Hello everyone. I have a couple questions that I am hoping to find an affordable solution for. I have a 1948 Merc Coupe that we are working on and I was wondering if there were any suggestions on power steering boxes and power brakes ***embly that will work from other vehicles. We are keeping the Flathead and wanting it to look 50s custom but have better steering and braking capabilities. Thanks. Can't wait to heard everyones opinion.
If you can find a doner and use the complete brake system including the axle and spindles. The engineers have already done all the work for you.
The stock steering will do you just fine as long as it's in good condition...and you aren't planning on using 50-series tires on the front. A power steering pump would look out of place on your flathead anyway. There are any number of under floor master cylinder/vacuum booster setups that can be adapted to your Mercury ch***is which is different from the same year Ford if I am not mistaken. Speedway Motors has a couple of good candidates that will work just fine with your stock drum/drum brakes or with aftermarket discs if you elect to add them too. Trying to use wrecking yard parts instead of modern, well engineered and affordable aftermarket brake setups just doesn't make sense in today's hot rod universe. Good luck.
I was going to use the original steering and an upgraded off the shelf power brakes ***embly but I was trying to see if there were any old school options before I moved in that direction. Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it.
Don't know much about them, but I'd look into some sort of late model electric ***ist. That would probably mean you would have to ditch the beam axle, though. You are probably treading on Street Rod territory rather than Traditional at that point.
Check out Ch***is Engineering, has many bolt on parts. The steering mount bolt pattern for a GM power steering box isn't very far off from the stock Ford/Mercury. They make a bracket to adapt. A power steering pump will look odd on a flathead, plus you'd have to make up all of the mounting brackets.
I have used the Speedway disc brake kit on a project I did a few years ago. It uses F100/F150 rotor/hubs and big GM calipers and retain the original 5.5 bolt pattern. I used a '67 up Mustang M/C adapted to under the floor mounting. The big calipers and rotors do not need a booster as they are powerful enough with moderate pedal pressure for any situation. Ray
yep, search Speedway Motors for their disc brake conversion kit and Saginaw 525 steering box plus mounting bracket and pitman arm. With the flathead not going to be able to run a power steering pump and not enough vacuum for power brakes. do not know if there is a quick ratio 525 box. manual disc/drum better than stock all drum. might consider upgrading to a Ford 8" rearend to get gears to make it a bit more highway friendly. that way you could run rims with a 4.5" bolt pattern that has more options than 5.5" . likely other company's sell similar stuff that Speedway offers.
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