Frontal Rehab: 1969 C10 Steering Component Upgrades

Part 2: Updating the 1967-1972 Chevy 1/2-Ton Frontend—Steered Straight!

By Rob Fortier – Photography by the Author

In our first installment, we got our 1969 C10 project’s front suspension and squared away—literally, with the correct geometry and absence of air spring adjustability—and back on all fours after months of being disabled, as it were. That just left us with properly addressing the steering components—or, in this case, the lack thereof. We improve the steering on our 1969 Chevy C10 pickup project.

002 Flaming river steering wheel colum with a corvette 3 spoke style steering wheel — For our final installment of our C10 Frontal Rehab with Jimenez Bros Air Ride & Rod Shop, we’re going to replace the worn-out, leaking power steering gear box with an all-new (non reman) Classic Performance Products (CPP) 500 Series power steering box and fill in the gap to the cab with an all-new (non reman) Flaming River floor shift tilt column, Vette-style three spoke steering wheel, and all the miscellaneous parts to steer our 1969 C10 back in the right direction!

While we had the intention of replacing the worn-out, leaking power steering gear box from the onset of the re-transformation of our previously/poorly built truck, we hadn’t put much thought into the rest of the components controlling the soon-to-be-updated box. That is until those particular items grew legs and walked away—or, the old truck’s owner left them outside and the scrap man inherited them! Either way, we had to decide what direction to go with the replacement parts: stock or upgraded aftermarket?

003 500 series steering box another steering components from Classic Performance Products — For our final installment of our C10 Frontal Rehab with Jimenez Bros Air Ride & Rod Shop, we’re going to replace the worn-out, leaking power steering gear box with an all-new (non reman) Classic Performance Products (CPP) 500 Series power steering box and fill in the gap to the cab with an all-new (non reman) Flaming River floor shift tilt column, Vette-style three spoke steering wheel, and all the miscellaneous parts to steer our 1969 C10 back in the right direction!

With a number of options to choose from, our instinct told us right off the bat to go with Classic Performance Products’ 500 Series power steering box: it’s a bolt-in replacement (or upgrade from manual), however the 500 Series power steering box are brand-new, not reman boxes, and feature the preferred 14:1 steering ratio as well as an improved recirculating ball gear mechanism and rotary valve for optimally responsive and smooth-as-silk performance behind the wheel. (Once the truck gets closer to completion, we’ll go back to Classic Performance Products for the plumbing components to connect our new box with the GM Type 2 power steering pump Holley provided with their mid-mount serpentine we used on the big-block.)

004 Moog steering linkage for 1969 C10 from Classic Performance Products — Despite having “misplaced” the 1969 C10’s original (aftermarket) column and wheel, we were able to locate the steering linkage, which was kind of crucial, as finding replacement center links (there are more than one for the 1967-1972 C10s) and idler arm brackets is not an easy task. That said, Classic Performance Products offers a complete linkage upgrade kit minus the aforementioned parts, which we’ll be using along with the 500 Series power steering box install.

To complete our steering system, we looked into what Flaming River had to offer in the way of the C10 steering column and wound up ordering a powdercoated black floor shift retrofit tilt column. Just like our 500 Series power steering box, Flaming River’s column is all “new” components, not a reman’d column. To add a bit more of a sporty look and feel, we also got our hands on—no pun intended—their no-dish (flat) Corvette inspired leather wrapped three spoke steering wheel, it’s only available in 15-inch diameter, which is the perfect fit for the 1969 C10.

005 Removing old steering components from the old truck — Out with the old—which we left out behind the shop, just in case the scrap man who inherited the old column/wheel, and so on, happens to be building a C10 and needs these parts too—to make room for …

Furthermore, to fill in the gap between column and box, we obtained the necessary polished stainless 3/4DD x 3/4DD U-joint and intermediate shaft to connect with the Classic Performance Products box’s 3/4-30 x 3/4DD joint. Luckily, we managed to locate the stock upper steering column mount, however, in lieu of the floor mount disappearing with the rest of the stock parts, we obtained Flaming River’s 1967-1972 C10 swivel floor mount, which is a direct bolt-in for non-modified firewalls (ours was molded in before it was painted, so we’ll have to “carefully” open the floor plate mounting holes back up!).

006 Old steering box components from a 1969 C10 — Out with the old—which we left out behind the shop, just in case the scrap man who inherited the old column/wheel, and so on, happens to be building a C10 and needs these parts too—to make room for …

As the project progresses, we’re slowly moving away from the original name it was given—the Polished Turd—as literally every single piece that fits that description has been removed and subsequently replaced with a polished jewel, so to speak! And given that scenario, we’ll forgo renaming the old Chevy trucks and simply get her back up and running, as best we possibly can!

1 of 22