rebuilt '62 unit for my '57 (cost was $450.00 with unit already rebuilt). The '57 column sticks the steering wheel in your face. It is amazing what a couple of inches will do to enhance driver accessibility when entering the car. I also went with a 15" wheel which also helps. You can see the before and after, with the red steering wheel attached to the original long column.

After that "fun in the sun" project, we proceeded to rewire the entire car.

DZAUTO

I don't know, I do not have a pass car and Corvette column to place next to each other for comparison.

Falcon

​​​​Does that $750 include the price of the rebuild kit, or is that just his labor charge?

tgtexas02

csherman,

I was going to start driving races and things back together tonight. Not sure now, what should I look for in the bearing and what is the fix?