Converting the Z28 to Manual steering - Your thoughts, please !

[philoldsmobile]

to be honest, its not like power steering normally gives problems either..

[Fieldy]

bollox to that, i love my power steering!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: F Body

Why should it leak unless the pipes or rack are knackered

Quoting: Pod

There's less to leak or get knackered in future.

Exactly !  Preventative maintainence - Just remove it !

Quoting: Kenny

I wouldn't try to compare it to driving the humber, one was an ancient 'luxury' car, the other is a sports car.

I know that . . . I was merely using it as an example of a heavy car without P/S . . .

[FUBAR]

You'll definately notice the difference, but then thats what all those early mornings at the Gym are for  

[HardRockCamaro]

To be honest I think it's a bad idea.

The weight loss/distribution and leak issues are really quite weak arguments compared to he benefits.

It's like people who remove their heater core in a 4,000lb car they're drag racing, no noticeable benefit but very noticeable downsides.

[F Body]

Quoting: HardRockCamaro

noticeable benefit but very noticeable downsides.

Well RK's heater was thrown out a long time ago

A Lotus Elise or Caterham is going to be like a luxury car when compared to this one !

[Roadkill]

O.K.  Some further info on this . . . .

I've spoken to a seller in the U.S who has done this conversion before and he says it requires no drilling to fit but I'll need my steering arm (which I have).

He has a box, an S10 pitman arm and all the bolts for £55.

Also required, maybe, is a conversion bracket (£35), although these are designed for different alterators from the one I have so I'm gonna have a go at fabbing a bracket up to suit my alternator, first.

So, total cost for this exercise will be about £70 including shipping and maybe 5 hours work.

There's NO reason why I can't swap it back and only a few additional hours work IF I decide I don't like it.

It makes sense to try the manual route first as to install power steering in the Z28 I'll need to have fabbed new P/S hoses (as the ones from the Firebird are mullered) AND I'll need to drill holes in the engine bay to take the P/S reservoir (this will also need a bracket made for it).

Long story short it works out less work and about the same outlay to go to manual steering . . . plus if I don't like it the parts I purchased are easy to sell on again, whereas the parts the required for power steering are alot less desirable, hence will be harder to sell.

There !

[ianjpage]

[FUBAR]

Why not eh  especially as it'll be reversable if needed.

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

Long story short etc........

OK you have convinced yourself

Quoting: FUBAR

especially as it'll be reversable if needed.

What's what the doctor said about my vasetomy

I'll be interested in the results, because as I said I've never driven an unassisted car that I've liked.

Even the VX220 ( Elise clone ) is poor