[Bill H]

Wish I could edit my post?

Anyway I found my receipt for the box I purchased 10/13/05
Advanced Auto Parts number 27-6509 and it is a Cardone box. Guess it's hit and miss with them on the correct stops.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/pro...pe=255&PTSet=A

[Sam Elm]

Originally Posted by getmygoat

This place can rebuild your stock box and put in a quick ratio conversion, but it does cost about $400.

www.powersteering.com

Just sent mine off to this place (www.powersteering.com). I was quoted $279.00 plus shipping for a quick ratio (12:1) rebuild for a 1970 A-Body.

[Bill H]

I received an email from Cardone regarding their quick ratio box 27-6509. They build them with 2.5 - 3 turns lock to lock based on 60 degrees of pitman arm travel, the info. I've found says "A" body cars should have at least 83 degrees travel. This limited travel sure makes parking and u turns a PITA. I might send mine in for a rebuild to the site listed above.

[Old Blue 66]

Originally Posted by Bill H

I received an email from Cardone regarding their quick ratio box 27-6509. They build them with 2.5 - 3 turns lock to lock based on 60 degrees of pitman arm travel, the info. I've found says "A" body cars should have at least 83 degrees travel. This limited travel sure makes parking and u turns a PITA. I might send mine in for a rebuild to the site listed above.

I like the extra turns though. Makes the car feel old. I dont like too much modern stuff on these cars.

[Hurst65]

Originally Posted by Bill H

I received an email from Cardone regarding their quick ratio box 27-6509. They build them with 2.5 - 3 turns lock to lock based on 60 degrees of pitman arm travel, the info. I've found says "A" body cars should have at least 83 degrees travel. This limited travel sure makes parking and u turns a PITA. I might send mine in for a rebuild to the site listed above.

That's interesting...... can you post a couple of pictures of your car's front wheels with the steering at full left and right? I'd like to compare it to mine.

[Bill H]

Hurst65,
I just took my car to a friends house to do some repairs to the lower rear window corners. I'll take some pictures this weekend with the wheels turned left and right.

[GOAT8U2]

FWIW, I'm going with Powersteering.com due to the fact it will get rebuilt by a Pro who will give you a 12:1 with the proper 3 turn lock to lock and it has a lifetime warranty. For the extra $100 the warranty IMO is the deal sealer, when it gets sloppy maybe 10 years later send it back and you've got a new box again.

BTW, I'm sending him mine first, getting it disassembled and then sent to get powdercoated with the sections he taped off to not harm the box. He won't charge extra aside from the return shipping for this.

[Hurst65]

What is the factory turning radius for a 65 GTO? I tried to find it in the resto guide but, didn't have any luck...

[Hurst65]

Okay....I found it.
http://www.pontiacserver.com/mtgto5.html

Now, my question is how are they getting this measurement?? Is this from the inside of the car or the the centerline of the car?

Today I went to a parking lot and did a little measuring..... I used the painted lines of the parking spots as a kind of "grid". I put the drivers side rear wheel on one of the the painted lines at the point where it intersects the long painted line that goes down the center and used that as my line to measure dia. I turned the wheel all the way to the left and made a complete 360 to make sure I came back to the same spot. Then I went 180 and stopped and marked my position. I then measured the distance between the two points (using the long painted line as a straight line). I came up with 35' (+/- a couple inches). Again, this is the turning dia. measured from the inside of the circle. I did the test a couple times just to make sure...

Soo..... if Motortrend is saying 40.9" Turning Dia. from what point are they making their measurement?

[Hurst65]

Oh yeah,.... lock to lock is about 2 3/4 turns.

[Bill H]

I think it would be easier to attach some kind of wire pointer to the pitman arm and measure the degrees of travel from full left to center, and full right to center using something like a degree wheel. I'm no expert on this at all but most of the information I've found says you should have 40-43 degrees from center to each side. Maybe I'll email one of the builders or powersteering services and ask them if the know the correct amount of travel for an "A" body, I'm curious.

[Hurst65]

Just for comparison sakes I went back and did the same exact test with my daily driver 99 Volvo wagon (love that car) and came up with 20' 4" (+/- a couple inches). Huge difference!

I'm thinking that Motortrends measurement is a "curb to curb" measurement. If that's the case then yes the NAPA steering box is not turning quite as tight. Probably about a car width off...???