Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

FORUM RULES: Users agree to these Rules when using Forum.

The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.

The user agrees to the following terms:

All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct.
You will not use your membership to spam, harrass, or exploit other members in any way.
Vulgar, Abusive, Racist and Sexist Language will not be tolerated.
Commercial-type sales postings will not be allowed.
No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed.
No Advertising of parts or cars; no Ebay or business/commercial ads (please use the "Classified" for ads Wanted or For Sale).
VIEWING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON SCREEN: You can choose to see more than 10 Topics at a time ... Log In and choose "Preferences" from the top bar on the Forum page. Scroll down and Change the "Default Topics Returned" parameter to 25 or 50, and save the changes. Since this setting is stored in your browser 'cookies' (if enabled), it seems to use that stored value even if you are not logged in. So, if you use a PC that you haven't logged into the forum from, the setting still seem to remain at the default.
EXTERNAL PHOTO LINKS ON FORUM: You can still use external photo links in your posts on the new forum. They follow the rules of any link in that they have to have the URL link qualified down to the full image file name (example: .jpg). The links will open in a new browser window, the same as an uploaded image attached to a post. Since an image attachment to any post does not display inline with the post, the results are the same. You can use multiple external links within a post. This link is from photos on a site from Don Clink's 'Deuce@75' albums:

http://donclink.com/deuce_75_1/images/dscn2950.jpg

Using links from photo sites such as Photobucket can help in "size" issue with uploaded attachment files. For best viewing in web browsers, photos should be around the 800x600 pixel range, and probably not more than 1024x768. Most cameras today store HUGE jpg image files, as the default settings are in the 7, 8, 10, and 12Mb image sizes. The image files that are then attached are very large, and the browser can't display the full image size without using the scroll bars. Use the re-sizing functions of your photo editing software to reduce the image to 800x600, which reduces the file sixe and the image load time in the browser. Don uses Google's free Picassa3 software, which is an excellent photo management product. All of the photo albums of the Deuce, Grand National, and Auburn that are links on the NORG site were built using Picassa's web creation functions. And it's free? (THANKS to Don Clink for the info!)
HOW DO I SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH MY USERNAME? You can LogIn on the Forum, and select PREFERENCES. On this page Members can add optional information such as their City,State, Country; Occupation; Hobbies: list a Homepage; list AOL Instant Messanger Handle; Signature; "Make Email Address viewable to others;" and even change the number of Default Topics shown on a page. WHEN others click on your profile, they will see this information.

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Power steering for 1951 flathead

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion

<< previous || next >>

Posted By

Discussion Topic: Power steering for 1951 flathead -- page: 1 2

missouriron

01-14-2026 @ 4:23 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 31
Joined: Jun 2011

My arthritic shoulders are making it difficult to drive my '51 in tight parking lots. Does anyone know of a power steering unit that I can use for a 1951 flathead? I want to keep the flathead and possibly leave it 6 volts. If I must, I will convert to 12 volts.

Thanks

Ron

52flatv8

01-14-2026 @ 5:32 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Feb 2025

Sorry I can't help, but you might also ask these folks : https://www.fordbarn.com/ .

russonator

01-14-2026 @ 6:01 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 9
Joined: May 2011

Here's a set of instructions for a Borgeson unit: https://www.borgeson.com/instructions/999062.pdf

I would also suggest you email Chris Whittington at Shoebox Central (shoeboxcentral4953@gmail.com). He could tell you the pros and cons of different alternatives.

This message was edited by russonator on 1-14-26 @ 9:48 AM

carcrazy

01-14-2026 @ 8:38 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1998
Joined: Oct 2009

If your vehicle has an automatic transmission or a manual transmission and you are willing to go with a floor shifter conversion and to a 12V electrical system, you might want to consider going to an electric assist power steering system which mounts on the steering column. There are several of these systems available commercially but the prices are very high. If you use an electrically assisted power steering system from a "modern" production car, the system used in some recent model KIA Souls with the ECU mounted to the steering column might be a good system to look at.

carcrazy

01-14-2026 @ 9:34 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1998
Joined: Oct 2009

Here is a short video for one of the Electric Power Steering Systems offered by Summit Racing.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/eps-1022?srsltid=AfmBOooUkw7WLKFw-CcdZR8F6B5D_YnXIo4rH0pptUcWB5IoUsLe6cDEHbg

TomO

01-16-2026 @ 5:10 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 7391
Joined: Oct 2009

Ron, If you have the car moving slowly as you turn the steering wheel, it will be much easier to turn the steering wheel. Front end alignment can also help.

My sons, who grew up with power steering are amazed that I can steer my car into the garage with one hand. To get the car into the garage you have to make a sharp left turn and then a sharp right turn and then straighten out. The two turns are done within 20 feet. Neither one of my sons can pull the car into the garage in one pass, like I do.

I have injections in both shoulders about once a year for pain relief and do not have elevated pain when I drive my 40 into the garage.

Tom

52flatv8

01-18-2026 @ 8:39 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Feb 2025

Something else not yet mentioned, is proper air pressure in the tires and the fact that radial tires make for easier steering.
They sure did on my 52 Victoria.

JayChicago

01-18-2026 @ 9:30 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 560
Joined: Jan 2016

"and the fact that radial tires make for easier steering."

Why would that be? The bulging radial tires appear to have a bigger contact patch with the ground than the skinny, hard original tires. Seems like radials would need more effort when parking.

Kens 36

01-19-2026 @ 7:21 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Member
Posts: 408
Joined: Oct 2009

Jay,

Believe me, our old cars are much easier to steer with radial tires. This was true on my '36 as well as on my '50s. I cannot explain why like an engineer may be able to do.

Ken

trjford8

01-19-2026 @ 8:31 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 4365
Joined: Oct 2009

Radials do in fact make steering easier. I've experienced changing from bias belted to radials and the radials do in fact make steering much easier.

<< previous || next >>

PAGE: 1 2

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

Join the Early Ford V8 Club Today!

Preserve the legacy. Drive the passion.