Steering: Angle of Sagninaw Power Steering unit ('57 Golden Hawk)?

[bsrosell]

Hi, re-assembling my Saginaw power steering unit after rebuilding it. Had bracket and everything off for painting, and noticed as I put it together on the chassis that there is a slight angle (horizontally) to the unit, so the steering shaft will NOT be perfectly perpendicular to the dash in the car.
There is hardly any slop in the mounting bracket, the photo below shows it pulled as far clockwise (in ref to photo) as it will go.
There were no shims or anything that I recall inbetween the base platform and the chassis to "skew it" any farther, but sure seems strange the steering post would not be perpendicular to the car's dash?
Is the steering wheel actually at a slight offset from being parallel with the dash? There is no steering knuckle or U-joint in these as you know, that coupling is simply two pieces of rubber and four lock nuts, the shaft will be at the same angle as the steering unit as pictured.
I can't think of any way it can be adjusted to be straight-on, simply no adjustments in either the base on the chassis, or the steering unit on the base. No slots, very little slop.
Am I missing something, or truly "not parallel" steering wheel? Hard to believe that is right.
Eyeball it vs the valve cover, and you can see the coupling (and shaft if I connect it up) will angle slightly towards the center of the car....

[doofus]

Barry, i would suggest you leave the mounting bolts loose on bracket and gear till steering column is firmly clamped to dash bracket. then snug them up and look for misalignment. believe i used some washers on Wifes '57 Silver Hawk. then tighten everything up. Luck Doofus

[Jeff_H]

This is normal....

I put one of these PS units in my '53 hardtop (same body shell as your GH). As long as the column lines up with the mounting points for the big U bolt under the dash it is good.

I also noticed the column runs a angle to the center-line of the car. Its a little more noticeable with the earlier/larger OD steering wheels. Its not really noticeable when you are sitting in the car behind the wheel.

Its not as distracting as a Chevy Chevette. I drove one of those once and those cars the wheel is not directly in front of the driver. Its to the inside of the car relative to the center of the driver's seat by a couple inches or something!

[bsrosell]

Thanks guys!! Great to know; sure seems goofy, when a steering-knuckle of some type (remember tearing my '96 Bonneville apart, pretty straightforward looking u-joint) would allow dead-on perpendicular to the dash. Oh well, I've never noticed it LOOKING at other people's cars, have yet to actually DRIVE a Hawk! :-) (mine arrived advertised as 'just needs a few things to run' but DOA from Indiana; yet was too nice of condition to 'throw back'). I just noticed, my avatar is the night we rolled it off the truck 11 years ago this week; my son was behind the steering wheel; I never WAS while it was moving.