Manual steering box

I am thinking about going to a manual steering box on my 70.What years of cars that I can get one off of.Any advice you have about them feel free to tell.

Replace the rubber coupler while you're at it.

Mine is from a 67 Camaro. I love manual steering. I don't have big front tires.

67 - 81 F body, 64 - 72 A body or 68 - 79 X body all will fit.

67 - 81 F body, 64 - 72 A body or 68 - 79 X body all will fit.

Cool.One quick question.What kind of cars are a 67-81 f body,64-72 a body,and a 68-79 x body..

Cool.One quick question.What kind of cars are a 67-81 f body,64-72 a body,and a 68-79 x body..

The short...

1964 to 1972 GM "A" Body Cars. Chevelle, Chevelle SS, Chevelle SS396, Chevelle SS427, Chevelle SS, Chevy Monte Carlo, Chev Malibu, Pontiac Tempest, Pontiac GTO, Pontiac Lemans, Buick Skylark, Buick GS, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Oldsmobile 442, Chevrolet El Camino, GMC Sprint and Nickey 427 Chevelles. (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
1967 to 1969 GM "F" Body Cars. Camaro, Camaro SS396, Camaro Z28, Camaro Rally Sport, Nickey Camaro SS427 and Firebird. (1967, 1968, 1969)
1968 to 1974 GM "X" Body Cars. Chevy II, Chevy 2, Nova SS, Nova SS396. (1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)

And the Long of it!

X Body...
The rear-wheel drive X-body underpinned the Chevrolet Nova and similar cars of the late 1960s and 1970s. It was also the basis for the Cadillac Seville's K platform. The wheelbase was 111 in and many components were shared with the contemporary F platform.

Applications:

Buick Apollo (1973–1974; 1975 sedan only)
Buick Skylark (1975 coupe only; 1976–1979)
Chevrolet Nova (1968–1979)
Oldsmobile Omega (1973–1979)
Pontiac Ventura (1971–1977)
Pontiac Phoenix (1977–1979)
1968–1974 GM X-bodies were rear steer (with the steering linkage behind the steering gear) whereas 1975–1979 models were front steer (with the steering linkage forward of the steering gear). Note: "Rear steer" does not mean that the rear wheels steered the vehicle. It strictly relates to the position of steering components in relation to the steering gear.

G-Body...
This family consisted of:

Buick Grand National (1982, 1984-1987)
Buick Regal (1982-1987)
Chevrolet El Camino (1982-1987) note: ~200 unsold 1987s reportedly sold as 1988s; unclear if this included GMC Caballeros as well
Chevrolet Malibu (1982-1983)
Chevrolet Monte Carlo (1982-1988)
GMC Caballero (1982-1987)
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (1982-1988) note: 1988 model known as Cutlass Supreme Classic
Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais (1982-1985)
Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser (1982-1984)
Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon (1986-1987)
Pontiac Bonneville (1984-1986)
Pontiac Grand Prix (1982-1987)
Pontiac Grand LeMans (1982-1983)

Performance vehicles
Performance applications include:

1982-1982 Buick Regal Sport Coupe 3.8 L (231 in³) V6 Turbo
1982-1987 Chevrolet El Camino SS 5.0 L (305 in³)/5.7L (350 in³) V8
1983-1984 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds 5.0 L (307 in³) HO V8
There is also speculation that 3 Hurst/Olds editions were made using 1988 Cutlass Supreme Classic bodies. These were not marketed through GM though. There was also a Hurst/Olds body kit available in 1988.
1983-1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS 5.0 L (305 in³) HO V8
1983-1986 Buick Regal T-Type 3.8 L (231 in³) V6 Turbo
1982, 1984-1987 Buick Grand National 3.8 L (231 in³) V6 Turbo
1985-1987 Oldsmobile 442 5.0 L (307 in³) HO V8
1986-1987 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupe 5.0 L (305 in³) HO V8
1986.5 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 5.0 L (305 in³) V8
The 1986.5 Grand Prix 2+2 cosmetic features which included a NASCAR qualifying nose-cone was also available through GM for installation on any 1981-1987 Grand Prix. There were 17 Grand Prix GTs offered by Mertyle Motors in New York which offered a slightly different look and had some performance tuning in 1986.
1987 Buick Regal T Turbo 3.8 L (231 in³) V6 Turbo
1987 Buick Regal T (307 in³)
1987 Buick Regal many base and Limited models featured the 3.8 L (231 in³) V6 Turbo
1987 Buick GNX 3.8 L (231 in³) V6 Turbo
The 1987 GNX was made in conjunction with ASC/McLaren and 547 were made and included a unique suspension system, featured fender flares, had Stewart-Warner gauges, and a net power of 276 hp (206 kW), above the 245 hp (183 kW) of the regular Grand National. There are many more features that set the GNX apart and are too many to list.
models not on list born before G-body classification of 1982 were:

1978-1981 Chevrolet Malibu F41
1980-1980 Chevrolet Malibu M80
1978-1981 Pontiac LeMans GT (possibly Canadian only)
1978-1980 Oldsmobile 442
1979-1979 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds

A-Body...
The first A platform was a "compact" (for the time) platform for the FR layout 1961 Buick Special, Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Pontiac Tempest and RR layout Chevrolet Corvair. It grew through the 1960s and 1970s as a rear-wheel drive platform, finally to be discontinued for 1982. High sales, however, kept the platform alive as the renamed G-body. This A-body was used in a wide variety of GM's most famous cars of the muscle car era, including the GTO, Chevelle, and Buick GS.

