power steering confusion, help to clarify

[MHoyt1964]

Hi all,
A while back i posted about a franken truck project i was going to do. I have now started this and perhaps i should explain to clarify. a few years ago i rescued a 67 4x4 BBV6 out of the junk yard. I walked up to it and it had a battery in it and keys in the ignition so i thought what the heck. To my surprise i barely touched the key and it fired right off, ran rough but that is to be expected. Now in the mean time since i didn't get a title with it i found a 67 small window chevy with title, in ok condition so my thinking is to scrap the extremely rusty body off the 4x4 and put the 2wd body on the gmc drive line. I did a compression test on the 4x4 and found real good compression among all 6 cylinders. So now body is off and i want to install a power steering set up i got off another gmc 4x4 in the yard. The question is the manual steering box on the 67 frame delivers the steering action from the side of the box and the set up i got from the donor truck delivers from underneath. The other noticeable issue is the manual box uses 3 bolts to mount and the power box has four bolts to mount. Why is this and will i still be able to use this?
Thanks
Mark Hoyt
Reading Penna.

[bigblockv6]

Mark, I'm in the process of a power steering conversion on my 68 KM-2500, is quite a different setup manual vs power steering. You'll have to look into a conversion kit for the frame like the ones for 66 and earlier trucks. In my case I found a 68 Chevrolet pickup that had power steering in the local Picknpull yard and cut that piece of frame rail then grafted it in my truck(remember 68 GMC trucks with 2wd still used a manual steering box with power assist ram. As far as the steering box and drag link I'm using one from a 70 K5 Blazer, I'll see how all this works out next month. The other thing to mention is the telescopic steering shaft is too long on the manual steering, I separated it and replaced it with one from a 71-72 GMC.

[MHoyt1964]

Hi Big Block, i am not exactly sure what year the donor truck was but it was 4x4 and not sure if it was 3/4 ton. However it had a powered steering box which i grabbed when i grabbed all the rest of the steering stuff. It did not have an assist ram set up. I was wrong on my description of the power box, it delivers from the bottom and the non power delivers from the side. My thought was to install the box using the 3 hole in the frame then fabricate a sort of clamp nut to grab the frame rail as it is tightened. I think i will try to put it all on and see if it functions correctly.
Thanks Mark

[bigblockv6]

Mark, I'm very well aware you don't have the power assist o your 67. I brought that up because frames were not stamped out with the contours to accept the saginaw steering box on 67-68 GMC trucks and power steering really wasn't available until 1969 on 4wd models other than a power assist option on 4wd model very late in 1968. This is why spacers have to be used to mount the power steering box, i'm nowhere near my triuck at the moment but from what I recall your existing mounting holes will not line up so new holes will have to be drilled. Using soe kind of clamp setup is a bad idea for the fourth mounting steering has alot of force, you'llbe asking for problems as this is a serious safety issue. I've seen a lot of cracked frames in these areas on 73-87 GM 4wd trucks. The power steering box was designed four 4 mounting bolts so it needs to be kept tht way.

[BarryGMC]

Go over to 67-72 forum and search for captainfab. Get his bracket. Its really affordable. Plus its easy to use.

[MHoyt1964]

Thanks Big Block for the heads up and the info, I was not aware of what you have told me. Will i still be able to use this set up if i utilize the capt fab brkt Barry recommends?
(Thanks for the info Barry). Its always better to ask questions first before putting all the effort into this and then have failure.Is there a step by step on this subject in the archives, or perhaps in Jollies site??
Thanks Guys
Mark Hoyt
Reading Penna.

[BarryGMC]

Use all the same parts. I have never used the captain fab bracket but I have seen quite a few. I also have bumped into him a few times. He is local. Cda idaho. His instructions are good and he has helped a lot of people. Barry

[MHoyt1964]

Thanks Barry,
I drug the trailer all the way to wilkes barre to potentially get the motor out of the truck posted on this site but it did not go as planned so i am still looking for a motor. By the way since i'm here can you tell me what parts are not available if one wants to rebuild his engine. I thought the oversize rings were not available other then custom made? Also do you know if the heads from a 305 will work on a 401 short block? I have a line on one new in the crate.
Thanks Mark
Reading Penna.

[BarryGMC]

I think big block covered it. Don't spring for heads yet. When you make it to Idaho I will set you up with some magnum heads.

[MHoyt1964]

Cool Thanks, I can't wait to start fresh