Steering System Selection, Assembly - Turn, Turn, Turn

Here is the MG Midget/Morris...        read full caption Here is the MG Midget/Morris Minor rack-and-pinion unit as used in Devins. These are still available new from Moss Motors (800/667-7872), or look for low-mile cars in wrecking yards. Note that these racks are supposed to be filled with 90-weight gear oil, not chassis grease.

The rack is mounted to the...        read full caption The rack is mounted to the Devin with split aluminum blocks that fit in the collars on the rack. If yours are missing, get a machine shop to make up a set. I only use NAS (aircraft) bolts in all critical locations on any car I intend to put on a race track. I usually buy them from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty (877/477-7823); it carries a wide range of sizes and has decent prices.

The mounts bolt to pedestals...        read full caption The mounts bolt to pedestals that are welded to the chassis. Make sure your steering mounts are strong to ensure there is no deflection when you stomp on the loud pedal in a tight turn.

The lower steering shaft connects...        read full caption The lower steering shaft connects the steering column with the rack. Note the position of the two universals. They must be in phase or binding will result. I used 3/4-inch Flaming River splined shafts with the heavy-duty universal joints, provided by the nice folks at Car Parts On Sale (www.carpartsonsale.com). They carry a wide range of goodies for any kit project. For racing applications, use top-quality materials. I have seen old kits with Sears universal joints (intend-ed for 1/2-inch drive socket sets) used in the steering. If your car came with those, don’t go anywhere until they’re in the trash can.

Here’s a close-up of...        read full caption Here’s a close-up of the Flaming River needle-bearing universal. For the Devin, I needed one that was 3/4-inch splined on both ends to connect the two shafts, and one that was 3/4 inch on one end and 5/8 inch on the other to connect the MG rack to the lower shaft.

6Once your shafts have been...        read full caption 6Once your shafts have been trimmed and checked for fit, you will need to grind a dimple into the splined shaft for the tip of the lock screw to fit into. Do not do this until after you have centered the rack (step 15). Then remove the screw and mark the location with a permanent marker before grinding. When everything is in for the final time, assemble with LocTite 241 and locknuts.

This Devin uses support Heim...        read full caption This Devin uses support Heim bearings that are mounted to strong flanges on the frame. It has two of them, one in the engine compartment and one under the dash.

The steering-wheel hub was...        read full caption The steering-wheel hub was miss-ing on my car, so I had a new one made by Terry Fisher at Southwestern Industrial Specialties. It used a steel plate drilled and tapped to match the steering wheel. I had the hub made to duplicate photos I had of original Devin hubs.

The hub has a 3/4-inch-diameter...        read full caption The hub has a 3/4-inch-diameter chrome-moly tube welded to the bottom that slides over the shaft. It is pinned in two places with steel pins set at opposite angles.

The upper steering shaft support...        read full caption The upper steering shaft support is hidden behind the dash. By using these adjustable Heim joints, you can fine-tune the position of the wheel and column.

Once everything is installed...        read full caption Once everything is installed (and before you grind and install the universal-joint set screws), you need to center your rack. Remove the dust covers and measure the distance from the rack ends to the housing. Adjust until the distances are equal.

Turn the front hubs until...        read full caption Turn the front hubs until they are straight ahead. If you have installed a new rack, then you may find that your steering arms are not long enough to reach the arms on the hub. Make sure you leave yourself some adjustment each way at the tie-rod ends. Some racers replace the tie-rod ends with Heim joints for ease of adjustment, but on the street, stock tie rods are better.

I had my steering arms length-ened...        read full caption I had my steering arms length-ened by Brink Racecraft, which cut them apart and sleeved them with 4130 tubing and welded them back together. It welded the ends and then drilled small holes partway back and rosette-welded them there as well. Great fabricators are hard to come by I got lucky when I found these guys.

Now everything meets up.

Here is my original leather-rim...        read full caption Here is my original leather-rim Devin wheel installed in the SS. It’s not like-new but it has character. I like that. Everything is now steer-able and I’m ready to take the car to have the roll bar installed. See how next time!

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.