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Installation of a power steering box on a 1951 Mercury - Custom Rodder Magazine

1951 Mercury Power Steering Conversion Install - Power Trip

1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
The next step was to map out... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
The next step was to map out the location of the frame notch that needed to be trimmed out for steering arm clearance. The supplied instructions and diagrams clearly illustrate how to do this. Randy wielded his trusty pneumatic cutoff wheel to cleanly trim the area.
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
A small factory doubling plate... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
A small factory doubling plate inside the frame needed to be removed, but it was easy to pry out with a screwdriver.
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
Jamco supplies the triangular... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
Jamco supplies the triangular boxing plates needed to fill the new opening. After tacking them into place, Randy again bolted up the new steering box to check for steering arm clearance lock to lock.
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
Once proper fit was achieved... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
Once proper fit was achieved for everything, the two front mounting holes were drilled out to 11/16-inch so Randy could weld in the supplied crush sleeves.
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
This is what the inside of... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
This is what the inside of the framerail looked like after all the welding was done. The welds still needed to be cleaned up so the steering box would sit flat against the frame.
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
The crush sleeves were also... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
The crush sleeves were also welded on the outside of the framerail. Eventually, all of the worked areas of the frame were stripped to bare metal and painted for rust protection.
1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
Well, this is it! The crew... 
   
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1951 Mercury Power Steering Install
Well, this is it! The crew at All Ways cleaned up and painted the frame and engine compartment before the box was installed for good using the supplied Grade 8 hardware. Jamco modified the Pitman arm so it could be connected to the Merc centerlink, and a Borgeson U-joint linked it to a new column. With the engine in place and the power steering lines hooked up, you can see there was still plenty of clearance around the box. Better still, it worked great when Randy lowered the Merc back down onto Terra Firma and took it out for a test cruise.
Jamco/J&M Enterprises All Ways Hot Rods
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