Looking for any trial and errors for power steering conversions for 49-51 mercs, 49/51 Fords aply too! Open to any options Rack and Pinion, box swaps, Thanks Red
Take a look at the pictures in my albums, you will see a Jeep Grand Cherokee P/S box next to a stock Mercury box. The picture is from Ebay, the seller makes a kit to install the Jeep box in a '49-'51 Mercury. Should be easy enough to do it yourself.
I used a bracket from fatman to install a 68 f100 box. It drove really nice when it was done. This was about ten years ago. There are probably better things now.
99 Grand Cherokee box works great, i just did it on my 50. Picked one up at local junk yard for $60.00 and installed it in no time. You will need to drill one hole and sleeve it. Also need one small tab with hole in it welded to top of frame rail. The third hole lines right up. Very easy to do, You can even use the Merc pitman arm with no problems. I bought a steering knuckle and cut down my original column and hooked it all together. Good luck dolsen37
anyone on 49'-51' ford? been on some real bullshit info hunts on this subject. i would be doing the leg work but my project is 1200 miles away. as popular as these cars are i'm surprised it hasn't been done. even a manual upgrade would be nice.
I found this article in one of my old magazine piles, also in the web now too. My only thing is that it seems kinda bulky, and the steering has to right on the money for this project no messing around you know.... Hey how do I put pictures in these treads, that seems to be harder than a valve job on the flattie...? Thanks every one for your input.. Later...Red http://www.streetrodderweb.com/tech/0902sr_1949_1951_ford_steering_motor_mounts/index.html
I currently have a Ford pump installed but picked up a Jeep pump as well. The car is still in the build stages so have not driven it yet. I have been told that some of the pumps are made by the same company so only time will tell which box works.
Here is the scoop from FAT MAN FAB as to why there is no kits and maybe why many have not attepted a power rack conversion, "The Merc and the Ford are completely different. The center pivot Cavalier rack is the right choice, and you cant get it to work without serious geometry problems. The problem with the Merc is that when the rack is placed far enough aft in the chassis to properly line up with the outer tie rod ends, it is so far back that you cant get an engine oil pan to clear. The Merc arms sweep back at a much greater angle than the Ford. Been there, tried it, consider it a lost cause. The F-100 box with our improved toe rod set gets the job done better."
I used a long sector shaft 605 box (common for 55-57 chevy kits ) made brkt for frame adapeted steering column about 20 years a go. and used a buick pwr steering pump late 80's pump. (ps my merc has a small block chevy motor ) Roger
I'm currently putting a early '90's Mitsubishi shogun box in my '51. I got an engineer to make an adapter from 1/4" plate and it fits a treat! The Merc column needs 0.2mm taking off to fit in the end of the shogun column and I had to mill out the end of the pitman arm and put a boss in for the merc balljoint pin. Not sure yet if I will use mitsubishi pump or Chevy. Message me if you wanna know more.
I have a stock front end w/disk brakes, I want to get rid of the weird ider arm, anyone use fatmans "Trick tie rod assembly" steering linkage that they sell? http://www.fatmanfab.com/catalogpage.php?page=20
Mid 60's Lincoln and T bird box will bolt up to the Merc and the pitman arm is a factory fit. Have to remove rubber biscuts from box, Used Chevy P/s pump and Vega high pressure fitting to cut down pressure. Had to weld in support behind frame to keep frame from flexing when bolting down the steering box. Used Lincoln rag joint to connect to cut down Merc column. BARRESSE'
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