power steering from 73 duster into 63 Dart?

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Hideogumperjr

Hideogumperjr

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Can anyone verify what it would take to put a PS pump and gear box into a 63 Dart convertible?
Greatly appreciating your expert experience on FABO, such a great website!
Thanks in advance!
Cheers.
 
expert Im not so ya lol .. As for as i know there no way to do that .. It has to be off 63 to 66 A bodies .. Good luck .. I think im remembering right
 
steering column adaptor and maybe a diffrent pitman arm? I'm gonna follow this thread and see for sure as I might be adding power steering to one of my early a's
 
I’m not sure on using the 73-76 gearbox but…..

Just did a similar swap for my 66 Dart from manual to power steering. Used a P/S gearbox from 72 or older. Also you’ll need a P/S shaft and coupler from an early A-Body 63-66. The shaft is shorter for P/S and completely different than the 67+ up style. You use your existing Pitman Arm from your 63 too.

It's not that difficult of a swap and what a difference!! My car drives so much better with P/S :D
 
Thanks for the input, now to sound like a dumbass, what is a " P/S shaft and coupler?"
Thought I used to know alot about cars but got a lot to learn and there is a lot of great feedback for an old learner here!
Thanks for the help.
 
Hideogumperjr said:
Thanks for the input, now to sound like a dumbass, what is a " P/S shaft and coupler?"
Thought I used to know alot about cars but got a lot to learn and there is a lot of great feedback for an old learner here!
Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

I thought I knew a lot about cars, not everything, but a good amount. Now, I know that what I did know was just a scratch in the paint thanks to these guys.

This site will give you a pretty good idea about how a steering system works and the components etc. [ame]http://www.i-car.com/pdf/upcr/procedures/sr/sr01.pdf[/ame]
 
Hideogumperjr said:
Thanks for the input, now to sound like a dumbass, what is a " P/S shaft and coupler?"
Thought I used to know alot about cars but got a lot to learn and there is a lot of great feedback for an old learner here!
Thanks for the help.
Click to expand...

Sorry Hideo....I was referring to a power steering (P/S) shaft and coupler. The coupler is the part that couples/joins the shaft to the steering box.

Send a PM to waggs....I'm guessing he'll have a power steering shaft for 'ya in his pile....LOL :thumblef:
 
6pk2goDemon said:
Sorry Hideo....I was referring to a power steering (P/S) shaft and coupler. The coupler is the part that couples/joins the shaft to the steering box.

Send a PM to waggs....I'm guessing he'll have a power steering shaft for 'ya in his pile....LOL :thumblef:
Click to expand...

I have a shaft and coupler out of my power steering column from my 73, but I don't know if it will work for him.
 
As far as I know, There was never a pitman arm made that will connect a late model power steering box to a ealier drag link. One has the nut and cotter pin on the bottom, the other has zerk fitting on the bottom.
I use the size of the hex nut that holds the pitman arm on the gearbox as a guide. If that nut is 1&5/16 ( requiring you to buy a socket ) you can't use that steering gear.
 
You'll need an earlier small sector steering box, 63-66 power steering column (they are shorter), appropriate pump, brackets, pulleys, and hoses. You MUST use the 63-66 pittman arm. You also want the larger gearbox mounting bolts from a PS car. Best bet would be to find a donor car of the same age group in a junkyard, and swap everything.

Once you have the required parts, it's a pretty easy way to add 40 pounds to the front of you car while wiping out any road feel you may have had.
 
c130 chief said:
you'll need an earlier small sector steering box, 63-66 power steering column (they are shorter), appropriate pump, brackets, pulleys, and hoses. You must use the 63-66 pittman arm. You also want the larger gearbox mounting bolts from a ps car. Best bet would be to find a donor car of the same age group in a junkyard, and swap everything.

Once you have the required parts, it's a pretty easy way to add 40 pounds to the front of you car while wiping out any road feel you may have had.
Click to expand...
x2
 
The 73 car will also have the aluminum water pump housing and associated brackets and pulleys that will not work with your early water pump and bracket setup. The water pumps also dump out on opposite sides, so it's a must to get the correct brackets from an earlier car with the early style setup, or you'll have a fun time trying to line up all the belts. Finding the gearbox and steering shaft from a 63-66 car is also the only wat to accomplish this, as stated above, but can be had easily enough.

I agree with Mark and the Chief, manual is much preferred by myself, and even my wife's 66 has manual and no complaints from her either!! Good way to rob HP and add weight!! Did someone mention "the feel of the road"!! Geof
 
cosgig said:
The 73 car will also have the aluminum water pump housing and associated brackets and pulleys that will not work with your early water pump and bracket setup. The water pumps also dump out on opposite sides, so it's a must to get the correct brackets from an earlier car with the early style setup, or you'll have a fun time trying to line up all the belts. Finding the gearbox and steering shaft from a 63-66 car is also the only wat to accomplish this, as stated above, but can be had easily enough.

I agree with Mark and the Chief, manual is much preferred by myself, and even my wife's 66 has manual and no complaints from her either!! Good way to rob HP and add weight!! Did someone mention "the feel of the road"!! Geof
Click to expand...
I don't think the conversion is much of a problem on a 6cyl.....certainly not to the extent of a V8. If you use all the parts off the '73 engine, it should bolt onto the '63 engine as far as I can see. The steering box can come from any A,B, or E body before '73 but the center shaft in the steering column must come from a '63-6 A-body. If you'd like to have some road feel, get a rebuilt cop box from Firm Feel or Steer and Gear. There are other ways to get more feel if you get a used regular box. Check some articles in past Mopar Action magazine issues for the procedure. You might be able to find a link here in a previous thread on the subject.
 
Yes, the steering box on my 66 Dart is from a 72 Cuda. The only issue with using a 67-72 steering box is the challenge in finding a high pressure hose to use. You can't look it up in any book or interchange.

The power steering shaft needed is 36" long. There is/was a PS column for an early A-Body posted today in the for sale section here too.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=184670

No worries here about robbing power in mine....it's a slanty :) 8)
 
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