[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!!!

[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.

[GT182]

Manual steering isn't all that bad. You just need to be rolling a little bit and it's easy to turn the wheel.... tho not power steering easy as it is at a dead stop.

This is my second 66 GTO without power steering and I wouldn't have it any other way. And as Andre said it "has excellent feel on the highway".

You don't know what a pain manual steering is until you have to back a COE Kenworth with a full load of lettuce on a 48" refer into a building to unload. I was 34 back then and all I did was cuss the truck's owner and the grocery warehouse in Montreal, PQ I was delivering at. I didn't give up but I can tell you my arms were sore as all hell afterwards. It only took 45 minutes to get it between 2 trailers..... this was inside and backing to the spot 90°s to driving in with only 30 feet of room from wall to trailers. That was 65 feet of big rig I had. Most drivers paid for a warehouse truck to get their trailers in. I was too cheap.

So there is nothing hard about manual steering in a car.

[3 Deuce 64]

I've had 2 64s with the stabilizer both were manual steering cars .