Power Steering on Mopar in 1950?6nm

[knuckleharley]

I talked with a local guy I know earlier this afternoon. He knows I like Mopars,so he called me and told me he had a power steering setup that came off of a 1950 DeSoto,and was wondering if I knew anyone that wanted to buy it.

 

Now,I know there were power steering setups with the pump on the rear of the generators with hoses going to the actual steering box ,but the earliest I remember seeing any of these were on 53-54 cars.

 

Anyone know when the first Mopars with PS went on sale,and what models offered it? I am GUESSING it was mostly for the bigger,heavier DeSotos and Chryslers,and the stationwagons.

[dpollo]

Power  steering was first offered on the 51 Chrysler, a fact well known to automotive historians.  Plymouth offered PS in 54 but it was the simpler ram type .

[knuckleharley]

25 minutes ago, dpollo said:

Power  steering was first offered on the 51 Chrysler, a fact well known to automotive historians.  Plymouth offered PS in 54 but it was the simpler ram type .

Clearly I ain't a automotive historian.

 

So,you think the ps setup this guy has came from a Chrysler,and not a DeSoto?

[dpollo]

Has to be from a 51.  Parts book lists power  steering  for  an S15  as well as for the Chryslers.

This was a  steering box unit.

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, dpollo said:

Has to be from a 51.  Parts book lists power  steering  for  an S15  as well as for the Chryslers.

This was a  steering box unit.

Thanks! That has to be the one.

 

I honestly didn't think PS showed up on anything until around 53.

 

I do  have a 54 Olds 4 dr parts car that has  PS,PB, and factory air,though. Coolest AC setup you ever saw. HUGE compressor with the condenser and all in a big box under the parcel shelf in the rear. The cold air blows up through plexiglass tubes to vents in the roof,like you see in airliners.

Been trying to sell that car to a Olds restorer for over 10 years now,and all I run into are guys that want to buy the special harmonic balancer that is one piece with the pulley with the extra groove as a part. They want it to put underdash ac in their hot rods with early Olds engines.

 

As you can imagine,this harmonic balancer is hard to find,and if I sell it I pretty much have to give up all hope of selling the whole thing.

Edited December 30, 2017 by knuckleharley

[Greg51T&CWagon]

My first vintage car, a 55 Belvedere had been retrofitted with an earlier Desoto unit you're describing. Worked great. My 52 Mopar shop manual has deets on repairing the power steering units then in use i believe.

 

[knuckleharley]

14 minutes ago, Greg51T&CWagon said:

My first vintage car, a 55 Belvedere had been retrofitted with an earlier Desoto unit you're describing. Worked great. My 52 Mopar shop manual has deets on repairing the power steering units then in use i believe.

 

Hmmm,I have a 55 Belvedere parts car out in the yard,and I can't remember if it has PS or not. I bought it because it has a 230,auto trans,and rear. I'll have to check it when it warms up a little tomorrow afternoon.

[B-Watson]

 

Looking at the parts book, Chrysler first offered power steering on the hemi V8 models in 1951 - Saratoga, New Yorker, Imperial and Crown Imperial.    The power steering units were made by Gemmer.  I have a number of ads and articles on Chryslers new power steering system for 1951.

 

For 1952 the DeSoto models offered power steering (6 and V8) as well as the 6 cylinder Chrysler Windsor / Windsor Deluxe.  Some of the units for these cars were built by Eaton.

 

Buick also introduced power steering for 1952 (Saginaw/Bendix).    The 1951 Chrysler unit was based on expired patents by Francis Davis while the Buick unit was based on Davis's more recent work (covered by active patents).

 

Oher makes in 1952 - Cadillac

1953 - Chevrolet,  Lincoln, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Pontiac, Studebaker

1954 - Dodge, Ford, Mercury, Plymouth, Willys

 

 

[knuckleharley]

7 hours ago, B-Watson said:

 

Looking at the parts book, Chrysler first offered power steering on the hemi V8 models in 1951 - Saratoga, New Yorker, Imperial and Crown Imperial.    The power steering units were made by Gemmer.  I have a number of ads and articles on Chryslers new power steering system for 1951.

 

For 1952 the DeSoto models offered power steering (6 and V8) as well as the 6 cylinder Chrysler Windsor / Windsor Deluxe.  Some of the units for these cars were built by Eaton.

 

Buick also introduced power steering for 1952 (Saginaw/Bendix).    The 1951 Chrysler unit was based on expired patents by Francis Davis while the Buick unit was based on Davis's more recent work (covered by active patents).

 

Oher makes in 1952 - Cadillac

1953 - Chevrolet,  Lincoln, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Pontiac, Studebaker

1954 - Dodge, Ford, Mercury, Plymouth, Willys

 

 

Thank you very much!  I have saved this information to my computer and will pass it on to the guy that called me so he knows what he is selling.

[Greg51T&CWagon]

12 hours ago, knuckleharley said:

Hmmm,I have a 55 Belvedere parts car out in the yard,and I can't remember if it has PS or not. I bought it because it has a 230,auto trans,and rear. I'll have to check it when it warms up a little tomorrow afternoon.

 Good luck. I had mine before the internet made finding parts easier. My hoses leaked slowly so once a month I had to top up the reservoir. I couldn't find anyone who had or made hoses for it. Mine had the six with 3 on the tree. 

[knuckleharley]

17 minutes ago, Greg51T&CWagon said:

 Good luck. I had mine before the internet made finding parts easier. My hoses leaked slowly so once a month I had to top up the reservoir. I couldn't find anyone who had or made hoses for it. Mine had the six with 3 on the tree. 

If this ever happens to you in the future,go to a local hydraulic or farm equipment dealer and have new hoses made on the spot. I did this with the PS hoses on my 58 Rambler.

 

I live in  a rural area,so my local NAPA dealer makes hydraulic hoses to specs right there in their store while you wait,too.

 

It's usually cheaper,too.

Edited December 30, 2017 by knuckleharley

[Greg51T&CWagon]

1 hour ago, knuckleharley said:

If this ever happens to you in the future,go to a local hydraulic or farm equipment dealer and have new hoses made on the spot. I did this with the PS hoses on my 58 Rambler.

 

I live in  a rural area,so my local NAPA dealer makes hydraulic hoses to specs right there in their store while you wait,too.

 

It's usually cheaper,too.

Good to know. I was a young kid in College with zero experience restoring cars and not much money. I knew how to do a brake job, adjust valves, carb etc but not much else.

[captden29]

knuckle, the 54 Chrysler had a similar A/C set up in the trunk. 6 volt though. sell the harmonic balancer for a good price with the stipulation they must take the whole car.    capt den 

[knuckleharley]

16 minutes ago, captden29 said:

knuckle, the 54 Chrysler had a similar A/C set up in the trunk. 6 volt though. sell the harmonic balancer for a good price with the stipulation they must take the whole car.    capt den 

Pretty cool-looking,ain't it?

It's been a while since I  have messed with the Olds,but IIRC,it is 12 volt.

 

Not going to sell the balancer unless the buyer has a rebuilt 2 groove balancer to give me as a part of the deal. Ever try to find a balancer for a 324 Olds ? They and the pulleys are one piece.

[Mike36]

9 hours ago, knuckleharley said:

Pretty cool-looking,ain't it?

It's been a while since I  have messed with the Olds,but IIRC,it is 12 volt.

 

Not going to sell the balancer unless the buyer has a rebuilt 2 groove balancer to give me as a part of the deal. Ever try to find a balancer for a 324 Olds ? They and the pulleys are one piece.

Olds went 12 volt in 1953.