Tom Piper

Do the mid-year power steering conversion kits use all OEM components or are they after-market?
Where is the best price?


Tom Piper

gary6696

Crane had the best price when I bought mine. $550 I think.
Some of it was original stuff, some repro, some rebuilt.

Tom Piper

Is that Crane Cams?
Do you have the contact information?

Tom Piper

corvette6672

I put a kit from Vette Brakes on my 66 3 years ago. Works great but still not like modern day Rack an Pinion. I've been thinking of upgrading to Steeroids true rack and pinion since I use my car primarily for autocross. Here's a link http://www.speeddirect.com/Products/...e__63-_82.html

BayRay

Just put my kit in a few weeks ago. Cost was 680.00 from a vendor. I had to modify the power steering bracket some in order to get enough travel from the pump in order to get the belt around the pulley. The kit did not come with the woodruff key for the pulley either. Picked one up from the local hardware store and filed it down some to make it fit. The kit was also missing the power steering ram grommet washers. I worked my way through it but would recommend a different vendor. Email me for vendor recommendations if you want. Make sure you ask who ever you order from if they have all the parts on hand. Some of them piece the kit together from available stock and charge you a kit price but some of the parts might be on back order and they won't tell you when you order. If you don't care about orginality, you can get the belt from an auto parts store instead of the more expensive one from the vette vendors.

BayRay
humrich@charter.net

gary6696

No, Crane Corvette Supply.
http://www.cranescorvette.com/new_page_20.htm

I see their small block kit is now $595. It was an internet special $550 a while back.
Most of the stuff in the kit came directly from Paragon, which gets $835 for the kit. Go figure.

markiemyster

I bought a kit from ZIP last fall and was very pleased. I think it was $695.00 but you got everything required and then some. Mine works super and I had no back orders. ZIP always lets me know if anything is not in stock.
Good luck :steering:

gary6696

Did you have any problems with the installation?
I have had to extend the adjusting bracket where it bolts to the motor mount, and I still only have 1/8" clearance between the pump pulley and the crossmember.
This is not a problem with the Crane kit as the pulley is correct, the brackets came from Paragon, and are identical to an original set I had.



[Modified by gary6696, 1:13 AM 9/17/2003]

Tyler Townsley

Here is another way. Use this box with a toyota MR 2 electric pump. Its half way down the page.
http://www.corvettesteering.com/55-57%20chevy.htm

Tyler

markiemyster

I realy had no problem. It was close to the cross member (maybe 1/2") but it did clear it and I've had no problems. I only have a few hundred mile on the car since the install but so far so good.
Also I'm no gear head and even I was able to install it with out any major headaches.
Good luck, Mark

LouieM

Tyler.
THAT's an interesting idea for $675. Have you modified your Vette's steering like that? If so, how does the steering feel compared to stock? The web site says the new steering box bracket bolts right up to 55-57 Chevy (non-Corvette) steering box holes in the frame. Is this also true for 63-82 Vettes? Any info you have on this would be appreciated. I'm on the edge of buying a Steeroids setup, but maybe this is a cheaper alternative.

Louie

Tyler Townsley

I just found it last nite. I have a 68 with 17x9.5 rims and tried it without PS and its just too much so I was surfing and found this. According to the info 1/2 way down the page it is a bolt in. Wouldn't hurt to call them for additional info. The MR2 pumps can be picked up for real cheap from what a friend told me. They have some kind of microswitch that turns it on when the wheel is turned. In normal straight line it relies on the residual pressure. I have a 427 so am not too interested in hanging a PS pump on the motor.

Tyler