We upgraded our 1971 Oldsmobile 442 project car with the new Borgeson quick ratio steering box. If you open the hood to most ‘65-up GM musclecars, you’ll find a Sagainaw/Delphi 800 series power steering box. And, there’s a good chance it’ll be leaking. Borgeson is making a brand new replacement for these Saginaw units dubbed the Borgeson Street & Performance quick ratio power steering box. This is a 12.7:1 ratio that provides firm feedback, much like a modern sports car.

Tools for the Job

This new box, while it’s not a rebuild, it still fits directly in place of the old Saginaw unit. This is one of the simplest replacements or upgrades you can do to your muscle car. The fenders and fender-wells were off our car, but the installation is nearly as easy with the fenders on.

Installing the Borgeson Quick Ratio Steering Box

We removed the old Saginaw box by removing the power steering lines, the two coupler (rag-joint) nuts, and the 3 botls going thru the frame and into the box. A 5/8″ socket and our here took care of business.

Borgeson Quick Ratio Steering Box

We were able to use our old Pitman arm, because our car already had power steering. If you’re going from a manual box, you’ll need to purchase a Pitman arm for a power steering box too.

We reinstalled the old bolts, installed the new rag-joint, and connected the hoses. A new rag-joint has to be used when installing on anything older than 1977. The steering box has the later model 3/4”-30-spline input shaft. Before driving, fill the power steering reservoir and turn the wheels from lock to lock, several times (without the car running), to purge the system.

Final Thoughts

We look forward to our first drive to feel that firm wheel without that sloppy play in the steering. You can purchase the Borgeson Street & Performance quick ratio steering box for about $450 online. The simple install, use of existing hardware and hoses, and the added safety and performance make this an easy recommendation to all you GM muscle car gearheads. For more information, click here.