EPAS in a 1935-36 Ford Pickup

Has anyone installed an EPAS (Electronic Power Assisted Steering) unit in a 35-36 Ford Pickup or similar vintage Ford? Any tips, pictures or comments would be greatly appreciated!

 

I don't think electric power steering is very traditional.

 

Anything on this on the O/T board?

 

I have a friend with it in a 40 Truck. It seems to work fine. What's your question?

 

Thanks for the reply, Pist-n-Broke! Pretty much everything! Was it a Pain-in-the-Arse to install, what is needed for the conversion as to parts & materials, which unit was used (Ford, Chevy, etc., year), what steering column was used (if separate from the EPAS unit), any linkage changes/mods, etc., etc.! See, just a few questions. I'm a bit limited in my physical abilities, so I ask a lot of questions to see if it is a feasible project for me to tackle. I thank you, in advance, for any help!

Thanks, Ned, I just posted it there as well!

 

Thanks for the reply! "traditional"...Definitely Not, "practical"...maybe/maybe not, we'll see!

 

Lots of info. Google is your friend.
https://www.google.com/search?clien...EHea_MjoQ1QJ6BAhtEAE&biw=111&bih=225&dpr=3.16

 

As I remember it the installation was pretty strait forward. He and his wife like the way it works. It hangs just below the dash and is visible with the door open. The truck runs R&P with tilt so just part of the build.

 

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Yep, it's me. I built the 40 Ford truck for my wife, she doesn't care about traditional, just being able to drive it. I hate to say it but it is really nice to drive that truck with power assist. we are talking one finger in parking lots where my roadster requires two hands and one butt cheek.

Wizz is correct, you can see the power unit on the column when the door is open. Trucks have a steeper column, especially mine since it needed to miss the left head on the HEMI. It is clockable so you can turn the power unit so it under the dash. I don't really mind looking at it, it was black it would be invisible practically but I have this thing about chrome.

The unit came from Ididit with the column. I added a brace from the firewall to the column drop for extra support, not sure if was necessary but I don't like suspending the column from just the dash. It comes with a brain (about 6" square) that must be mounted somewhere and there is not a lot of real estate under your dash. I planned all of my electronics including fuse panel to go under the seat, partly for this reason.

It is safe, if it fails it takes no more effort to turn the wheel than if it was any non power assist vehicle. It supplies 100% power when at slow speeds and reduces the assist as you accelerate. Thus it requires an electronic pick up on the transmission to sense speed. The kit comes with an adapter for the transmission cable output.

Not traditional, but what you can't see shouldn't offend anyone. Hide your tech

 

The truck in question with the door open. I can’t enlarge the image from my phone.

 

Yup. Paint it black and it becomes invisible.

 

Thanks man. I have never had anyone make reference to it at a show where the truck is on the ground and not jacked up with lights under the dash. Just like the AC on the firewall, they just go away at normal viewing height.

 

Paint chrome? Heresy!
The way I figure it, guys play up side steer boxes, why not “own” this thing?

The original plan was to hang a fire extinguisher on the column to hide the PS but there wasn’t room for a decent extinguisher. I have a crappy little chrome one but it is ABC and would make a huge mess. Need to spring for a tiny halon unit.

 

Sorry, I was not being critical, but pointing a direction for the OP.

Nice pickup.

 

No blood, no foul. I knew what you meant. If it was black it would disappear. If it was carpeted it would stand out like a sore thumb. And thanks for the compliment man.