47-55.1 Chain drive steering at Mecum

[PDW HOTRODS]

There was a 1954 Chevy 3100 Panel at Mecum auction this week, it had a chain drive from the steering column to the steering box. Did anyone here see it? Is this sold somewhere? I wouldn't think it would be for safety and liability.

[mr48chev]

That looks like a crude rat rod unit made with a couple of sprockets and some chain but they do sell Units in lengths from 8 to 16 inches.

[dsraven]

personally I would try hard not to need one of those boxes. the more linkage between the column shaft and the steering box the more places for mechanical wear and slop to occur. where there is a will there is a way, lol. I guess they are made for a reason though. not crazy about the chain drive set up as there is usually some slop built in plus the can and the steering box are not mounted solidly to the frame, the cab has built in movement, however little that may be, so it the chain starts out tight and things move it could end up being very tight. not what you want in a vehicle steering system. is the underhood area of your project crowded to the point of needing something like this?

[leegreen]

in the speedway reviews for the steer clear:


The open gear/chain system shown above on the truck with crudely butchered firewall and inner fenders, where the chain appears to not line up with upper sprocket should not be on the road or track. I'll bet there are a lot of nasty details on the rest of the truck too.

[leegreen]

"Built by Conquer Custom of MotorTrend and Fox television"

what did it sell for?

[PDW HOTRODS]

I have seen the Speedway one's, they are a sealed unit. This is an open chain and seems too risky. Steering and brakes are too important. With only this pic it's hard to tell what is keeping the chain tight, but something could touch the chain. It sold for $13,200

[mr48chev]

That open chain reminds me of the center steering some of the dirt track guys in Texas ran in their "modifieds" in the 70's. Most of them started out with a 55/57 Chevy car chassis and one class let them run narrow bodies and some of them ran center steering that was chain drive over to the original steering shaft. That was sketchy then.