65 power steering conversion, with photos!

[Doktor Hug]

Here's the victim, partway through bodywork:


I ordered the power steering box adapter plate and the tube and flange from Captinfab. Quality, precision work. Highly recommended! I did the whole conversion with junkyard parts.

remove old steering box (like, literally this took the most time for the whole project:


Cut out the template that comes with the stuff from Captinfab, and punch the holes for the adapter plate. (the bottom right hole is tricky, since it's so close) I ended up putting the drill bit in the old hole and leveraging it down to make the new hole. Yes, it's a good way to break bits...


Test fit the plate. It's really nice how the notch is in the bottom right...no weird grinding of supports.


Mounted the box. Made note of what to cut from steering shaft, as I didn't pre-measure like in the destructions. Removed and cut shaft.


I have newer heads on my truck, so I had holes for accessories, but my replacement water pump didn't have the hole threaded for the mount. I ran a bolt and nylon washer through it. BE SURE to grab the brackets from the same truck you get the pump from. I got mine from 2 different trucks, and they weren't the same. Took 4 trips to the yard to find a matching pump/bracket set. Get it all from the same truck at the same time, or take photos of your bracket/pump to match. I also cut off the A/C mounts on these brackets:


Next I bought a bunch of parts. I just got the same parts from the donor truck new. This is all 75 chevy stuff. Do note the standard/metric cutoff, and be sure to check at the yard what you're getting. New hoses, fluid, belt.



installed the hoses. I ran the return line under the pressure line to avoid getting worn on the bottom edge of the fender.


fit the pump easily (vertigo looking up view):


I didn't take a photo, but I drilled a hole through the tube flange and shaft and ran a bolt/nut through them. I found a cool stop shaft at ACE that had a clip on the end, but drilled the hole too big, and didn't like the idea of any slop.

A junkyard Grant GT find tightens up the interior side. This got confusing taking it apart, but I blame extreme hunger. I had to replace my turn signal since I was in there, and it wouldn't go back together right.


Overall, I'd say this took 10-12 hours to complete. 3 of that was easily trying to take off the old box. My impact wouldn't get it to budge. I also spent a couple hours on the wheel, painting some stuff and getting hunger confused replacing the turn signal piece. Did it all by myself. Someone helping would drastically cut the time down, as I found myself going from engine to under a whole bunch of times doing the pump.

Hope this helps anyone looking to swap themselves!

Keep the rubber side down!