power steering conversion help

[mnmfive]

I have available to me a 1956 2 dr Champion Wagon automatic with a 6 cyl no a/c. I tried looking in the parts catalog but there is just too much for me to be sure if the power steering will fit my 1958 President, no a/c with 3 speed on the column overdrive. Can anyone help with this??? thanks in advance

Jim Rostron

After reviewing the replys I've decided to not use this car for parts. thanks to all. I found another avenue to take.

[Studeman]

1) The Saginaw Power Steering box and it's mount is a bolt-in
2) You will need a Bracket for a V-8 ('54-58)to mount the power steering pump
3) You will need a steering post jacket, steering wheel, and all it's linkages from a '56-7-8 V8-w/3OD to be used with your current transmission.
4) There may be some wiring issues with the turn signals, horn etc.

Really the only things usable from the wagon will be the box itself, the reach-rod to the bellcrank, and the PS pump body.

You are lucky that the 3/OD post jacket and column from a SEDAN is the easiest to acquire.. but it's still not very common.

Ray


Specializing in Studebaker Restoration

[Jeff_H]

The saginaw PS setups use different column parts than the non-PS. Sedan and C/K are also different There are 8 combos depending:

1. Sedan non-PS with manual trans
2. Sedan PS with manual trans
3. Sedan non-PS with AT trans
4. Sedan PS with AT trans

5-8 same as above only for C/K.

The difference from C/K to sedan is the length of the column. PS vs non-PS have a different outer tube, shift tube, and the collar parts and bearings under the steering wheel. It IS confusing from the parts book!

'53 to '56 use a different steering wheel spline and also the column length is longer than '57 and up. This applies to both C/K and sedan.

In addition to the bracket for the PS pump to change from 6 to v8, you also need a different pulley. The 6 pulley is flat and v8 is dished.

FWIW, the saginaw PS stuff is sort of rare. When I put the saginaw PS setup from a '57 hawk in my '53, I ended up buying a lot of NOS parts to build the column since I wanted the stock '53 steering wheel. You may need to use the parts books to "build" your column or other items with NOS parts. I must say, a '56 wagon 6 with AT and PS seems pretty unusual!

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[N8N]

Jeff, there's more combos than you listed... there's those four for 55-56, then four more for 57-58, then finally two more for 56J. Yup, lots of different parts...

I THINK I might have an extra C-K Saginaw jacket laying around, but I would like to keep the 3/OD shifter parts. Don't believe I have the steering shaft, but I may be wrong about that. I'm pretty sure it's 55-56 though.

nate

--
55 Commander Starlight

http://members.cox.net/njnagel

[rockne10]

I believe the longer column also changes its inclination, requiring a different column to firewall seal.

[Jeff_H]

Nate,

Yeah, you are right... I sort of implied it but not too clearly. So, there should be:

'53-'56 Sedans: 4 combos as above
'53-'56 C/K (except 56J): 4 combos
'56 golden hawk (56J): 2 combos
'57-'58 Sedans: 4 combos
'57-'58 C/K: 4 combos

Makes for 18 different sets of steering column parts!!!

I think that only '58 champions could have the saginaw PS setup, as the others changed to the Bendix (Slave cyl) one?

Its stuff like this that makes my engineer's head spin.... Why could they not have figured out a way to make all the cars use the same column parts? The std steering could have had a flange with coupler on the box like the PS used and then only one column would work for all (except the length problem from C/K to sedan, and that is another issue!!!!!). All those different parts #s for basically nearly identical parts and the tooling for them could not have been insignificant.

Jeff in ND

'53 Champion Hardtop

[TX Rebel]

That is like asking why Packard Hawks used the old Saginaw p/s but alll other '58 Hawks use the bendix...

Barry'd in Studes