Posted by rickyracer (209.20.170.19) on April 22, 2001 at 14:36:16:
In Reply to: Re: rack and pinion, and Yankee ingenuity posted by John B. on April 22, 2001 at 08:45:08:
Done it once so far. I do have the advantage of having a welder & cutting torch. The hardest part was actually finding the Manual rack/pinion. Most are power types.
Most people don't know that a 70-74 Mav/Comet is a just a 69/70 Stang front end with a different center link.
When building/working on suspension/brakes you can never be to safe. There are several good books on suspension and handling info. It would be long winded to go into all the requirements, such as just "squaring" the suspension, handling tricks, etc.
The shock/spring towers are your biggest emeny on a Mav/Comet. The Stang Coil over kit eliminates that problem. Then see how the engine fits. Don't be afraid to do a little cutting, welding and redrilling on your Mav/Comet. There were no special models so you're not destroying a 1 of 10 or anything like that. I travel all over the country and see some really nice ones. Just got back from NC and seen a beautiful 72 Yellow Grabber that was being driven. Seen a beautiful black one in Denver a month ago. I know where three are parked behind a guys house. If all else, get a rusted junker and cut it up for a test platform. Strip it down and go to it.
: rickyracer; You obviously approve of the idea of using Rack and Pinion steering. Have you done it yourself? I agree with your notion of doing it the "hotrodder" way and putting something together yourself, as opposed to using a canned (read; expensive) aftermarket unit. On the other hand, there is a fair amount of risk involved here. Messing up on this could be pretty serious (read; expensive AND dangerous!). It sounds like you are quite mechanically competent. I have to do most of my work with a book (picture books preferred!)next to me, and with limited tools and experience using them. I am still dying to try a homemade conversion, but I'm trying to gather as much info as I can before I cut anything, for obvious reasons. If you have any additional info/help/links/benefit of experience or such to offer on this topic, I, for one, would very much like to hear about it. Thanks for you helpful comments. John B.
: : and if you actually look under the Mav/Comets it's also not that hard to make a mount for one. All you have to do is make the bolt on crossmember mount for the rack/pinion and then the steering knuckle adapter. Go get a manual rack/pinion out of a Fox body car and start making one for yourself. Besides I'd rather have one I made then one that anyone can buy.
: : : Here's a url to a page in Total Control's own site which deals with Mavs and Comets. As you can see, they don't make one specifically for us, and so the Mustang unit requires modification before you can use it. Keep searching though, and let us know if you find a practical rack and pinion conversion at an affordable price. A few other Maverick owners would like to hear about that, myself included. John B. Here's that URL; http://www.totalcontrolproducts.com/dcforum/DCForumID10/27.html#1