67 BB Power Steering Conversion

[Dereck S.]

Well, after 35 years of driving my 67 BB with stock manual steering I've decided to convert to power steering. I'm getting older and find it noticeably more difficult to drive the car then when I was younger. I was sold on the conversion from an friend who's 67 BB car with PS I drove last summer. It felt like a completely different car. Since then I've been gathering up all the original parts to make the conversion rather then purchase a conversion kit or repro parts. Recently, I bought an original control valve that came off a 64 Impala. It has all original parts and appears to have never been apart. The casting part number is 5685495. I realize I could send this to a multitude of various suppliers for an exchange for a rebuilt unit. I'd prefer to attempt to rebuild the unit my self. In advance of the teardown I have a service manual and have begun the search for a rebuild kit. I have one concern I need help with. I've scanned threads and found that Corvettes used a 55# spring in the valve and that this was represented by an "X" on the end cap. My unit has no end cap. It was missing. I need to determine if my unit has a 30# spring since it came off a 64 Impala versus a 55# spring. I'm not seeing the spring included in the commercially available kits. Do I need a 55# spring and how do I determine if my spring is correct? Can someone send me information regarding the differences between the two springs (free height, # turns, wire size, etc)? If it's not a 55# spring and I need one is there a supplier for the spring? I had also read in another thread that some of the rebuilders use 30# springs in Corvette applications. I also learned from various threads that I may need to reuse the gasket since these are not part of the kit. Doing this feels like a future leak risk. Is there a known gasket supplier?
thanks
Dereck

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Well, after 35 years of driving my 67 BB with stock manual steering I've decided to convert to power steering. I'm getting older and find it noticeably more difficult to drive the car then when I was younger. I was sold on the conversion from an friend who's 67 BB car with PS I drove last summer. It felt like a completely different car. Since then I've been gathering up all the original parts to make the conversion rather then purchase a conversion kit or repro parts. Recently, I bought an original control valve that came off a 64 Impala. It has all original parts and appears to have never been apart. The casting part number is 5685495. I realize I could send this to a multitude of various suppliers for an exchange for a rebuilt unit. I'd prefer to attempt to rebuild the unit my self. In advance of the teardown I have a service manual and have begun the search for a rebuild kit. I have one concern I need help with. I've scanned threads and found that Corvettes used a 55# spring in the valve and that this was represented by an "X" on the end cap. My unit has no end cap. It was missing. I need to determine if my unit has a 30# spring since it came off a 64 Impala versus a 55# spring. I'm not seeing the spring included in the commercially available kits. Do I need a 55# spring and how do I determine if my spring is correct? Can someone send me information regarding the differences between the two springs (free height, # turns, wire size, etc)? If it's not a 55# spring and I need one is there a supplier for the spring? I had also read in another thread that some of the rebuilders use 30# springs in Corvette applications. I also learned from various threads that I may need to reuse the gasket since these are not part of the kit. Doing this feels like a future leak risk. Is there a known gasket supplier?
thanks
Dereck

Dereck------


Conversion to power steering is a great idea. I did it to my original owner 1969 about 30 years ago and it was the best thing I ever did to the car. Since the Corvette power steering system is actually a manual steering system with power assist, you still have excellent road feel and handling. There's very little lost and a lot gained in making this conversion.

As far as the spring goes, the 1964 full size Chevrolet used a different spring than Corvette. That spring will be about 3 coils and a free length of 35/64". The Corvette spring was 6 coils and 25/32" free length. I do not know of a source for the Corvette spring. It was discontinued by GM MANY years ago.

I also do not know of a current source for the metal gasket which goes between the valve section and adapter section.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Dereck,

I installed factory power steering on my 67 300hp car and like Joe states it's the best upgrade if you drive the car.

Parts a very easy to get except the slave cylinder in nos form, I am not sure how the overhauled cylinders work.

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Dereck,

I did a 67 BB manual to power conversion several years ago. I bought a complete kit for that one supplied from my vendor built by Lonestar Caliper in Texas.

Ken at Lonestar can probably assist you with parts as he does complete rebuilds and a supply of parts. However, they are wholesale only so you may have to go through a vendor like I did. If you give him a call he may be help. When I did my conversion I had some issues and questions and he was great to work with. The system he supplies is excellent.

