Power steering in a P15

[Guest Sheldon Bates]

I would like information on the power steering kits that Fatman and PlyDo show. Has any one installed one with a flathead six? Is it worth the trouble?

Thanks

Sheldon

[Normspeed]

Heck, I kind of enjoy wrestling that big old steering wheel around. Power steering would take some of the fun out of driving the old beast.

The few times I've let someone else drive my 53, it's kind of comical watching how different it is to shift and steer one of these vintage rides. Even shifting the 3 on the tree is a bit challenging unless you learned to drive with one.

[bob westphal]

I'm with Norm. I love driving these old critters the way they were then. However, some of us old guys have health problems that make driving our loved cars a hassle. Maybe when I get to be over 100 I might just put power steering on the old P-15. Has anyone done what Sheldon asks?

[Plymouthy Adams]

Did not use the flattie..however to help you out I could get you the mesurements that the rack has to be position in to work..the item of concern in regard to the flattie is the oil pan..will it clear...the rack sits pretty high above the lower control arms..now of course my car has lowering spindles also and I know the arms are bent to correct for bumpsteer..also they are curved a bit inward for adjustment range on toe and also to clear for wider tires common with this upgrade. Send a message to:

timothy.adams2@us.army.mil

and come Monday I will try and send you the install sheets as I have them scanned on my other computer.

[Normspeed]

I used to have a 79 Volvo wagon, and I spent lots of hours scouring the Pick a Part wrecking yards for parts. The yards in my area are teeming with the earlier Volvos. I noticed that the power steering setup in them looked compact and simple, looked like a relatively easy unit to transplant and I've never seen one leak fluid. Might be a good donor idea for someone with the skills and savvy to put in a P15. Of course you'd need a couple of metric wrenches to do it.

[Guest Nile Limbaugh]

I've seen ads in Rod & Custom for an electric power steering kit but I don't remember who offers it. Might be more compact than the hydraulic type.

[teardrop puller]

sheldon

I have the Fatman kit in my car and I think it is overpriced. You can make your own much cheeper. All you get is a couple of brackets to mount the Cavalier R&P, a universal joint for atop the rack and adapters to bush down to the Datsun tie rod ends. That being said, it still is not such a bad deal.

I used this power stearing pump mount from Ugly Truckling.

http://www.uglytruckling.com/Civilian%20Power%20Wagon%20Trucks/Civilian%20Power%20Wagon%20ps%20pump.htm

kai

[Guest Sheldon Bates]

Thanks so much for the information thai will help if I make the change. I would like to keep my column shift, but I see that Fatman said that you have to remove it to install there kit.

Sheldon

[teardrop puller]

I do not see why. Yes you have to modify the column if you want to use it. I did that and it was easy. why not just make a bracket at the bottom to hold that end. If you go to an automatic, then you can use the Lokar column shift set up.

Anything is possible with a little thought.

kai

[Guest Sheldon Bates]

I'm going to insall a O/D trans I bought. I had a floor shift in my 38 Buick but find I like the column shift better in the Ply.I have not seen the kit so I was not sure why you had to remove the shifter. Like you say it would not be that hard to make up a bottom mount as long as you do not have to cut too much off the column.

Thanks

Sheldon