Power Rack & Pinion

**davvet2** · 02-13-2003, 12:27 PM

I have a '62 Falcon with a 460 C-6, Mustang II front end, etc. and a manual rack and pinion. What I've noticed is that it doesn't have a wide turning radius; in other words the front wheels don't turn very wide. Is this a common deal with the II front end?
Also, I'd like to have power steering -- has anyone changed their 16" center manual rack to a power unit? If so where did you find it and what pump did you use?

Thanks,

Jim

**coolfalcon** · 02-13-2003, 10:17 PM

If its a stock mustang member you should be able to buy them from a lot of places.
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**deleted3** · 02-13-2003, 10:28 PM

Not sure, but somewhere along the line I read about some Ford racks that had stops installed to keep the tires from rubbing or something. It may not have been the "2"'s but it could be worth taking the boots off and having a look...
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**davvet2** · 02-13-2003, 10:40 PM

Thanks, FX & Cool Falcon --

The stops sound reasonable to me to keep the tires from rubbing. The front end is a Mustang II (at least that's what I was told along with all the other propaganga on the car!) It's not to hard to turn, just thought I'd look into power steering.
I bought this car to replace a '61 Futura I had as a younger man in 1966 -- mine was baby blue sorta like yours, Cool Falcon. It had a 300 HP 327, T-10 and 'vette rear end and surprised a lot of people. Went in the Army and sold it, and finally was able to get another Falcon, and am especially pleased that this one is FORD powered!
(I out grew the GM transplant stuff!)

**deleted3** · 02-13-2003, 10:43 PM

Glad to hear ya matured..[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img] The power steering stuff is an easy find. However, be forewarned that the steering feel is lousy. Ford went out of it's way to make 'em steer just like the big cars...mushy, mushy....[img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]
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**davvet2** · 02-13-2003, 10:55 PM

I hope you guys don't mind me asking questions, I'm also trying to make the car street legal. It's running a C-6 transmission; anyone know what speedometer gear will work with the Falcon speedometer, and where I might find it? I bought a cable and converted the speedometer end of the cable so it would screw on, installed it in the trans, it still won't work. The gear must be missing.

**HankyJ** · 02-16-2003, 02:32 PM

Davet, unless you've got some pretty wide tires up front, I predict a power booster on that rack and pinion will make it too fast for pretty much any speed, and you'll lose quite a bit of road feel. Of course, it's all about what you're doing with you car. Street rod type guys like that "big car" handling and feel. If you use the booster there are little valves on the market (in the street rod catalogs) which reduce the amount of power being given at speed to avoid the overly fast turning.

I too suffer from not too good turning radius. I think it's just the nature of the beast, unless you somehow notched and narrowed the rails of the car & shortened the crossmember to allow more turning. I've got a question for you: where did you find headers to fit your early Falcon with the mustang II? I've got a 302 in my '61 w/r&P and I love it, but I want to get away from the 5.0 shorties I've got in there and go with some long tubes. Ideas?

**davvet2** · 02-16-2003, 03:51 PM

Hanky,

You're probably right about the steering --
power would make it pretty touchy. My steering wheel is not real large and that has something to do with all this, I guess.
I just noticed the short turning radius and effort required and an alarm went off in my head!

As far as the headers go, mine are custom built. The previous owner couldn't find any that would work, so he built them. Even so, they are a tight squeeze -- especially close at the steering coupler ujoint to the rack.

Wish I could help you more .............

Jim