Ditto on the dirt track pitman arms. We welded a lot of taboo stuff to keep racing. Of course we always went with the best welder we had just to be cautious. Never had one break or even twist.

As far as car mods I don't think anyone on this site would be critical of you doing it your way. That is unless you put a scrub engine in! Of course then you are an old Ford guy but never again a Y's Guy. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

We used to weld pitman arms on dirt cars, they took a wheel to wheel beating without failure. Usually the stock tie rods would bend, a good stick welder and forget a bout it. I get a kick out of the comments about butchering up cars, who are you to tell me what to do or not do with my car?





thanks, Mark

Thanks for checking on it. The guy selling them on ebay said he sells a pitman end also that you weld on. So my guess is he knows what borgeson uses and sells the same thing, although you have to weld the end on yourself. So I will probably stick to the Granada power steering for now. I have it all, it works well enough according to those I know that have it, it looks just like the factory 56 p/s so that will appease our "leave it stock" crowd . It is surprising after all these years that there is not a more straight forward p/s setup for these cars, I have to admit.

ct I crawled under the car and looked at the pitman arm that came with the Borgeson box and it has no apparent markings. It looks like an insert has been welded into the drag link end and re drilled to make it compatible with our drag link. The outside diameter of the splined end has been machined slightly to eliminate a pinch point with the new mounting bracket. Its hard to imagine that an Isuzu pitman arm would simply work but there appears to be no other modifications. It seems to be more heavy duty than the stock Ford pitman so I am guessing that they have not resplined a Ford pitman. They do use these boxes on Mustangs so maybe that is a source of the pitman. You could try checking with Borgeson but it may be a company secret. Good luck.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

One of the great things about this hobby, and the people that represent it at Columbus, is the diversity. We have some members with concours restorations, street customs, hot rods and all out race cars (drag, circle dirt, circuit and land speed). And we all have one thing in common the Y-Block era cars and trucks. Each has done their car to suit themselves and the mods are impressive. I too don't like any other power plants in the Y era vehicles but at least in Columbus they must have Ford power to compete.

My car "MoonShadow" is representative of what I would of had in the early 1960's if I had the money. Right down to the McCullouch supercharger (for now, 4-71 is in the works) and the louvers. I certainly think we've all lived long enough to earn the right to "Do it My Way"! My soapbox. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Since the automobile was invented (probably since the wheel) there have been people who like things stock and those that like to change things. If the latter didn't exist there would be no hot rods, customs etc. Thats the way it is. Leave the "its my way or the highway" attitude to the scrub owners. As far as the amount of work it takes, who cares, that's what I do.

Mark

1956 Mercury M100
1955 Ford Fairlane Club Sedan
Delta, British Columbia

I must admit I blow a gasket when I see a SBC in one of our cars...

Nice picture... Mom and Dad?


"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Sometimes we need to know the history of a car to see the big picture. For example you may look at my '55 RanchWagon and get "perturbed" with me that I "butchered" it because it has a C-4 trans, granada power disks, 8" rear, power window and door locks, etc. without taking into account that if I hadn't "butchered" it, it would no longer be on the road. It would be a Hyundai by now.

It has "Salvaged" stamped on the pink slip and wears it's badge proudly.

Could have it been restored to stock? Maybe, at great expense. Cheaper (and with upgrades) to get a '74-75 Granada and "butcher" it by removing the C-4, Complete braking system, rear end, and various odds and ends that I either used or sold to finance the '55. Sold what was left for scrap.

Car still looks stock (tho lower) but handles and stopped great. Sound somewhat stock also as it has a '57 312".

Back to the Power steering. I posted in the past some instructions on installing a Granada Power Steering that Dick Cohen (RIP), founder of Drop n' Stop gave me. If you are interested I can repost. I have seen some using Jeep Cherokee steering boxes with an adapter plate as shown in the link. I'll see if I can find where I saw that. I think it was on the H.A.M.B.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Likewise, nothing perturbs me more than people telling me what I should and shouldn't do with MY car.

I think we have a different idea of what "butchering" a car is. Butchering a car (to me) is people that leave them in a field to rust into worthless, or the ones that are hauled to the crusher, or cutting off the front clip, chopping the top off. Not that I have a problem with some of those, to each his own, but that's my idea of butchering.

If I remove my gearbox and column and bolt on another one, please explain the butchering here, as my original could be re installed anytime, within hours. I removed my spindles and added front disc brakes, a heavier sway bar, and shorter/newer springs. It rides and stops like a dream now. Maybe the car rocking side to side and pumping the drum brakes makes you smile, but it doesn't me. I drove it that way for years. We are talking about adding a few modern conveniences to a car to make it more enjoyable, more reliable, and in some cases safer, whats wrong with that?

If this stuff was so great from the 50's, cars today would still be using the same parts. I am sure it was sufficient but everything can be improved upon and when it comes to my safety and my 3 kids safety, I will take better brakes, better steering, better handling, better seat belts, etc...I will take all of that over keeping you happy by building it the way you want me to. The joy of owning an old car as you mentioned below, is building the car the way you want it to be, making it what you want, not the way you or anyone else wants it to be.

I am sure we will never agree on the way we like our cars to be, and I am ok with that, but I dont understand why you (and many others around) think your way is the right way, but even worse than that think its ok to tell them what they should be doing and not doing, and say how perturbed you are about the way they are building their own car??? Really?

Oh, and as for selling it. It wont ever be sold. Been in the family for long time and handed down to me. My folks

I keep playing with the idea but the power steering unit in my 56 has been rebuilt and drives very well. In fact the steering is a bit too easy at times. I would like to rebuild the box someday its on its last turn on the adjuster. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire