'69 Barracuda T56 swap, floor, cross member

-
Added an additional clamp/bolt to the fuel line where it was resting up against the floor pan. I can grab that fuel line yank on it and it does not budge. So from front wheels back everything under the car is done.

Still need to install front shocks, tighten lower control arm pivot nuts, install Schumaker Torque Strap, swap from manual to Power Steering, inner fender splash shields. Once that list is done I will hit the milestone everything under the car bumper to bumper is finished/done take car off of wood stands.

Fuel line 7.jpg
 
Received my manual to power steering conversion kit from Bergman Auto Craft. Test fit power steering pump and return line interferes with Edelbrock head. I told Bergman and he said either bend line/grind head OR have a local radiator shop relocate return line on pump housing. Not comfortable with bend/grind and all the local radiator shops in area closed down. So Peter at Bergman volunteered to relocate return line on housing if I ship it back to him so I went ahead and shipped it back.

But no worries cause I have plenty of other stuff to do on the car like get it running again.

Return hose hits head annotated.jpg
 
Last edited:
Removed manual steering box and bolted in the Borgeson power steering box. Did not have to lift engine or remove header. Slid box out from the top, pull up, rotate forward, came right out. New one reverse easy. Borgeson box clears all the header tubes no dents will be needed. Borgeson box a lot heavier then the original manual box.

PXL_20240127_200742686.jpg


PXL_20240127_200751923.jpg


PXL_20240127_211440076.MP.jpg


PXL_20240127_211709670.jpg
 
340sFastback said:
Removed manual steering box and bolted in the Borgeson power steering box. Did not have to lift engine or remove header. Slid box out from the top, pull up, rotate forward, came right out. New one reverse easy. Borgeson box clears all the header tubes no dents will be needed. Borgeson box a lot heavier then the original manual box.

View attachment 1716198495

View attachment 1716198496

View attachment 1716198497

View attachment 1716198498
Click to expand...

Nice!

Yeah I have the factory manual box at about 12.4 lbs and the Borgeson at 23.6 lbs.

Of course the factory power steering box is 37.5 lbs!

And you also have about 15.5 lbs to add for the pulleys, brackets, pump and lines.
 
72bluNblu said:
Nice!

Yeah I have the factory manual box at about 12.4 lbs and the Borgeson at 23.6 lbs.

Of course the factory power steering box is 37.5 lbs!

And you also have about 15.5 lbs to add for the pulleys, brackets, pump and lines.
Click to expand...
Looks like Borgeson box pulled pitman arm forward around 1/16 inch. So guess what? My headers look to be clearing steering linkage both sides. I don't think any dings in tubes are needed from me moving engine full forward to get trans to fit. So it looks like I am gonna be able stay no dents in any header tubes anywhere needed.
 
72bluNblu said:
Nice!

Yeah I have the factory manual box at about 12.4 lbs and the Borgeson at 23.6 lbs.

Of course the factory power steering box is 37.5 lbs!

And you also have about 15.5 lbs to add for the pulleys, brackets, pump and lines.
Click to expand...
so you basically saved the weight of pulleys, brackets, pump and lines by swapping from factory p/s box to borgeson p/s box as the new box and all those parts are roughly the same weight as the factory box alone.
neil.
 
mygasser said:
so you basically saved the weight of pulleys, brackets, pump and lines by swapping from factory p/s box to borgeson p/s box as the new box and all those parts are roughly the same weight as the factory box alone.
neil.
Click to expand...

Basically. That pulley/bracket/lines weight is factory stuff, with new stuff it might be a couple lbs lighter.

I run a Flaming River manual box, it probably weighs almost as much as a Borgeson because of the steel case. I have a weight for it somewhere.
 
Finished up everything under car, front shocks, tighten torsion bar shaft nuts, splash shield, oil change etc. Off the wood stands start getting parts back on engine get it running....

PXL_20240131_003207490.jpg
 
Its running again. Need steering column, seat, and PS pump before I can take it up drive way and back.

PXL_20240203_203845504.MP.jpg
 
Dartsun said:
I’m not sure if it’s been asked already but what rear gear and tire size are you going to run?
Click to expand...
391 gears and tires I think are are 225-70x14 all season radials. It would not hook at any speed under 50 mph when I had the auto trans in there. Thinking about 7 inch 15 inch rear wheels for more tire.
 
