P/s install in 74 40

[nitroid13]

I'm documenting my progress through putting gm p/s in my 40 I have done some fiddling and reading My parts list that I have now
1) Chevy van column year is 93
2) Chevy sag pump year is 84ish
3) gm a-body steering box
4) Chevy van intermeadit shaft year 93
Some parts have to be modded to make work and I still need the mounting plate for the frame and sag pump to my 1.5f engine So far I have removed the stock column and steering box along with drag links and center links I just can't get the shock to release dammit!!! I'm probably gunna cut it off and leave the mount I know alot of ppl use a Chevy truck column in there projects but i just got a van column and did a compairison. Notice that it's shorter both before and after the mounting bracket. This is better because you have more room in the seat or to change seats like I'm planing on doing. The van column is on the bottom This is the van steering shaft. This is a great thing because you have a double u-joint with a damper also these are really cheap. I'm planning on cutting just above the lower u-joint and wielding on a piece of round stock. Then connecting it to the double D shaft that comes out of the damper. But not wield this joint I'm gunna use a coupler to attach them My sag pump and a question with this is do I need to replace the pully or can I use this double pully I need ideas and thoughts and no advice will be unwelcome.

 

[spotcruiser]

If you don't mind, what is the length of that van column from the forward tip to the mount and from the mount to the wheel?

Thanks.

 

[nitroid13]

If you don't mind, what is the length of that van column from the forward tip to the mount and from the mount to the wheel?

Thanks.

Damn good question I just measured them and got close the truck column from the wheel to the frount of the mount and got 16 inches and the front of the plate to the end of the column is 24 7/16



The van column is 13 5/8 from wheel to front of the mount and the lower is about 20 inches Im gunna have to cut the lower mount off of the gm column

 

[nitroid13]

Just compared the stock 40 column to the Chevy and the van is just shorter than the stock column and the center mount is in almost the same off by maybe 1/2 inch



I'm gunna use the original firewall mount but just cut it to fit over the Chevy column body with a rubber grommet

The ring is showing how big the hole has to be

 

[nitroid13]

Made some mods to my chevy van column. I cut the lower mount off and removed all the shift lever from the column. Also removed the gear indicater from the top of the column

This is how you will see it as your driving and it looks almost normal

A better view of the top of the column. I didn't remove the shift collar because it covers alot of ugly stuff under it, and looks better than if removed it completely. Also for my truck i don't care about it and I don't have the money to go and buy an after market Collum and that's the point of doing it this way it's on a budget. I think I have about 75 or so dollers invested in this so far it's only the column and intermedite shaft

Lower mount removed with a cut off wheel and a die grinder

And a pic of how I drilled out my mount on both sides

 

[spotcruiser]

Thanks for taking the time to measure them.

Damn good question I just measured them and got close the truck column from the wheel to the frount of the mount and got 16 inches and the front of the plate to the end of the column is 24 7/16
View attachment 694394
View attachment 694395

The van column is 13 5/8 from wheel to front of the mount and the lower is about 20 inches Im gunna have to cut the lower mount off of the gm column
View attachment 694396
View attachment 694397

 

[nitroid13]

I got the column installed to the dash and sat in my seat and it fits wonderfully there's plenty of room to sit and tilt the column lock to lock with no interference and excuse the mess in my truck I'm gunna clean it out very good after I get the wiring harness done and finish p/s install

 

[Bang Bang]

Lookin' good Justin!!

 

[lostinafog]

I'm documenting my progress through putting gm p/s in my 40 I have done some fiddling and reading
My parts list that I have now
1) Chevy van column year is 93
2) Chevy sag pump year is 84ish
3) Chevy steering box year is 90
4) Chevy van intermeadit shaft year 93

Some parts have to be modded to make work and I still need the mounting plate for the frame and sag pump to my 1.5f engine

So far I have removed the stock column and steering box along with drag links and center links
View attachment 694365
View attachment 694366
I just can't get the shock to release dammit!!! I'm probably gunna cut it off and leave the mount

