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An Overlooked Alternative To A Popular Swap - Thinkin’ Outside The F-1 BoxFrom the December, 2012 issue of Rod & Custom By Rotten Rodney Bauman
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[1] So what do this Model... [1] So what do this Model A roadster and Chevrolet pickup have in common? Well, according to Petersen’s 1964 book entitled How To Build A Hot Rod, it could easily be their guidance system. This easy swap is a natural for early Fords, and it’s especially appropriate for a banger-powered hot rod on a Model A frame. Have you ever filed away an old magazine ’til the pages turned yellow? Isn’t it funny how when you refer back to it years later, its content seems fresh and new again? If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a rod builder of my particular generation, it’s humility. Nowadays whenever I think I’ve birthed an original notion to incorporate into the buildup of a traditional-style rod, I try to leave a little room in a cluttered, but open mind. And when the fingers take to walkin’ through the yellowed pages of an old magazine, it’s common to discover that what I’ve conjured in the canyons of my mind, in a dream, or even in the shower where my better brainstormin’ takes place, has been done and documented before in days of yore. Long before Vega-type cross steering became the all-time most popular steering swap for old hot rod Fords, Corvair steering gear assemblies enjoyed a good run in the same applications. Going back a little further, the regular donors were pickup trucks of the late ’40s and ’50s—particularly Ford’s F-1, which employed the still-in-demand Gemmer “worm ’n’ roller” boxes. In recent times, as the respectful recreation of his father’s roadster began, my friend, Guardrail Willie Martin, received a few contributions to the cause. One such contribution was a previously rebuilt steering gear assembly, which once took its turn on Mrs. Rotten’s old ’57 Chevrolet pickup. Like many of us, Martin absorbed his share of knowledge from reading material he’d devoured as a youngster, and as a retentive reader, he was quick to reflect back to a tech-related article in an old publication from his personal print library. While it was not a step-by-step how-to, the memorable article touched upon various junkyard steering options for hot rods, one of which is to be duly credited for our common ability to think outside the F-1 box.  [2] Here’s the Saginaw “ball...  [2] Here’s the Saginaw “ball bearing worm ’n’ nut” box, in place on a tired Chevy pickup. These are still readily available (more so than the F-1 units) today and your piggy bank need not be broken. Someone you know is likely upgrading the steering of his or her pickup to include a rack-and-pinion right now.  [3] Hollander interchange...  [3] Hollander interchange No. 530 tells us that Chevy and GMC 1/2-ton, 3/4-ton, and 1-ton trucks (except four-wheel drive) share this same steering gear. The earlier ’56 and ’55 second-series trucks used a flat (rather than dished) steering wheel, so their shafts are slightly longer. Either way, you gain a self-canceling turn signal switch.  [4] Here, Guardrail Willie...  [4] Here, Guardrail Willie Martin’s pocket screwdriver denotes the only modification necessary to the box. The lowermost ear must be trimmed so the unit may fit within the channel of the Model A framerail. This bit of modification is easily accomplished with an ordinary hacksaw.  [5] Once trimmed to fit, mounted,...  [5] Once trimmed to fit, mounted, and tested, the slightly modified steering gear is passed along to some painter—this’ll be my department. The first order of business is a Harbor Freight shoppin’ spree. Ever use Gunk ’n’ Thrust in conjunction for cleanin’ up greasy stuff?  [6] First, thoughtful setup...  [6] First, thoughtful setup is necessary, as not to contaminate my painterly work environment. Here a ladder makes an adequate hanger, while a drip pan catches the greasy goo. With all fans and air conditioners shut down, welding screens are positioned to protect other projects from airborne Gunk molecules.  [7] Once Gunked, the steering...  [7] Once Gunked, the steering gear can be rinsed with water and allowed to dry. This is where Gunk Thrust Starting Fluid comes in handy for flash-evaporating the remaining residue. If you’re able to hold your breath long enough, do so and then evacuate. Otherwise, an organic vapor respirator should be worn.  [8] I’m no chemist, I don’t...  [8] I’m no chemist, I don’t know where it goes, but now both grease and degreaser are gone. Our once-greasy gearbox and crud-encrusted column are visibly clean and dry, and I haven’t even touched the assembly with my hands yet.  [9] With initial cleaning...  [9] With initial cleaning chores out of the way, cosmetics can now be addressed. A slit section of radiator hose will protect the mast jacket from the jaws of the vise so our old column-shifter holes can be eliminated. There’s more than one approach to this procedure. I’ve opted to thread-in screws, grind, and J-B Weld.  [10] Fully cured, J-B Weld...  [10] Fully cured, J-B Weld can be easily sanded, so it’s like a head start on upcoming filler work where no-longer-needed holes are dimpled into the tube of the mast jacket. From here it’s standard paint-prep procedures, beginning with 80-grit on a DA (dual-action) sander for the removal of old paint.  [11] For small areas of filler...  [11] For small areas of filler work on tubing, a form-fitting sanding block can be fashioned from a length of longboard sandpaper. With our filler work nearly completed, we’re down to the short strokes in 320-grit—a good enough stopping point before primer-sealer and paint.  [12] Meanwhile, back at Ed...  [12] Meanwhile, back at Ed Martin Garage, a Pitman arm was needed. So, master fabricator Jim Grady was called upon to graft an early Ford-style Pitman arm to the splined end of the Chevy Pitman arm. Care was taken to position the draglink parallel with the shop floor—the key to avoiding undesirable bumpsteer.  [13] In Henry Ford’s own chosen...  [13] In Henry Ford’s own chosen position, this slightly larger-than-stock steering gearbox assembly is a shoo-in, and it offers clearance o’ plenty for the fresh, built-to-last, genuine Riley four-port–equipped Model B banger that will soon come to power between these freshly powdercoated, boxed ’rails.  [14] For this banger-powered...  [14] For this banger-powered A-bone, our steering gear of choice requires no length adjustments to the mast jacket and shaft as it places the reproduction Bell steering wheel (this one’s from Mooneyes) within comfortable reach. Better yet, road testing revealed easy, predictable steering—without white knuckles.
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