[Ron Landis]

I've searched earlier threads and found nothing definitive concerning which cars would have had this and what the option code determining that actually is. So far...manual steering only...not sure if only in conjunction with a quick-ratio option or not. Any insight appreciated! Thanks in advance.

[Old Man Taylor]

My '64 GTO came with one, and it had the standard manual steering box.

[bill ryder]

X2 "Bill"!

[Ron Landis]

it's for my son's Nocturne "barn find" car...which has no "power-robbing" accessories. This helps! Not to press my luck but...any pix? Thanks again fellas!

[chrisp]

My 64 4 speed Tripower came with one & close ratio box , can post build sheet if interested - John V. has it as well .

[Ron Landis]

Originally Posted by chrisp

My 64 4 speed Tripower came with one & close ratio box , can post build sheet if interested - John V. has it as well .

I'd appreciate that. Also looking to decipher H.D. Cooling Fan coded K08 on a Fremont car. Switching from '69s to '64s is like starting all over!!!

[bill ryder]

Hi Ron. I know Bob Vidan (zboo) had a complete stab. kit with brkts. not to long ago. Try him here on the forum or at his wessite: zboosnwpontiac.com
"Bill"!

[John V.]

Paul, I've never had a GTO with the Steering Stabilizer.

Ron, my recollection is this was discussed here years ago with no definitive answer.

My belief is that the Steering Stabilizer was released in '64 at least partly in response to complaints from Owners. IIRC, there is no mention of the Steering Stabilizer in the '64 Tempest Shop Manual which could suggest that it didn't exist at the start of the Model Year.

But I don't know if we've ever determined what decisions went into deciding if a car was to get it from the factory or not.

It was definitely INTENDED for use with Manual Steering (referred to as "Standard Steering" in the MPC). A Power Steering equipped Tempest should never have it.

I recall trying to figure it out and my supposition was that it must have been part of the Rally Handling Kit option in '64 (basically the Quick Ratio Manual Steering option).

But this proved untrue, and OMT indicates that his Fremont GTO with the base content 24:1 Manual Steering Box came thru (around April as I recall it) with the Steering Stabilizer.

I believe some cars were retrofitted with the Steering Stabilizer following Owner complaints. So trying to figure it out by Tempests that do or don't have it today after passing thru multiple Owners is impossible.

If I am correct that it didn't exist at the start of '64 production, it gets even more difficult to pin down. I would expect that whatever "rules" existed for its use would have been more consistent for the '65 Model Year. But I don't recall that the evidence was any more consistent for the '65s either.

I don't recall if anything about the Steering Stabilizer has turned up in the SCNs or the News Flashes.

You might try looking for the old thread to see if any more insight was posted there that I have forgotten.

[Old Man Taylor]

John - I don't think you can go by what is in the Tempest shop manual. The only GTO info in that manual came with a separately printed addendum, and it only discussed the engine details.

[John V.]

OMT, true, but the Steering Stabilizer was not exclusive to the GTO.

It was used on any Tempest. So I would have expected it to have been covered for service repair in the Shop Manual.

I don't have a '65 Tempest Shop Manual.

I guess it would be worth learning whether it is covered in the '65 Shop Manual.

In any event, there just hasn't been any consistent evidence to indicate one way or the other what '64 and '65s got the steering stabilizer. At least not from what I recall of the previous effort to pin the usage down.

[Andre]

I have had 3 or 4 cars with it. I still have a complete unit I was going to put on my '66, but decided I didn't want to do that. Email me at arayman@aol.com for pictures.

[BOB VIDAN]

I have this available if you're interested. Chrome rod is mint.

[Jeff Hamlin]

We had a manual steering '63 Tempest come through with a damper.

Page 235 of the RESTO Guide mentions a bit with some numbers for GTO use.

[John V.]

Bob, that stuff is beautiful.

Wonder about the p/n 3186929 on the shock.

'66 MPC says the replacement shock was p/n 3186732 for '64-'66.

Is anybody checking the '65 Shop Manual to see if any service instructions refer to it?

Resto Guide claims this was a "rare option", says available from the factory or dealer for '64, dealer only for '65-'66.

But I've looked in the '64 Tempest Inspector's Guide, various '64 Sales Brochures, the SCN announcing the new for '64 Models and features, the '64 Special Order Equipment document, and nowhere do I find any mention of this as an option.

How would a customer or dealer know to order it if there was never any mention of it?

Despite the fact the '64 package was assigned a Chevy p/n, I could find no evidence that Chevy used this on the Chevelle. The brackets listed in the MPC are PMD p/ns but I assume were included in the Chevy p/n package, that is weird.

The p/n does show up in the Parts History indicating it was discontinued some time between Jan '79 and Dec '81. The replacement shock p/n 3186732 was also discontinued in that same Parts History catalog.

I checked the '65 F85/Cutlass Assembly Guide, nothing in there about a steering stabilizer.

On a Corvette forum, I see they had a similar stabilizer for '63-'68 on the manual steer cars but only with the small block. Wasn't used for the big block because of a clearance issue reportedly. And it is unclear why they stopped installing it for '69

Obviously it was factory installed on some '64 Tempests and GTOs noted here by original owners.

But unless it was standard content on the base 24:1 standard steering cars and/or included with the Rally Handling Kit Sales Code 612 which included the 20:1 Quick Ratio Manual box, I am baffled.

And if it was an option you could order, I'm also baffled because I don't see how it could have been ordered as an individual option.

[GT182]

Did it actually make a difference with the damper installed?

And I've never seen one on a 66 A-body. 65s yes.

[johnta1]

Is anybody checking the '65 Shop Manual to see if any service instructions refer to it

A quick glance through the 65 Service Manual, didn't see anything on it?

[bill ryder]

My shock is also the 929 with a Julian date of 38-64. "Bill"!

[BOB VIDAN]

Bill, my shock is also dated 38-64, must have made them all the same day.

[aceaceca]

Had a 64 with stabilizer and quick ratio manual steering. Had to be a truck driver to turn the wheel at slow speeds. Nothing to beat power steering with upgraded turn box. Have that on the 65 and it is very nice. Pass on the manual stuff unless you want to be or are a brute.

[Andre]

The absorber prevents the steering wheel from rotating back into position with ungodly force to break your arm.
Manual steering has excellent feel on the highway, but is not for the weak, old, or sickly at low speed.