i am at the stage of my willys gasser that the front end is finished..now to turn. i guess everyone seems to use a vega box. is there any other style box i can use? also is this the same box that i can get from a junkyard vega? i have sen the boxes priced from anywhere between $150. on flea bay to $500. at rod shops,can i trust a cheaper box..what is the difference besides looks?
One option to the Vega box (yes they came off of Chevy Vegas) is the GM 525 box. It is the manual steering box that came on 1964 and up Chevelles, 68 and up Novas & Camaros. They are also used on S-10's where they would most likely be the easiest place to find them. They are heavier than a Vega box , but will bolt up to the same mount.
I'd watch out for the reproduction vega boxes like flaming river and only use an actual Saginaw Box that came out of a Vega. I believe that borgeson makes or remanufacturers a decent box as well. A 525 is heavier duty and will probably suit you better in a heavier car like that.
dang looky here - that's a deal if its a reman'd Saginaw. not sure what unisteer sells though http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=575299
I have a gennie 525 Saginaw box in the garage and I think it may actually weigh less than the repo Vega box which I have...
I've used a Saginaw Vega box on my '31 Ford and a repo Vega box on my tube axle Chevy II. They both work good.
22 to 1 and jegs has a quick ratio 525 with 16:1 I've had a new reproduction box get sloppy, and start CRUNCHY & GRINDING, then lock up abfter about 3000 miles.
The Vega boxes are great, especially in lighter cars. Only real drawback is that good used ones are getting scarce, since Vegas came off the assembly line needing an engine and they had a bad habit of rusting to pieces, so they have been regarded as crusher food since the '80s. You're lucky if you can get any parts off of one before it gets crushed.
I'm using a Corvair box I got at the local wrecking yard for $75. My friend is using a early Mazda/Courier PU box that is very nice and cheap at $35. The other benefit of the Courier box is it's tall, so the arm easily hangs below the frame, while the input shaft is well above the frame and easy to match up to the steering shaft.
Hi....Bill C here....I work at Borgeson....I would recomend the 122(same casting as 525 just used from the mid sixties thru 1986 when they made some changes and called it the 525)....or the 525 for that car... the vega box is only good up to like 2500 lbs......we also have the 530 box now...that is a variable ratio....backwords...in othe words the more you turn the slower the ratio...so it steers easy.......the corvier is real light duty....like under 2000 lbs.....I run one on my Austin....but for shure not much hevier than that......Good luck....hope that helps....PM me or call me at work...860-482-8283....you dont have to buy anything.....just call for help.....
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