[blacksheep7222]

72 Ventura 350 Pontiac Engine

I've scanned the threads and searched as long as I wanted to, to see if their was any posts regarding this. Did not find the answers I'm looking for, any help would be apprciated.

I have everything to replace ALL my steering components except a center link. I thought that all X-body stuff was the same, but researched that the steering components are different between say the Nova.

Moog & Federeal Mogul do not make a replacement center link. I located one from Rare Parts, but they want something like $300 plus core! And only sell to wholesalers. I heard that some early Firebird parts are interchangable. I cannont get a solid confirmation from anyone yet that can tell me if a center link from a Bird and what year (most likely 67-69 I'm guessing) are exact replacement. I also heard that 69 ONLY Birds had a specific steering component setup from the 67-68 Birds. What the diferences are I do not know. Maybe that 69 year is interchanable with the Ventura?

Please advise!!!

Thanks,
Ken

[Colin]

Advance Auto has them here...........the part is from the same company you mentioned. Its $285.99.
According to the Autozone website they also have a centerlink. Brand is Duralast part # is DS749 and the price is WAY cheaper at $47.99.
Supposedly the Duralast steering and suspension parts are made by Moog, at least for the most part.
That is all I could find.

[BILTIT]

The 67-69 bird/camaro and 72-74 nova, omega, apollo, and ventura all have the same front subframe and steering setup. Find one off of them.

[Rob B]

If the center link that cost $300 is the correct one for the Ventura, Your still better off converting all the front pieces to a Nova suspension. The Nova's drag link is a non wear part and all the other components needed would cost as much as the original drag link alone. Have you priced Tie rod ends for a Ventura compared to a nova???? At least double, if not triple the cost.

[blacksheep7222]

Thanks to all for the help.

Ok, so has anyone actually done the conversion using all Nova steering components with power steering? My guess is that the Nova steering is different from the Ventura steering due to maybe the clearance issues due to the Chevy engine VS the Pontiac. I still have a Pontiac engine in my Ventura of course. I don't want to get all the Nova stuff and find out that there is issues later.

Plus I plan on 1 7/8 to 2" primary headers later down the road with my new engine build in the works. They might end up being custom fab for obvious reasons so it might not mater.

If the Nova steering works for sure then I'll worry about the header stuff later. Hope anyone knows.

Thanks,
Ken

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by blacksheep7222

Thanks to all for the help.

Ok, so has anyone actually done the conversion using all Nova steering components with power steering? My guess is that the Nova steering is different from the Ventura steering due to maybe the clearance issues due to the Chevy engine VS the Pontiac. I still have a Pontiac engine in my Ventura of course. I don't want to get all the Nova stuff and find out that there is issues later.

Plus I plan on 1 7/8 to 2" primary headers later down the road with my new engine build in the works. They might end up being custom fab for obvious reasons so it might not mater.

If the Nova steering works for sure then I'll worry about the header stuff later. Hope anyone knows.

Thanks,
Ken

You may encouter an issue with the coupler to the steering column itself, otherwise, there is no clearanceproblems with pans or headers. The only other issue I could remember was that the pitman arm on a Pontiac is a no wear item compared to the pitman arm on the Nova, just keep that in mind otherwise it's a relatively smooth crossover.

[BILTIT]

Hmmm, learn something new everyday!!

[blacksheep7222]

Thanks again!

Well, if I go with the Nova setup, I guess my new AGR gear box might not work with the pitman arm for Nova. I'm going to call AGR though, my guess is that they are the same spine and diameter. Think I might bite the bullet and get the $280 center link, since it's my only missing piece.

Ken