This site is a wealth of knowledge about PS conversions, but I haven't found anything about Manual conversions, hoping some of you will have some info.

My friends are wanting to swap theirPS system over to MS because it's lighter and allows more of the HP at the crank to go to the wheels.

Anybody have info on what's involved in this swap? What models/years of cars we could get donor parts from?

Cars are 70-72 Chevelle/Malibus.

You will need the steering gear and the Pitman arm to match. Any 68-72 GM A-body should work. It is a pretty easy swap.

It should be easy to do in an afternoon. I converted my -69 to power steering in about 2-3 hours (not counting having to go to Auto Zone twice to get the correct belt :rolleyes: ) , so doing it the other way around should definitely not take any longer. Just remove the old steering box and the pump, and bolt in the new steering box. It's as simple as that. Only thing that could possibly be problematic it to remove the ball joint from the pitman arm (just as in any ball joint swap).

All you need is the steering box and the pitman arm, and I think you can take that from any A-body 1968-72. If you want to clean up in the engine compartment, you'll need a set of non-PS pulleys and possibly a new bolt for the exhaust manifold, if you got the type of pump bracket that mounts up there. If you don't care about how it looks, you can just as well leave it as it is.

BTW, I have a non-PS steering box complete with pitman arm for a -69 left over from my swap, might want to part with it. Don't know how much it would be to ship it though (it weighs about 16 lbs according to out bathroom scale).

How much would you let it go for Olle? If Enrique isn't interested, and I can get the money I'll take it.

The swap is pretty simple, as we have gone from manual to power.

There was a thread a while back on this though, and I think it was in Performance. If you're not actually turning the steering wheel (as you aren't really in drag racing) then it's not going to take much HP away at all. I suppose there are some weight savings as well, but if they're going to drive it on the street a lot I predict that they'll get tired of it very quickly. I did.

Unless this is a serious all-out racing effort, I'd say it'll be an unhappy compromise.

Originally posted by LXS:
How much would you let it go for Olle? If Enrique isn't interested, and I can get the money I'll take it. Would $50 + freight be OK? It's in good shape, only has about 90k on it. Just a bit grungy, so it needs a good clean-up.

Tom: The pump does rob some power, even if it's not under load. You can just take the belt off, and you won't lose any power at all. However, it will be a bear to turn, as a PS box has a different ratio than a non-PS. I have had the PS crapping out a couple of times, and believe me, you don't want to drive it that way ;)

The PS box weighs a lot as well, just guessing it's probably about 20 lbs heavier than a non-PS. And of course, then there's the pump, fluid and the brackets, which adds maybe another 10 lbs.

I just looped the hose and use the power steering box,since I can't find a manual box,and this is with a smaller steering wheel,it isnt that tough to steer with skinnies up front.

We just converted our '69 to power steering with the donor being a '72. A straight bolt in swap provided you have the proper pump mounting brackets and pulley.

Mine has the power steering box with no pump. I sprained my thumb driving that thing. Refresh my memory, 68 -72 A body is what car(s).

Mine has the power steering box with no pump. I sprained my thumb driving that thing. Refresh my memory, 68 -72 A body is what car(s).

Cut-and-paste from Derek's brake conversion 101: "Chevelle, Monte Carlo, El Camino, Skylark, GS, LeMans, GTO, Cutlass, 442"

Again, the PS box has a different ratio than non-PS, so a PS box that doesn't work or is disconnected is way harder to turn than a non-PS box. Hence your sprained thumb. :)

to toss my 2 cents in. I don't think the rag joint is really designed to take all the punishment of using a PS box without the pump. I know I ran my camaro like that for a couple of years with no prob. but I'd hate to have the rag joint fail while driving. Jim