<VV> Steering box question - adjustments ?

[Robert K. Henry]

Well I'd like to find a box, or a pitman shaft/nut, but I haven't been able
to find one anywhere at any price. When I was restoring the car many years
ago, the steering box was a mess. While Clark's had overhaul parts, the
pitman shaft and nut were unavailable. I called a local junkyard and they
said they had a 1971 Corvair and I could get the box off of it. I thought,
"A 1971? I have to go see this whether the part fits or not." (I think it
was an air-conditioned blue '63 4-door, no wheels, settling into the mud,
some of the engine parts missing, yellowing side windows. I wanted to bring
it home but I had no place to put it. I can't go to junk yards, it's too
emotionally draining.) I finally found a pitman set through an ad in
Hemmings and I placed the order. After an interminable wait I called the
seller and they said that UPS had lost the parts. Unusual for UPS. So I had
to improvise. In desperation, I brazed metal onto the corroded pitman shaft
and turned the shaft round on the lathe. It was still a little rough, but it
reduced the looseness significantly when combined with the new bushings from
Clark's. The gears were another matter. I reversed the nut so that the
unworn spots were bearing on previously untouched metal and that helped a
bit more. There was no "high point" though. Adjustment was a compromise
between too loose in the center and too tight in the turns. Then I filled it
with oil instead of the grease which had backed away from the parts leaving
them unprotected. 

This fix worked for years, but now it appears that my brilliant
improvisation is giving out and I'd really like to replace the bad parts. 

One problem: This car has a telescoping steering column, which appears to
disqualify most boxes. The worm on that long input shaft seems ok, if I
could just replace the pitman and nut I think I'd be fine. 

Why can the hot rodders get Corvair steering boxes for their cars but I
can't get parts for my actual Corvair? Apparently they're selling new chrome
plated reversed boxes for more than my car is worth. I don't need chrome
plate but I guess I could live with it. But I don't think I could justify
spending $700 for a reversed box that won't really fit my car anyway.

Robert Henry
'65 Corsa Convertible Turbo
Knoxville, TN

-----Original Message-----
From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
[mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org] On Behalf Of Bryan Blackwell
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 9:09 PM
To: Charles Lee
Cc: Virtual Vairs
Subject: Re: <VV> Steering box question - adjustments ?

A standard speed box should be available and fairly inexpensive.  I believe
Clark's also has rebuilt ones, but I don't know the price offhand.  Used
factory quick box?  More than the new Flaming River boxes.

--Bryan

On Aug 9, 2010, at 4:33 PM, Charles Lee wrote:

> Does anyone have a steering box in case I need one ?
> 
> What would they cost ?

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