So, as far as the conversion, do you have the correct pulleys, braces and brackets, bolts, hardware, etc? Your alternator needs a special N-40 equipped pulley and needs to be re-clocked 90* from non-N40 type. Also need a different Alternator brace which bolts to the left head versus to the Intake. Of course belts are unique and word of caution, the reproduction PS belts are a tad tricky so you may be forced to customize your choices. Also the infamous harmonic balancer to water pump inner/rear drive belt may need some thought as those are available in a "short" and "long" version. This can change based on using original versus reproduction pulleys. I don't have the AIM handy but it has much info and can get a little confusing.

Also, I have to warn you, it is very difficult to do a simple PS Pump belt adjustment when all of this is installed. I typically have to have the car on ramps or on my lift using a step ladder, with one person down below and me on the ladder reaching over the fender tightening while the helper is prying. I have been able to do this as a one man job at ground level, but it requires a temporary stud to be installed in the pump to use as a prybar leverage point with one hand, while the other hand reaches down through a small space to tighten the lock nuts. Sounds screwy but trust me it's a PITA to just get a tighten-up sequence done for the BB PS belt.

Rich
ps of course, a few pics to go along may help show how tight it is in there and some of the unique pieces.

[Keith B.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Lone Star Calipers attend Carlisle events and I'm sure other swap meets. I have bought many of items from Ken and his team. Very knowable team of people

[Dereck S.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

All
I appreciate the responses. I confirmed that my original valve off a 64 Impala has the lighter spring as Joe indicated. I contacted LoneStar and they will exchange it for a correctly rebuilt valve. They are mainly after the original housings. I will also send them an original cylinder I bought for exchange towards a rebuilt one. I already bought a rebuilt pump from LoneStar last week. I bought an NOS cast iron pump pulley. I also bought an original alternator pulley and had it re-plated Cadmium. All the various original brackets were easily found. I easily found the original frame mount bracket for the cylinder attachment and steering box arm. New hoses were purchased. I had an NOS hose clip. There is a nice video on YouTube showing how to center the valve. For reference CSSBINC.com has a nice paper on rebuilding a valve. Very nice of them to post that for do-it-yourselfers. Jim Shea also has a paper on proper system bleeding. A lot of great info on how to do this is out there thanks to many. My last part finding challenge is to locate an original PS 3/4" drag link. I found a used original pump nut and pump cap as well. Initially, I'll use repro fasteners but will eventually hunt down originals. That's part of the fun. I did find an original exhaust stud. I'll be in good position to tackle this around May on my friends lift. Very excited about doing this. My wife said she wants to drive the car once PS is installed. She's never driven it. I'll let her sit in it and try to push in the clutch. That will end it for her. Rich, thanks for the pics. I noticed you installed an in-line filter. Is it believed that this is necessary. I thought there was one in the pump.
Dereck

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

All
I appreciate the responses. I confirmed that my original valve off a 64 Impala has the lighter spring as Joe indicated. I contacted LoneStar and they will exchange it for a correctly rebuilt valve. They are mainly after the original housings. I will also send them an original cylinder I bought for exchange towards a rebuilt one. I already bought a rebuilt pump from LoneStar last week. I bought an NOS cast iron pump pulley. I also bought an original alternator pulley and had it re-plated Cadmium. All the various original brackets were easily found. I easily found the original frame mount bracket for the cylinder attachment and steering box arm. New hoses were purchased. I had an NOS hose clip. There is a nice video on YouTube showing how to center the valve. For reference CSSBINC.com has a nice paper on rebuilding a valve. Very nice of them to post that for do-it-yourselfers. Jim Shea also has a paper on proper system bleeding. A lot of great info on how to do this is out there thanks to many. My last part finding challenge is to locate an original PS 3/4" drag link. I found a used original pump nut and pump cap as well. Initially, I'll use repro fasteners but will eventually hunt down originals. That's part of the fun. I did find an original exhaust stud. I'll be in good position to tackle this around May on my friends lift. Very excited about doing this. My wife said she wants to drive the car once PS is installed. She's never driven it. I'll let her sit in it and try to push in the clutch. That will end it for her. Rich, thanks for the pics. I noticed you installed an in-line filter. Is it believed that this is necessary. I thought there was one in the pump.
Dereck

Dereck------

Only Corvette, 1961-64 passenger car, and 61-66 series 10-30 truck power steering pumps included an internal filter. However, these are usually deleted when a pump from one of those applications goes through a commercial rebuilding operation. That's probably because the filter ELEMENT for these filters is long-since GM-discontinued and I know of no source for them. Is a filter necessary? Well, GM apparently concluded that after 1964 they were not necessary for passenger cars. I'll bet there are a LOT of Corvettes running around with no filter after a p/s pump exchange. Is a filter a good idea? Probably.

