who runs cowl steering because it's cool. I always thought it was out of necessity, try fitting a steering box, starter, exhaust and clutch linkage on a hemi headed beast that's pretty much taking up all the room between the frame rails all by itself and you can see why cowl steering starts gaining appeal.
That is one reason I did it in my T touring. Size 11+ feet and a small toe box. Made the car as comfy as a modern sedan to drive as far as footwell room. And with all due respect to Pwood, this topic WAS NEVER an issue/taboo/snowflake magnet until he started preaching. These cars are a series of compromises for style, performance and safety and you only get to pick two.
I'm running a BMW box in my 35 olds not because it looks cool but for the reason of running I big 303 olds between the rails. My plan is when it's finished to drive it down the block if it's can't be driven safely go to plan B what ever that may be. We are big boys and know the problems that can happen my car my choice I have read the threads on this subject and so has every one else nothing changes in our feelings on cowl stealing for it or against it. The OP asked about a steering box .
We do lots a crap cause it looks cool Lowering Chops Some guys like crazy HP Nose up tail dragging Lifted gassers Shaved emblems/handles Swapped trim/tail lights. Crap, hot ridding and customs are all about looking cool
Yup - how do you get an early rod low? Split the bones. There you have it bad geometry right from the start. How many times you see guys running wimpy little tabs for the split bone mount. Maybe they wouldn't if they knew the forces applied to that mount when one wheel travels far. There was a very good reason Ford triangulated the bones.
Yep. Tons of cars over the decades ran em. Crazy kids Seen one smack a tree hard in the front tire. Frame mount held up just fine. KOd the tie rod. Frame was trashed behind it and had about a 3 inch diamond.
Cowl steering itself is not the problem. The application, or the way it is sometimes set up, is where the issues start. So many guys just ignore the geometry facts and mostly get a bad result. I think cowl steering is mucho cool, but at least learn how to do it so the bump steer is minimal. It's all in the setup. And yes, some just seem to get lucky....
$pot-0n.... Just like eating the "Taco" some guy's Do! While other's fail... Technic becomes relative... >
As to the cool factor, I didn't take a perfectly good 34 Ford 3 window coupe body, channel it 2 inches and chop it 7 inches for good visibility out the front. Then install a noisy Q/C rear end and the dreaded Schroeder steering or the underpowered flathead so it would ride and drive like my Audi S4. I'm putting this car together because I think it's cool. Others can like it or not like it and that's ok with me.
I have a pal/acquaintance (a very skilled, talented builder) who built a traditional hot rod with cowl steering. He sold it - he hated the way it drove. The guy who bought and owns it still, he loves everything about it, especially how it drives. Whenever this topic comes up, I think of those two and the car.
Just to throw my experience out to all, my roadster in my avatar has cowl steering from Tommy Lee, the inventor of sprint car power steering. I went with cowl steering for a couple of reasons. First I have a 354 hemi up front and there was no room for a coventional steering set up. Secondly, when I built the car, I intended to run sprint car tires all around. I used 500x 15 ribbed tires up front and 14x31 15 double diamonds on the rear. Having run ribbed fronts before, I remembered that, although they looked just like what sprint cars ran, they tended to steer the car instead of visa versa. Rain grooves and any imperfection caused the tires to follow them and be a nightmare for steering control. I installed a 12::1 Lee power gear and a saginaw p/s pump putting out 1500 pounds of pressure. The tires were unable to kick back against the power steering with that much pressure. I put the car on the road in 2009 and have driven the snot out of it since with slightly over 40k miles on it. There has been no issue at all. I no longer run rib fronts because the Coker repops I ran wore out like soft erasers. I now run Next 165-80-15 on the front and still no problem, but they wear very well which really enjoy. My drag link is parallel to my wishbone hairpins, but about 3 or so inches longer. I really believe the key to not having bump steer, is the cowl steering being power. I am taking about parking lot speeds to over 80 mph and no kickback at all. I have had a couple friends drive the car and remark how good the steering feels. I am friends with Pete Eastwood and he doesn't understand why I have no bump steering. All I can say it, that it must be related to the fact of the power assist. I have built other roadsters and always used either Corvair or Vega boxes and cross steering with good results. I might have done the same this time, but humungus hemi heads taking up all the available space sent me to the cowl steering choice. And, 14 years of good service has told me that I made a good choice. If only I was so wise in choosing wives when younger.... but that's a story for another time and place!
Its really not cool to attempt to " shame" people about whatever amount of $$ they are comfortable spending .
I think it's great to have and share experience but important to remember everyone has a different reason for building hot rods and enjoying what they enjoy... never understood why cowl steering in particular starts such venomous arguments. These cars are hell to drive compared to modern shit, no matter how you slice it. We're here because we're willing to put up with it. Generally when you're driving a car that's older than you (or your parents, or in my case my grandparents) practicality and efficiency take a backseat to cool factor. What a guy is willing to put up with is up to him. Cowl steering might not be ideal, geometrically speaking, but like some have said, it's a sacrifice to make room for a larger engine in a car smaller than a Miata. And when it comes to "right" and "wrong" and "ideal geometry" - there's a reason no car manufactured today has a forged I-beam front axle.
Incorrect. My roadster is not hell to drive. It is easy and pleasant. Having said that, having seen the way some people build cars I can understand how it could be.
My T and my time as caretaker of the Rocky33tm showed they can indeed handle like slot cars. Now, with the advances in shocks such as Bielsteins they can ride even better than ever.
originally,,,, question is if anyone has had experience with Outlaw Hot Rod Parts cowl steering boxes.
If I had this program or knew how to use it, I'd play around with the length of the pitman arm. In theory if the pitman arm on a cowl steering setup was a bit longer, the bump steer would be less, combined with the small amounts of suspension travel it would probably be unnoticeable. I could be wrong, I was once.
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