Power Steering - 6 cylinder 55 Belair

[JoeB]

Does anyone make a kit for installing power steering on an original 235 - 6 cylinder engine in a 55 Belair? I've seen several kits out there for V8's, but I am looking specifically for the bracket to mount the pump. Also, I'm not interested in having it original,...just something that will bolt up to the 6 cylinder engine.

[557B210]

Joe....Years ago I changed my daughters 6 cylinder 69 Camaro over to power steering....so I believe the same brackets should work on your 55

[Jalapeno]

David, unless your 69 Camaro's 250 six cylinder was pulled and it was retrofitted with a 55-57 235 six cylinder, the brackets, etc won't work with Joe's 55.

Joe, as you know, the 55-57 Chevys (and 58-59 too) used a generator mounted pump, so there were no special six cylinder brackets for 55-57. For the purposes of this discussion it was the same as the V8 stuff.

That said, I presume you want to put a late model pump on your engine. It can be done, but requires some fabrication and replacing of some OEM engine parts.

First, you can use the 1960-62 235 six cylinder parts to mount a modern pump. The trick is finding all the parts, they are scarce, and usually missing one thing or another. What you would be looking for is the three pump brackets and all the special hardware, including the two head bolts that have the extra studs on top for the main pump bracket; also the pump pulley, double water pump pulleys, and ALL the crank pulleys with balancer, since you will be removing your RIVETED crank pulley and balancer. The pump itself is not hard, you can use one from just about any 60-75 Chevy car or truck, make sure it has a KEYWAY shaft, not a BOLTED shaft.

Another choice is to use the 53-54 PS pump, bracket and pulleys. This is a little harder, in that you would have to modify the bracket to fit the different bolt pattern on the water pump. These parts ere very difficult to find as well, especially the double crank pulley. You could use a 292 six cylinder double crank pulley, but it must be modified to fit a 235.

The parts on the engine are, of course, only half the power steering system. You can use a more modern pump to power the original linkage assist parts (available in reproduction, so you don't have to rely on old parts), or it can power a new steering gear like CPP's 500 series gear. That choice will entail modifying (shortening) your stock column, and cannot be used with a column-shifted manual transmission (column shifted automatic transmissions are OK), or replacing the column with an aftermarket column made specifically for the newer gear.

I know all this sounds very complicated, but it's really not, once you know all the details. Reread this discussion several times and maybe it will gel, or send me a PM and I'll try to help make sense of all this.

[557B210]

Jalapeno...Thanks for pointing that out....Yes it was a 250....However, as you pointed out, it would be possible to do the same with a 235, if you could find or fabricate the brackets for a pump..

[George Bafus]

Here's the power steering pump/generator installed on my '58 Biscayne with a 235. It's powering a 605 box. A similar arrangement should be possible for a '55. I'd recommend a CPP 500 box. I'm not positive, but I think the standard generator bracket could be used on a '55, perhaps modified. A different mounting bracket was needed on my '58, because the engine mounts were moved to the side that year. The pump wouldn't clear the side mount. The generator/PS pump sits higher on the engine than the standard generator.

[airmentbob]

my pops has a 64 nova with power steering but the pump sits on top, the alternator mounts off the bottom, with the rest of the gear it is built into the steering linkages near the oil pan.i guess it's a steering assist. I don't really know if you can use the same brackets on a 235, but this motor on the 64 is a 194.

[TriFiveYoungMan]

Joe,
Too bad u already said u dont want fctory pwer steering, I have a 56 235 w/ a working factory power steering unit, all bracets that would be needed too.

John

[JoeB]

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions and help. John, the only reason I said that I really wasn't interested in a factory unit would be because of finding one. Again, I will send you a PM if that's okay.

By the way everyone, how is the factory PS system compared to a newer bolt on system? Would I be better off with a similar system that George has (using the pump on the back of the generator coupled with a CPP500?) With George's system, I would not have to find brackets for the pump. It would mount to the rear of the original generator?

Jalapeno,...I'm stilling letting it gel. Forgive me, if I've repeated your advice above. I think the pump on the back of the generator with a new 500 box would be the way to go eh?

Joe

[Busted_Knuckles]

Joe

I also have a factory pwr steering set up if you need one. I have the pump, all the steering linkage with piston & hoses and I think the gen. bracket. I can't attest to weather or not the pump is in working condition as it was in the back of the car with a bunch of other stuff when I bought it.

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by JoeB

By the way everyone, how is the factory PS system compared to a newer bolt on system? Would I be better off with a similar system that George has (using the pump on the back of the generator coupled with a CPP500?)
Joe

I don't have any direct experience with stock Tri-5 power steering, but I did drive a 66 pickup with OE power steering, which, like the Tri-5s, used a manual box and a hydraulic ram pushing/pulling on the center link (aka relay rod). I have to say I was very impressed, even though it was something like 5-6 turns lock-to-lock. It was very smooth, linear, certainly not too sensitive, and didn't make any noise.

Of course, since it was a 66 pickup, my comments above may be like saying, "I'm not a doctor, but I play one on TV."