What model year did Ford start offering Power Steering as an option?

[rnch]

1954?

Or earlier??

[dmsfrr]

After an intense and thoroughly exhausting internet search (less than 30 seconds)
I found this paragraph.....

The Original Flathead P/S
In case you want to impress your Ford-guy friends or win a bar bet, power steering for Flatties is not new. According to How to Build Ford Flathead V-8 Horsepower by George McNicholl, Ford offered a power steering option in passenger cars in 1953, the final year of the Flathead. If anybody has one of these systems, send us a photo. We’d like to see it.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/0908r...eering-system/

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[darrell]

a friend has a 54 meteor flathead with factory power steering.the bracked bolts to the head.i believe power brakes and seat both came in 53.

[Merc Cruzer]

This any help?

[rnch]

I wonder if it came with a faster (less turns lock to lock) ratio....or just gave reduced steering effort?

[miker98038]

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At least in 55, they used the same box. Just changed the drag link, added the ram with the control valve. Maybe the pitman arm, but it was pretty much the same steering.

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by rnch

I wonder if it came with a faster (less turns lock to lock) ratio....or just gave reduced steering effort?

The service manual has no mention of a faster ratio, just reduced steering effort.

[rnch]

Did the '54 V8 models have difficult steering effort? Were they considered "hard to steer"?

[Ole Don]

Hard to steer? That depends on what you compare it to. In a tight parking lot situation, my 54 was very hard to steer. I had a 54 PS unit I put on, and it was much nicer. Same story with my 55. As I got older, and my damaged shoulder got worse over the years, I found a PS unit and put it on. After that, I found reasons to use the car more often. It was a dream to drive.
Many GM cars had recirculating ball steering. Ford did not have that, just gear tooth against gear tooth. They were hard at low speeds.

[Johnnydidd]

I bought a Borgeson Power Steering for my 53 Victoria Flathead, ended up selling car before installed if interested email [email protected]

[rnch]

Originally Posted by Ole Don

Hard to steer? That depends on what you compare it to. In a tight parking lot situation, my 54 was very hard to steer. I had a 54 PS unit I put on, and it was much nicer. Same story with my 55. As I got older, and my damaged shoulder got worse over the years, I found a PS unit and put it on. After that, I found reasons to use the car more often. It was a dream to drive.
Many GM cars had recirculating ball steering. Ford did not have that, just gear tooth against gear tooth. They were hard at low speeds.

I do recall my Father saying that his first new car, a '52 Ford, steered noticeably harder than the '49 Chevy he had before. Dad also complained about the angle of the steering collumn & steering wheel on long road trips.

('course Dad was too "Old School" to even consider power steering, automatic transmission or air conditioning, until forced on him, many year later, by my Mom.)

[scicala]

Since that power steering manual was dated June '53, the power steering option must have been offered late in the '53 model year.

Sal

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by scicala

Since that power steering manual was dated June '53, the power steering option must have been offered late in the '53 model year.

Sal

The first service bulletin I can find is dated 9/3/53 - Power Sterring Toe-in Adjsutment

[Daves55Sedan]

1953 was sort of a banner year for innovation at Ford, probably because of its 50th "silver" anniversary. Although the basic car body and chassis was a repeat of the '52 model, there was major re-styling of the dashboard. '53 was the first year Ford offered "metal-flake" exterior paint finishes, first year air-conditioning was offered and was the first year an overhead valve engine was offered (the 215 I-block 6-cyl). It was the last year for the flathead V8.

[scicala]

I believe the dash on '52 and '53 fords was nearly identical. There were some trim pieces added around some of the control knobs in '53. Also, the 215 OHV 6 cyl. was introduced for the 1952 model year.

Sal

[Lanny]

AND, 1954 was the last year for the Ford V/8 Flathead ( Canadian )









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