bhenders

Frosty,

     Many thanks for your reply!   Yes, the idler arm should be swapped out as well.   I will try to learn more as you suggest. 

     I would need to have a shop do any front clip swaps.    Thanks for the tip about squeezing in a V8.   Should I get that far I would update to 12v.    

Thanks

Sorry if I am bringing up something that has already been heavily discussed ?    I love the 49-52 Pontiacs, but with today's radial tires, and my 65 year old arms, I would love to have power steering.  Is it possible (or practical) to retrofit the power steering gearbox from a 53 or 54 to the 49-52 Pontiacs ?   (Not that there is anything wrong with the 53 or 54s for that matter.)  I see that Lares Engineering offers re-manufactured power steering boxes for the 53 and 54 models.    Would that box bolt up to the frame?  I imagine the pitman arm would have to be from the 53 or 54, but how much of the rest of the steering system would have to be changed ?   I would like to swap in a Pontiac V8 that would already have the power steering pump included.   Thanks in advance to anyone who has performed this swap or looked into it !