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Regular
Posts: 52
| Hi everyone,
I'm a few weeks away from picking up a 56 Belvedere that I plan to clean up as a gift for my father. The car is a non-power steering car, and I need to add PS in order for him to drive it comfortably. I'm looking for info on kits, full conversions, etc as well as detail for the swap if possible. Any help is incredibly appreciated, this is my first classic mopar so I'll be a bit of a newbie! Any kits you all have installed / recommend / can share info about would be great. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9893
   
Location: Lower Mainland BC | If you wanted to do it OE style, you will need a "Coaxial Powersteering" Steering column and a power steering pump.
Here's a video about the Coaxial power steering unit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWHpRAqtZdg
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Regular
Posts: 52
| Thanks, I'll check it out. I'm open to all options, honestly, so thank you! |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 6497
Location: Newark, Texas (Fort Worth) | Is the car a V8 powered unit? Poly or 6 cylinder? |
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Regular
Posts: 52
| Sorry about that, I meant to include this info in the original post. It's a v8 car |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | You didn't say if it was a Dodge 270 V8 or the 277 V8. Very few '56 Plymouths were made with power steering. But many more '56 Dodge cars came with it, so look for a complete setup from a Dodge. BigM auto wrecking can probably get you everything you need to do the conversion. The original setup had the power steering pump mounted off the back of the generator. You can run it like that or else use a pump from a '57 Dodge and mount it normally instead. You will need to change the pulleys to drive the pump if you do it that way.
Keep in mind that you will be changing out the entire steering column to do it as everything is different between them.
Edited by Powerflite 2019-01-28 10:06 AM
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Regular
Posts: 52
| Thanks Powerflite - I'm also considering EPAS on this car. I've done a few others and have had good success, but with a 56 Plymouth I wanted to do my best to stay stock. The car is the 303 v8, per the owner. I am slated to pick it up in a few weeks so I don't actually have the car in my possession yet and am doing as much research as possible. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 9647
Location: So. Cal | The 303 is the '56 Fury motor. I would doubt that to be correct, but it is possible that someone swapped that motor into there for some reason. Most likely it is a 277, which is the same family of poly motor with a smaller bore and stroke. |
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Regular
Posts: 52
| Could be a swap, the owner actually said it's a 318 going back to my communications. In any case the goal isn't power on this one so 277, 303, 318 are all ok! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 371
| Easiest way I can think of without changing gear box and column, adding pump with belt alignment and pullies is an electric unit. But keeping it stock isn't stock because maybe it wasn't born with p/s. So with that it's your wallet and what you want to do. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1102
Location: Hayward, Calif | Yo Bud, Just keep in mind that not all PS pumps are equal !! Some put out more press than others. I found this out the hard way putting PS on a 59 Dodge. The pump is 15 yrs newer than the gearbox and the gearbox lower seal wouldn't take it. I was able to reset the press relief down to a lower max press to match the gearbox. Just a word of caution, keep the pump and the gearbox real close to the same age. Research the PS box and find out what it's max press range is. This 59 gearbox is about 850 max press if memory serves at the moment. I'm guessing that 56 will be in that neighborhood. I put a high press gauge in the press line between the pump and the box and found the gearbox was only utilizing about 200 PSI , with the wheels on the ground and could easily turn the steering wheel. Good Luck. Jerry |
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Member
Posts: 46
Location: Santa Fe Texas | I was just wondering If you have any luck with trying to find a way to add power steering to the 56 Belvedere for your father. If not, I have just successfully installed power steering to a 56 Dodge Royal. The cars are virtually identical in respect to the frame and steering components layout. I have youturn Power Steering Conversions and we build a kit for the 1957 thru 1961 Plymouth and Dodge. If you are interested in a kit for the 56 Plymouth, maybe we can work something out for you. Is your car standard or automatic shift? Please feel free to give me a shout. My Email address is Floydyouturn@hotmail.com.
Best regards, Floyd |
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Adding power steering to a 56 Belvedere v8
