Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

We have a 51 250 convertible, how feasible is it to add power steering to this car, is there such a thing as a conversion package and or what components will we have to change/add. Also if someone has done this will this be an expensive undertaking?

Thx

Cam

Though I've not done this myself or been present when it was done, I've seen quite a few of these conversions, even on the 22nd-23rd series cars. I don't believe the end result on your 51 will be quite the same as a factory PS-equipped similar car because (IIRC) the steering gear box ratio is different, and I believe the front end geometry is a bit different. I'm not aware of any "kits", but just open your 53 or 54 parts book and identify the parts that are unique to the PS-cars, and start pricing them.

To add to what Owen has already stated, I think if you found a 54/54 parts car with a complete setup, then the swap should be pretty easy. Trying to buy each piece could get pretty expensive. Some where out in a field or backyard is a too far gone 53/54 that would love to give up it's parts to help your convertible along!

You could probably pick up an entire parts car for less than a $1,000. Use the parts you need, and then sell off the other parts and recover your costs.

Just to elaborate a bit on my prior point about PS not being purely an "add-on" and using 1954 as an example, the 5400 and 5401 chassis had a steering box with 20.03/1 ratio for standard steering, and 18.2/1 for power steering. For the senior models the numbers were 22.3 and 18.6 respectively. Turning circles were also smaller for the PS-equipped cars by about 1 foot, indicating some other change in front end geometry. This isn't to say you can't just add the PS components, it just says the result won't be the same as for a original PS-equipped car.

You may be surprised how easy your car is to steer without power steering if everything is up to factory specs.

Have the front end checked over and replace worn parts. Then have an alignment done.

It should steer and drive very easily as long as the car is moving. For parking it will require a little muscle.

But back when the car was new ladies and chicken muscled tycoons drove them so they couldn't be too hard to steer.

There may be another reason for hard steering, radial tires.

Today's radials are draggier than bias plies. But there is a way around that too.

If the steering is set up to factory specs and it still steers too hard there is another improvement that can be made.

Have the front end man set up the front end with little or no caster. This will make steering easier.

If you do this you have to add a steering damper to control shimmy. Steering dampers are a standard accessory used on a lot of Jeep type vehicles, not expensive or hard to install, they just clamp on.

German cars have been set up this way for years, with low caster and steering dampers. It makes the steering easy and accurate without power steering.

Try this before you add power steering. You should at least have the front end checked and brought up to factory specs and aligned even if you do add power steering. So the effort won't be wasted and it might save you some work and some money.

Mr O'Toole is correct. I used to go alley racing with friends who owned Fords or Chebbys. They were always amazed I could stay right with them through tight corners and narrow passages. I let them drive the Mayfair once and they thought I had power steering. As long as the car was moving even a little you could turn the steering wheel with one hand in a wiping motion.
I always told them it was because they owned a car and I was driving an automobile.

My 51 had bias ply tires when I got it and it handled like an aircraft carrier. It would steer very hard and the tires would squeal on curves. It was white knuckle time every time the road changed direction. The best thing I did was replace the bias ply tires with radials. New shocks didn't hurt handling either but the best thing was the tires. I can now steer with one arm on mountain roads. What a difference.

I am considering adding power steering though. It would make parking a lot easier. I'm not nearly as strong as I used to be.

Radial tires have a lot of advantages, though steering more easily than bias ply when the car is at rest is not one of them.