View attachment 694352
I know alot of ppl use a Chevy truck column in there projects but i just got a van column and did a compairison. Notice that it's shorter both before and after the mounting bracket. This is better because you have more room in the seat or to change seats like I'm planing on doing. The van column is on the bottom

View attachment 694358
This is the van steering shaft. This is a great thing because you have a double u-joint with a damper also these are really cheap. I'm planning on cutting just above the lower u-joint and wielding on a piece of round stock. Then connecting it to the double D shaft that comes out of the damper. But not wield this joint I'm gunna use a coupler to attach them

View attachment 694361
My sag pump and a question with this is do I need to replace the pully or can I use this double pully

I need ideas and thoughts and no advice will be unwelcome.

yup need to replace it a good one is found on 240 series Volvo

 

[RattleCan]

you cant tuck that thing up more? Seems like thats a huge gap and the wheel would be in your lap

 

[RattleCan]

this is how mine mocked up, and later was able to push up another inch or two buy cutting the plastic cover to clear the dash.

 

[nitroid13]

you cant tuck that thing up more? Seems like thats a huge gap and the wheel would be in your lap

It just looks like that in the pics but it's in the same place as the stock wheel and it's a much smaller wheel plus I'm a big guy and the truck column pressed into my belly and didn't have room for my legs and I can tilt the column from top lock to bottem with out touching my legs so it's very comfortable also did this with very little mods to the bracket

this is all I did. And it bolted it

 

[nitroid13]

this is how mine mocked up, and later was able to push up another inch or two buy cutting the plastic cover to clear the dash.

And you have a strait column not tilt like mine. The tilt makes all the difference

 

[RattleCan]

mine is also tilt, out of a jimmy or something like that. The main reason for my swap was for the turn signal switch, the tilt was just a great added bonus

 

[nitroid13]

mine is also tilt, out of a jimmy or something like that. The main reason for my swap was for the turn signal switch, the tilt was just a great added bonus

That was my main reason as well but the van Collum fits soo well. And the other is I'm putting in an ez wireing kit. I also have a build thread for that as well

 

[nitroid13]

I got my sag box mounted and looking great. The mounting plate is from btb products and works well. But it's hard to find a box used cuz junkyard. A 3inch hole saw worked great but I will say with the kit I have it does not give you a clue where to put the pilot hole for the hole saw and if your off any at all you have to grind the hole bigger on the plate side to get the snout of the box to fit and you'll have to grind the inside of the cross member on the bottem to get the box to line up with the holes. It's a custom install all the way lol there's a lot of fitting on and off to get it to fit right so now on to my drag link and then the steering shaft also a burring bit helps with the fine adjustments


The burring tool I used

 

[nitroid13]

Got every thing on the engine mounted and lined up on the front of the engine and I was a bit of work. Ordered a new powersteering pump off of a 1970 Chevy p/u with a strait 6 engine and lmc truck had a dubble grove pulley for about 20 bucks. Brackets came off of a 83 landcruiser fj60 smog pump bracket worked great but the front bolt hole needs to be drilled out some. But putting the power steering pump on the left side of the engine caused a problem with the alt so I moved it on the other side of the engine with an alt bracket off the same 83 landcruiser and a gm 1 wire internally regulated alt with a double grove lined up almost perfect.





You also need a spacer on the back of the pump
There's a bolt hole on the back of the pump that makes very easy access for the belt adjustment.
The adjuster is just a peice of flat stock bent and drilled



The two groove pulley on the front alt. You can pick it up from any auto parts store for about 50 bucks and same with the powersteering pump so there easily replaceable

 

[nitroid13]

My intermediate shaft came from btb products and it was the most expence of this project and it was about 430 to my front door and is very well made and the guy is very nice and helpful

 

[nitroid13]

Another note on the powersteering box is I found a gm a-body steering box fit great.

A-body means
Gm big cars from 70ish up to 98 I believe
Mine came out of a 74 chevell so

 

[nitroid13]

Got it back started and pump works great. I ordered a set of lines off of a 70 Chevy p/u and bent them to fit





It steers great and works fine but it does need to be adjusted cuz I'm not getting full lock to lock turning