s_hilmoe

I It was on the car when I got it. Sorry, no template.

I have one mounted on my '49. Here are a couple of older pics.

The ratio change comes from worm shaft where the balls ride and some from the pitman and rack inside. The box from the truck has a variable ratio, meaning the wheel has a quicker ratio the more it is turned from center. In the constant ratio box the gear teeth on the pitman and rack are all the same size. In a variable box the center tooth of the pitman is longer and the center groove in the rack is deeper to go along with the pitman. The ratio is determined by the groove pitch of the worm shaft much like thread pitch of a bolt. The stock 61 worm is like a fine thread bolt, the newer box is like a coarse thread bolt. There is also a difference in the valving. The torsion bar determines how much hydraulic pressure is applied to the piston. The harder your effort the more the bar twists, the more the pressure is applied. The early cars had a weaker torsion bar giving the easy one-finger steering known back then. Newer cars have a stronger torsion bar that requires just a little more effort but you can "feel" the road better. The GM 800/808 box is an inside-the-frame mount common in a lot of GM cars. The 700/708 is an outside-the-frame mount common to GM trucks. The GMT 83/84 is an inside-frame for GMT 400 series trucks. The 700,800,and 83 boxes are small bore and the 708,808, and 84 are large bore/ heavy duty boxes. The 1961 Buick box is an outside-the-frame, large bore box with a unique mounting bolt pattern of one year only, so gear sets from the 708/808/and 84 are candidates for swap. The gears inside the boxes are the same between inside and outside mounted boxes. You do have to check pitman shaft splines to make sure they are compatible. There are 4x4 shafts from squarebody trucks that wont fit the 61 pitman arm. There are also some shafts with 3-way splines that won't work. 61s will need the 4-way splines. There are also internal stops in some boxes. The main bore endcaps will have various thicknesses. The GMT 84 box that I had on hand, fit the requirements. Large bore and 4-way splines. I used the 84 boxes gears and valving and the 61's box and main-bore end cap. When I started, my '61 had about 4.25 turns lock to lock. Now it is about 2.5 turns, better "feel", and I have the same turning radius.

I think u-joints are one of the most neglected items on a car. Part of your oil change routine should be to inspect your u-joints. Almost every older used car I buy has had loose u-joints. When you replace them, buy good quality ones, not the cheap ones from China. I try to buy Spicer.

One of the biggest gripes I have with the car is the steering ratio of the box. Four plus turns lock-to-lock just doesn't cut it. There have been time that I've had to hit the brake pretty hard because I couldn't turn the wheel fast enough to turn into a driveway. I'm so accustomed to the modern feel and quicker turning. The steering gear on these cars are Saginaw made and have the larger bore. GM Saginaw boxes are pretty much the same internally with two sizes. There are many interchangeable boxes for many cars out there but the '61 is a one year only and has different mounting hole locations. I happened to have an extra large bore box from a 1998 Chevy 3500 4x4 truck. The box is has an 84 cast into it. This box has a 16:1 variable ratio instead of the 20:1 ratio or even 22:1 ratio of the '61. After making several measurements I determined I could swap the internals from the '98 truck box to my '61 box. I ordered two steering gear rebuild kits, one for the '98 and one for the '61. I used the pitman arm seals from the '61 kit, and internal seals and input shaft seals from the '98 kit. There are several videos out there on rebuilding a Saginaw box so I won't get into too much details. One thing though is to make sure the recirculating balls are sorted out and put back in alternating big and small, or dark and light. Many videos out there talk about the light and dark bearings but when doing the newer ones they are the same color. Many videos show them just putting them in, disregarding the size since they are the same color. You MUST measure them and sort them out. The smaller bearings are .0005" smaller than the bigger ones. The bigger bearing are the actual bearing and the smaller ones act as a bearing cage. They will float, turning the opposite direction as the bigger ones. If two bigger ones are placed next to each other they will grind against each other causing quick wear and binding. The result is a totally different driving car. It has two and a half turns lock-to-lock and I can actually feel the road more since the '98 box has different valving for a more modern feel.

Chevy is a front steer and Buick is rear steer.

Watched it too. Can we start a support group?

'61 Should work too.

I ended up using the rear center section for my '41 I had at the time. The original '41 center got sold.

Nope, Just a car guy in Washington.

Looks nice! You may check into using a bigger carb though.

Here's my simple chart for Buick models: Special - Small car, small engine. Century - Small car, big engine. Super - Big car, small engine Roadmaster - Big car, big engine.

The quality of replacement u-joints can make a difference too. Many years ago I replaced all the u-joints in my 64 Riv and the vibration was worse than it was with bad u-joints. I took the shaft to a good driveline shop and told them to rebuild it. I got it back and the only thing bad was the new imported u-joints I put in. They replaced them with Spicer u-joints and the problem was solved. From then on I will only use Spicer or equivalent quality u-joints. Same with suspension parts.

Those are on all my '49s. Two Supers and a Roadmaster.

Hmmmmm...... I have a '98 Chevy K3500 chassis with a 6 inch lift, a 454 engine, and a '49 Super 4dr sitting out back. This gives me an idea.🤔

FYI, Unity still makes lights to fit many classic cars. https://www.unityusa.com/Vintage-Classic-Lights_c_129.html

Those are definitely Chevy C10 Trailing arms. I used them on my build. I used coilover shocks on mine.

No gas smell in the oil. '61 was the first year for open driveline. No torque tube. 😁

I've been away from the forum for a while since I moved. otherwise I'd have seen this sooner and replied. I put a Holley Sniper on my 61. It has a setting that you can use for your original non-digital distributor. I got it installed and started but I have not driven it around the streets yet. I ended up moving right in the middle of the install and and have no place to work on it until I build a new shop. It does run though and I can drive it around that yard but want to tune it up a little first. I also swapped out the dynaflow for a 4L60E.. For the purists, I can put it all back to original very easy. FYI, they also make a progressive linkage for the secondaries and also a different throttle linkage for use with a throttle rod instead of a cable. Using the older throttle rod setup the stock linkage made the throttle very touchy. The new one changed the leverage so it's not touchy anymore.

I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken. 🤪

Engine and tranny SOLD!

PM replied to.

I'm moving to another state and would like to sell an extra engine I have. 1949 320. Supposedly rebuilt at one time. I took it out of a running 49 Roadmaster Sedan that was still registered and being driven. The engine runs nice but could use a carb rebuild. I removed it about 2 years ago and it has been in my heated garage since. Also have the Dynaflow that came with it. Tranny was rebuilt at one time but don't know when. Engine and tranny $750. Located in the Portland Oregon area.

It may have been first registered in 1952. Ive heard some states back then titled the cars according to the year they were first sold.

Got your PM and replied back. I'll get it boxed and weighed and let you know.