Have a friend that has a 56 Pontiac Chieftain that he is restoring.seems someone tried to remove the column and broke the steering shaft and column. The car has power steering and is a automatic. He is in need of a new box and column. Is there any other years that might fit?? Chevy?? Olds?? and Who is out there where I can source these parts??Thanks
He tells me it is a US Pontiac. That was something else he want to know,what the difference is between Canadian and US
The car has been off the road a long time.found this pic from the early 80 of the car.if this is any help.
I was thinking the same thing but this has a power steering box I think the chevys had a power ***t rack??
There is a Rodders Digest tech article on installing a 605 Gm box on a 55-57 over at pontiacsafari.com. Pontiac garage to upgrades will find the article. For some reason acrobat reader wont list the address to send a direct on my computer for the article?
The only one i see you can make out on column is the pics. If there is a part number some where else where should I look??
We are sizing up that idea. but where this is a restoration we are trying to keep is stock. But please still post link if you find it.I want to see that myself.
http://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1Garage/SteeringUpgradeGM605.pdf It looks like the more common manual steering column is used and adapted over...
I do know of a Hamber that has the stock setup or used too, I'll get in touch and p*** the info along if your interested. He's hardly ever on here.
I did that 605 swap on a 57 Star Chief I had years ago. On that car the steering column had to be slid down to the box a bit making the wheel just a bit closer to the dash. On the 55 he is going to have to modify the the column and shft or swap columns. If he wants to keep the stock wheel and column, the simple way out may be to swap the steering shaft and lower bushing out of a later model column into the 55 column. And now we know your friend really is that guy who can tear up steel balls with a rubber hammer in the middle of a sand pile.
Canadian Pontiacs, of this era, share ch***is and driveline parts with Chevrolets. US cars are all Pontiac, totally different, no ch***is parts interchange. There are other differences as well but this is the biggest. Power steering stuff seems to be tough to find for these cars. I needed the factory P/S pump bracket for my 57 and searched forever to find one. Try French Lake Auto Parts, Alliance Vendor, they may have the column and gear you need. Last time I was there this fall they had 6-8 55-56 Pontiacs. There is another guy in Texas who I bought parts from, his name and phone number are in the 2nd to last page of my build thread. Would post his info but I got to go to work.... PM me if you can't find his info.
I'm not much of a computer guy, do you have the latest version of adobe reader-version 9? It works fine for me. I'll attatch the file and see if that helps.
No all i have is 7 and that file did the same thing. Don`t worry about it I got into the site but not sure what page your sending me.What is it listed as under the site??
Fitz that car is 1956 American Pontiac ----- same as the one I had. If i,m not mistaken olds & buick of the same years 55-56-57 will interchange with Pontiac. The American Pontiac has a chaissis ( frame ) same as Olds & Buick X frame. But I was wrong once before.
I sell rebuilt 605 steering gears for 56-58 Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles. The bolt pattern is the same. Let me know if you want one.
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