![]() ![]() This is not counting the labor my buddy and I have in it, but we probably have abt. My Buddy had new hoses made at a tractor shop, I don't know what he had to pay but I think it was around $20-25. I scrounged the yard for the collapsible connecting shaft and U-joints. It was already out of the car so I just came up with the Buick unit by chance, didn't get it for any other reason except convenience. ![]() I didn't rebuild the rack that I got from the wrecking yard, I just looked for a good clean unit that had all the lines and hoses intact, good rubber boots and had all the mounting hardware. 1800 miles so far and no leaks, or whining pump) and steering "feel" couldn't be better. Hope this info help you decide what to do, But I can tell you in my case I am very pleased with how my steering turned out, the car handles great, seems to be compatable with my original power steering pump (abt. If you will check the Tech Articles for Rack & Pinion, you can see how Jim Culver mounted the rack in his 56 Fairlane. I went into this project with just an idea and blind luck, if I were to do it over again I would do alot more measuring, look for a rack with more travel (I lost some turning radius with this rack) and try to figure out the horn problem before I got it all buttoned back together. up a rub plate with more of the nylon board and some copper plate where I can run a starter brush against it and get my horn working like it should thru the horn button. I hooked up a horn button under the dash but when I find time I'm going to try to fab. My telescopic steering wheel still works. I used the collapsible shaft out of a late model Chevy with the factory U-joints at each end, I just cut the shaft to fit my situation. (he's a scrounger, amazing what kind of scrap stainless counter tops & nylon cutting table tops etc. He found the cutting board at a meat packing plant scrap pile. We cut a bushing out ½" nylon cutting board scrap for the steering shaft bushing. 4" and he welded a tab to the column where it comes through the firewall and drilled the tab so I could mount the lower part of the column solid to the firewall. We cut the column to extend just into the engine compartment abt. I had a friend weld in the mounts for the rack and he also modified my original steering column. This keeps your tie rods mounted in the same place as they were originally mounted on the drag link and this will keep your steering geometry same as it was originally, this will prevent bump steer from suspension travel. You mount the rack in the same place as the drag link on your T-bird was originally located. By using this type rack you can build mounts from the bottom of your frame to connect to the original mounting points on this rack. This type rack mounts against the firewall on front wheel drive cars and tie rods run from the center of the rack to the steering arms at the top of the Mc Phereson struts. I went to the wrecking yard and found a center steer rack that was out of an '87 Buick Skylark. I installed rack & pinion in my 55 t-bird this past summer.I didn't use any kit but I got my ideas from looking at pictures of the Fatman's kit. Rack and Pinion Steering for the Thunderbird ![]()
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