This single family of cars contained more innovative features than all other American products of the decade. Each model contained at least one notable advance:

The Corvair's rear-mounted air-cooled flat-6 engine was the first American use of this engine design and location.
The aluminum Buick/Oldsmobile 215 cid V8 was the smallest-ever American V8 and father of the Rover V8 engine. Both of these engines were turbocharged in 1962, making the Turbo Jetfire the first factory turbo engine.
Buick also introduced the Fireball, the first American passenger car V6 engine, in 1962.
The Pontiac Tempest had an innovative rear-mounted transaxle and flexible driveshaft, the first with this drivetrain design.
Pontiac also had a notable half-V8 195 cid I4, the largest straight-4 engine produced after World War II. The 1963 Tempest Le Mans was also the prototype for the 1964 Pontiac GTO.
Ironically, every one of these new features was declared a failure and abandoned within a few years.

The Chevrolet Chevelle was the first A-body designed with a perimeter frame and 4-link coil-spring suspension - the 1964 model year was the first time the GM A platform had a full perimeter frame (similar to the design used in the 1963-67 Corvette); this would be known as the 'senior compact' between the full-size GMs (Impala, LeSabre, 88).

The original A-bodies were widely celebrated: The Corvair was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1960, the Tempest won in 1961, and the V6 Special won in 1962.


1973-1977
By this time, the American performance car was considered extinct, but these "forgotten years" had some performance left.

1973 Pontiac LeMans Sport Coupe GTO/Grand Am - Available with a 400 cid 230 hp V8 which was available with a 3 or 4-speed manual transmission or an automatic. There was also a 250 hp 455 with an automatic transmission only, which was announced but was never released to the public. Cars magazine tested an SD-455-equipped 1973 Pontiac GTO and chose it as Car Of The Year, yet it never made it to production.
1973-1975 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst/Olds W-30 - These were built using 455 cid V8 engines in the W-30 trim.
1976 Buick Century Turbo - These were originally built as Indy Pace Car replicas with a turbocharged and carbureted 3.8 L V6, and were faster than the 455 V8 version of that year. There were only a little over 1,200 built.
1977 Pontiac Can-Am - This car was basically a LeMans Sport Coupe with a Grand Prix interior and a Trans Am "Shaker" hood, a one-off wing and a 400 cid V8 rated at 200 hp with federal emissions, or an Oldsmobile 403 with California emissions. Only 1,100 or so of these were made and are getting quite collectible.

Hope that helps!:D:eek:

Aren't the front steer Chevelle and Malibu gearboxes different than the rear steer Novas like the poster is asking about? I could be wrong but it seems to me the 67 to 69 Camaros and the 68 to 74 Novas are all rear steer and use the same box but the others mentioned won't fit a 70 Nova. RM

I think you can use the steering boxes from the front steer cars, you just need to use the correct manual steering pitman arm for your application. My Nova uses a steering box from an 86 Iroc Camaro which is a front steer car. I just bought the propper power steering arm for my Nova and it bolted on just fine. Although you're more likely to find the manual box in a 67-69 Camaro/Firebird and a 68-71 Nova or it's variants. They're more common in these applications since they're lighter cars. You could also buy one new or reconditioned form an aftermarket supplier, even with fast ratio's in them if you look.

I sure did not know that. I have a buddy with a 80 Malibu and when he wanted to replace the steering gearbox with a manual one he had to get one from an S 10 truck or something. RM

So the steering box out of a third gen camaro worked?

That's a new one on me for sure.That means an S-10 box will also work.I've put a manual box of an s-10 on a 86 camaro.I still have a manual s-10 box.I am going to go look and compare it to my nova's.

i haven't been involved with this scenario since the '80's, so check my info...


used to be the late '60's/early '70's Vette worm gear would fit any std saginaw manny gear box. i used one in a stocker '55 saginaw box and it was great. it cut it down from (i think) 6-6 1/2 turns lock to lock to (i think) 3-3 1/2 turns lock to lock...

as i said, it's been a few years, but i think the info is fairly accurate still today...

i prefer the manual steering "feel" better in most cases over power steering...


[edit] by using the Vette gear you'd have to install a rag joint (or whatever) on cars equipped with a 1 pc steering shaft ;)

The Camaro trick is this. You get a reman steering box from NAPA for an IROC camaro or a Z/28 with the special handling package. I forget the Cardone number, but I'll see if I can find it. This gets you a quick ratio, high effort power steering box. This gives you that great road feel that new cars have. But the problem is the power steering lines from the old car use a different sealing flare type. Now the hoses SAE threads on the ends will screw right into the Metric threads in the box with no problems. To fix the sealing problem, you contact a company called Lee Engineering. They sell an insert set that simply installs into the hose ports on the new steering box and your old hoses will now seal perfectly. You must also use your original power steering pitman arm. This conversion works great, and yes, as far as I know, a manual steering box from an S-10 should work as well, but I'm not 100% on that one.