As far as the steering relay rod goes, if it were me I'd use the 1969-82 7/8" rod which GM also specified as SERVICE for 1963-68. You don't suppose that GM went to the 7/8" rod in 1969 because the 3/4" rod was just as good, do you? Keep in mind that steering systems have a significant safety implication.

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Dereck,

I installed factory power steering on my 67 300hp car and like Joe states it's the best upgrade if you drive the car.

Parts a very easy to get except the slave cylinder in nos form, I am not sure how the overhauled cylinders work.

Timothy------


There is an American made replacement slave cylinder on the market now which, from what I've seen of it, appears to be a quality part and virtually identical to the originals.

[Dereck S.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Thanks Joe,
I came across what I believe to be an original PS return hose clamp. It's marked Wittek #2. Attached is a pic. Can someone confirm it is correct for my application?
thanks
Dereck

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Dereck------

Only Corvette, 1961-64 passenger car, and 61-66 series 10-30 truck power steering pumps included an internal filter. However, these are usually deleted when a pump from one of those applications goes through a commercial rebuilding operation. That's probably because the filter ELEMENT for these filters is long-since GM-discontinued and I know of no source for them. Is a filter necessary? Well, GM apparently concluded that after 1964 they were not necessary for passenger cars. I'll bet there are a LOT of Corvettes running around with no filter after a p/s pump exchange. Is a filter a good idea? Probably.

As far as the steering relay rod goes, if it were me I'd use the 1969-82 7/8" rod which GM also specified as SERVICE for 1963-68. You don't suppose that GM went to the 7/8" rod in 1969 because the 3/4" rod was just as good, do you? Keep in mind that steering systems have a significant safety implication.

Joe, FYI, whenever I install a rebuilt pump in a new system, I temporarily add a inline fluid filter to the return line. After bleeding and continued operation, including extra lock-to-lock cycles to exercise it well, I remove the filter. I wash out and screen the filter contents and analyze it. Why? You may ask.......

I once installed a complete PS system using a rebuilt pump which worked fine initially, then shortly later the assist disappeared, just like it was manual steering. After a long and tedious diagnostic process eliminating the control valve, etc, I removed the pump. I disassembled it. I am impatient when I diagnose. I have to find root cause.

This is what I found....


Those "rocks" found their way into, and blocked the valve. They were there from the rebuild process and didn't get cleaned out. After another complete wash and air blowout, the pump was reinstalled and was fine. I still used the filter for it's return trip on the car. The filter can be seen in a previous photo I posted. I didn't think anyone would notice it. Never again will I not use it for first run.

Rocks like me and find me....
This is what I found in a new 3x2 BB intake manifold a few years ago....Thankfully I found them before engine build. Click-Pics down below.

Thanks Joe,
I came across what I believe to be an original PS return hose clamp. It's marked Wittek #2. Attached is a pic. Can someone confirm it is correct for my application?
thanks
Dereck

Dereck, Not positive, but a photo of the screw head may be necessary for the experts. IIRC, some Wittek clamps used a flanged pan head screw, maybe not.

Rich

[Dereck S.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Rich
Thanks for the pics of the contamination. Not good. I assumed the rebuilders properly flushed the pumps, cylinders, and valves prior to shipment. That may not be enough warranting the need for an in-line filter like you've done. I'll keep it in mind. I'm having a tough time finding the long upper original alternator mount bolt.
Dereck

[Richard M.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Rich
Thanks for the pics of the contamination. Not good. I assumed the rebuilders properly flushed the pumps, cylinders, and valves prior to shipment. That may not be enough warranting the need for an in-line filter like you've done. I'll keep it in mind. I'm having a tough time finding the long upper original alternator mount bolt.
Dereck

Dereck, The one that captures the braces that mounts into the head?

[Dereck S.]

Re: 67 BB Power Steering Conversion

Rich
I'm having trouble finding that one as well (RBW, SBC, A, TR with three lines)? I was referring to the alternator pivot bolt barely visible at the top of your image. According to the JG it's got RBW, SBC, or TR head marking with 6 lines? I'm trying to match up a repro bolt to a box of mixed original bolts I have accumulated over the years. I was hoping the head mount bracket bolt was used in another location. The alternator pivot bolt appears to be very specific to that location based on length. I'll see if Rich P. can help me locate these.
Dereck