Only one reverse light was working. Two new bulbs and one light had a cracked wire that needed repair. Light sockets and wire connectors packed with dielectric grease to keep moisture out.

Car has very thick heavy coat of dust dirt on it that I am ignoring until I can drive it out of garage and wash the car which won't be long now.

Reverse lights.jpg
 
Peter @BergmanAutoCraft moved the PS pump return tube from the back to the outside of pump reservoir to clear the Edelbrock heads. Pump now fits with a gap between pump brackets and Edelbrock head. PS belt supplied by Berman fits correctly and alignment with original 340 w/AC crank pulley looks really good. Had to tweak the bends in the pressure and return lines a tad to get the fit/look I wanted. All the hoses clear frame, battery tray, headers, inner fenders, motor mounts etc. Special thanks to Peter at Berman Auto Craft for customizing/adjusting the kit to fit my car.

Fumbled around for an hour or more swapping on the PS steering coupler. What I ended up doing is pre-bending the plate tabs with needle nose vice grips giving each tab a claw like shape. Then I stretched it over the ears of the coupler housing where it snapped in seems to fit tight.

Had to tap coupler over shoes with a rubber mallet super tight fit zero slack. No filing needed. Coupler swivels freely. Packed coupler with wheel bearing grease after test fitting everything.

Will put column in soon, throw a seat in there, test steering, test trans, and go from there. Once safety is verified/checked/double-checked/due-diligence etc will see if I can move it around in driveway under own power.

PS pump 1.jpg


PS pump 2.jpg


Coupler.jpg
 
I had that same fight with a steering coupler recently... for something so simple, it sure was a pain to deal with.... but got it.

I've enjoyed watching along with your huge project- I hope it drives splendidly soon!
 
Put column in, bled steering out turning side to side with wheels off ground, wheels back on ground steering has nice feel and zero noise.

The steering column plate to firewall, that plate appears to be raised now and bolt holes won't line up? Gonna loosen upper column mount bolts up wiggle it around see if I can get plate to line up. But its looking like those plate holes need to be egged out to me?

But column angle to steering box seems to be pretty good.

Nothing is leaking.

With engine running I sat in car on the floor, held onto steering wheel, pushed in clutch, and was able to shift through gears no grinding at all and smooth shifting. Put in first let clutch out a little car started to move. So its looking like clutch is working correctly.

Column in 1.jpg


Column in 2.jpg


Column in 3.jpg
 
Last edited:
340sFastback said:
Put column in, bled steering out turning side to side with wheels off ground, wheels back on ground steering has nice feel and zero noise.

The steering column plate to firewall, that plate appears to be raised now and bolt holes won't line up? Gonna loosen upper column mount bolts up wiggle it around see if I can get plate to line up. But its looking like those plate holes need to be egged out to me?

But column angle to steering box seems to be pretty good.

Nothing is leaking.

With engine running I sat in car on the floor, held onto steering wheel, pushed in clutch, and was able to shift through gears no grinding at all and smooth shifting. Put in first let clutch out a little car started to move. So its looking like clutch is working correctly.

View attachment 1716204290

View attachment 1716204291

View attachment 1716204292
Click to expand...

Just loosen up the upper column bolts, there should be plenty of free play with those loose to get the plate lined up.
 
72bluNblu said:
Just loosen up the upper column bolts, there should be plenty of free play with those loose to get the plate lined up.
Click to expand...
Thats what Bergman said to do. I loosened it all up, plate holes still too high, so tugged column out 1/2 inch or so, pushed in, tugged out again, pushed in, then I was able to get firewall bolts started by hand. Tightened everything up, started engine, steering still works good. Don't know why tugging column in and out (coupling shoes allowed the movement) changed it but hey I'll take it.

Column in 4.jpg
 
340sFastback said:
Thats what Bergman said to do. I loosened it all up, plate holes still too high, so tugged column out 1/2 inch or so, pushed in, tugged out again, pushed in, then I was able to get firewall bolts started by hand. Tightened everything up, started engine, steering still works good. Don't know why tugging column in and out (coupling shoes allowed the movement) changed it but hey I'll take it.

View attachment 1716204421
Click to expand...

Yeah I’ve gotten into the habit of starting those bolts before I even attach the upper column mount, seems like sometimes it just gets in a spot it doesn’t want to come out of.

As far as the plunge resetting it, maybe the steering coupler was holding it up? I dunno. Way to stick with it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top