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48 Desoto 318 swap- steering question


vintagecar

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I am doing the 318 swap in my 48 Desoto. I have used the Butch's Cool stuff engine/transmission offset kit (worked awesome). I would like to have power steering. I have read a cavalier rack and pinion works, but havent found a good technical write up, also heard Fatman Fabrication has cavalier mounting tabs? so I'm kinda lost on what I need to get to acheive power steering. The 318 has a power steering pump, so I'm looking for someone who has done this, maybe some pictures, technical write up that lists what components to buy? I haven't been able to gather enough info for me to dive into doing it yet.

Thanks for the help. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

ok  im surprised no one has  answered,,,i dont get on the forum every  day so  i let my  mail build up,,,,  i wish  ide of seen this  a week ago  i could of gotten  u all the pics  u need,,but  i still can it will just take a little time,now that the car is  back on the ground,,,

 

fat man fab is the only one  making a rack and  pinion  kit  to adapt to the stock frame,,,lots make  complete front frame kits,,,, the fat man kit, is available as an  extra, the front  shock  brakets to  relocate the  front shocks,,  nite and  day  difference,,, it come with the  frame  brakets for the rack,,sorta,,,you have to cut/shape/trim them to fit your fram e and  weld them on,,,,it comes with  instructions, and  pay attention  to the  rack  position,,,, it comes with  threaded adapters  that fit the inner cavilier tie rods and adapt to the outer tie rod ends, which will be from a 2005 for explorer,,,if you can make the  brackets,,its not worth  buying them from  fat man,,,,but the  adapters are worth getting from him,,and the  instructions,,,,

 

you will  need a donor car 1987 till some time in the 1990s,,cavilieres are getting harder to find,,,in the yards,,,if you go to rock auto and  search  cavilere rack and  pinion,,,click on the correct link,,it will show all the GM  bodies that use the same  rack,,,easier to find the other bodies  in the yards,,, get  the rack,,,,the inner tire rod arms,,one each side long narrow bars,,and dont  destroy the rack  mounting brackets,,,getting it offf,,,, then you will have to find out if your  power steering  pump has enough or too much  pressure for the GM rack,,,it is  easier then it sounds,,, hope this helps

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I running a stock 318 in my 48 Dodge and Cavalier R & P. Using the ps pump that was on the engine from the donor car, a 70 Coronet and every thing works just fine.

Didn't use Fatman set up. I can send you more of my info if you would like.

Edited by windsor8
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windsor8- that would be awesome. I really don't want to go buying what I dont need to, but have no problem buying what I need. I can fabricate without issues, so pictures are always best to see how the setup looks. any info/pics sure would be great!

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I'll get the info  and pictures to you as soon as I can.

 

If you can post them here also. A lot are interested in this mod. 

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post-277-0-03491900-1464227253_thumb.jpgCorrection......   I did use a "Fatman" rack and pinion kit. It was very easy to install.  The mounting brackets would be easy to fabricate but the tie rod adaptors not so much for me anyway.

post-277-0-68013200-1464227396_thumb.jpg

post-277-0-27609900-1464227430_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

ther are other gm  cars that use the same  steering set up,, if you  know how to use  rock auto  web site  you can see what other models are the same parts,,,not so many  cavileres  in the yards these days but the  other models are  still around,,,

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Sorry to be late to the game. I haven't logged-in, in quite some time. I fabricated my own brackets and have a bone yard Cavalier rack and pinion in there. I had the original steering arms to begin with, but found a guy that made a custom set that was shortened, so those are in there now. They made a huge difference in turning radius. I used the inner tie rods from the cavalier, and then cut the original tie rods from the Plymouth, using original style replacement outer tie rod ends. I tapped the original tie rod, that I'd cut, to match the metric thread adjuster on the Cavalier.

 

Works well. I had a 318 Magnum with Saginaw pump, which was too much for the Cavalier rack. I installed a flow reducer fitting in the pump and it feels great, not really sensitive at all.

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wow when did this forum  change ???,,,,  any  chance you have  pics of your  outer  tie  rod ends, sounds interesting, and  ide be  willing to give it  a try ,to  tighten  up my turning,,, so  it sounds like you deleted the  thread adapter ?? cant picture the out tie  rod end reaching the  inner calivere  tie rods,,,

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

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