Here is another tech, after the one I did yesterday (Zoomies). Cowl steering, I know it's been done before but mine is a variation. I used a Dodge Dart manual steering box. View attachment 243197 I cut the pitman arm, the only thing I'm after is the "collet" part View attachment 243198 I took a 2" thick wall pipe and welded it to the splinded "collet" part. I used 2" so it would slip over the splined shaft. View attachment 243201 After tapping two "lock" bolts in the sector shaft I mounted the steering in the cowl, making sure my size 11 shoes would have enough room to do the necessary tasks. View attachment 243199 After drilling a hole in the side of the cowl I knew how long the sector shaft had to be, so I cut it to lenght. I used a 3" diameter 1/2" steel disc, tapped 6 holes that would later hold the new arm. View attachment 243202 View attachment 243203
Now its time to make the new pitman arm. I chose to use a wooden template so I had guide for the plasma cutter. Wood and metal arm. After alot of grinding and sanding I had the arm. Now I drilled 6 corresponding holes so it could be bolted to the 3" sectorshaft plate. Here is the "straight" arm After bending the arm to make sure it would clear the body I reinstalled it. Add the linkage and your almost done. I know the design has been done before but this is my take on it.
I did mine the exact same way with the same box.But i used the stock nut for the pitman arm.The socket for it just fit's inside tubeing.GREGG
The outer end is not supported at all, the shaft is only 3" long, so all the strenght is in the steering box mount.
Keep an eye on that. I think it may try to flex at the spline connection. I'm using the same box but I'm mounting it to the left, next to the cowl. No extension necessary. I'll use a double U-jointed shaft from the steering wheel to the box.
Johnny I dont think it will need a support.I have the same setup and the orignal pitman arm had a little over 3" of offset.I think a 3"tube shouldnt put any more load on the box than stock.GREGG
Looks more or less familiar One thing that worries me, and I may just be reading it wrong. Did you do away with the nut totally, and are using the two bolts basically as set screws to hold the extension onto the sector shaft? If so, that may be bad...a tapered spline is really really dependent on the compression from the nut to hold it all together. I think you're gonna find that at best with the two "lock bolts" you're wallowing out the splines, and at worst, the splines are walking apart.
The initial problem was getting a socket in but after grinding the socket to make it fit down the sector shaft the nut was tightened, the lock bolts are an extra safety feature.
Thanks so much for this post. I'll be doing something very similar on my model A, so it's really helpful.
I used what I think was a 66 to 70 Dart manual aluminum box. E-bay find. What does YALL mean anyway. (you all???)
I'm running the same Dodge Dart steering box as you. I mounted it high enough to allow for my clutch and brake pedals to swing below it which resulted in my pitmon arm having to be 10" center of shaft to center of drag link. Has there been any discussion around the drag link angle needing to be parallel to the ground? I would like to shorten my pitmon arm up a couple inches to slow the steering down a bit.
Hello, Speaking of an old traditional photo and question, this old 1959 photo is of a Plymouth Altered Coupe taken at Lion’s Dragstrip by a young teen. It was the only race car at the time with a cowl steering. But old memories are cloudy these days. Jnaki So, can someone try to explain how the right side cowl steering works? And why not just a left side standard cowl steering for the Altered Coupe? YRMV
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