Steering System Selection, Assembly - Turn, Turn, Turn

The continuing saga of a Devin buildup, which we’ve been covering sporadically in Kit Car, is back on schedule, thanks to my buddy Ed Barnard, who came over and helped me hang the suspension.

For those who missed the earlier installments, I am assembling a ’59 Devin SS before I sandblast and paint everything; this way, any fabrication and welding that is necessary will not mar the chassis finish.

Any older kit should be trial-assembled if it has not been finished or if you suspect that it was built or engineered by non-professionals. Once you have assembled the car to the point where all the controls work, the running gear is completely installed, the brake lines are bent and assem-bled, the instruments are hooked up, and all the trim mounts are drilled, then you can take the car apart again and sand, paint, and plate yourself to nirvana. You will probably be amazed at the number of things that were done incorrectly (if at all) on a kit sold 20 to 30 years ago.

In this session, we are going to look at steering systems for old kits and how to assemble them. Your kit may have the original steering system on it, or it may have been upgraded with a more modern system. That upgrade may or may not be a good thing. A lot depends on how well it was done, how you intend to use your car, and if racing is in the cards.

Your considerations will revolve around safety, originality, and efficien-cy. If your car falls into the category of collector cars (or if you just like putting things back together in the way they came), then you will want to use the steering system that it would origin-ally have had when new or one that could have been installed (these are kits after all). This brings up the issue of restoration. It has been said that more collector cars have been destroyed by restoration than any other cause.

“Restoration” does not mean “modernizing.” I have seen historically significant kit cars that have been restored with Mustang II frontends, late-model power steering, EFI engines, and 17-inch rims. If you are going to upgrade, please do so with parts that can be unbolted and replaced with the originals if a future owner decides to return it to its original form. It’s your money, but a Fiberfab Valkyrie with a transverse Northstar mill, a fabricated rear subframe, and a Mustang II frontend isn’t a Valkyrie anymore.

What steering systems were prevalent in the ’50s? Most kit cars were built on custom frames or cut-down American sedan chassis. A number of them, such as most Kellisons, had Chevy or Corvette steering boxes (the ’Vette box was quicker) with matching front suspension. Bocars and a few others used VW or Porsche 356 front suspension and steering. VW front ends can be beefed up with off-road buggy parts from the Wright Place without looking inappropriate, and 356 B or C parts are stronger (though more expensive). The Porsche B and C also used a ZF steering box that had a quicker ratio than the VW box, but early 356s had the same box as the VW.

Most kit builders who intended to race fitted rack-and-pinion steering to their cars for more feedback. No American cars had racks in the ’50s, so most kit builders used steering from the popular (and inexpensive) Morris Minor or MGA. Scarabs, Devins, and Listers all used Minor racks. The Minor unit is the same basic rack as the later Sprite and MG Midget, but pay attention to where your steering arms are in relation to your hubs. If your arms are in front of the hubs, then you have a front-steer car; if they’re in back, then you have a rear-steer car. Make sure you get a rack from a car that has the same setup or the rack will turn the car in the opposite direction that you are steering! MG Midget racks (and MGB racks such as those used on original Cobras and many replicas) are plenti-ful, but be sure that they’re in good shape before buying. If you intend to race your kit, then be sure and check the regulations first…your idea of a safety improvement may not pass muster with the officials.

Due to the lack of power steering, most early sports cars had imposing steering wheels of 15 inches in dia-meter and up. To provide better leverage, they tended to be close to the driver. Before you stick on some wimpy little 13-incher, be sure you have the biceps to turn it at low speeds. Many wheels were used in the past, although the most popular were made in Europe and then sold in the colonies by accessory companies like MG Mitten. The Italian Nardi wood-rimmed wheels are beauties and, miraculously, still available new. Other popular wheels were made by Moto-Lita in England and are also still available. Moto-Lita sells a wide range of period wheels in 14- to 16-inch diameters.

We can thank the Cobra replica crowd for the continued availability of these wheels, as Moto-Lita made the originals for AC. Derrington also made leather-rimmed wheels that saw limited use in the ’50s but took over the market in the ’60s. Other appropriate period-style wheels can be purchased from Grant. Some traditional British sports cars (like the XKE) had nice wood wheels. Time to get to work…follow along with the pictures.