Berlina steering box replacement - summary

["Brian Shorey" <bshorey@domain.elided>]

A month or so ago I polled the digest for advice on how to replace a Berlina
steering box without pulling the motor or dropping the headers (which in
this particular car would pretty much involve pulling the motor).

I got some good advice, the decision I made was to pop the shaft out of the
existing, broken box, then replace the entire assembly with a later style
u-jointed shaft.

I picked up a later style box and shaft from Paul Glynn, I was going to
trade him the rebuilt box that came with the car.

Well, today I finally got some time to try the job.

What nobody had mentioned to me was that there was a chance that the car
might already have a u-jointed steering shaft.  Or, that the rebuilt box
that was in the trunk might be the type that goes with a u-jointed shaft.
Curious, because the prior mechanic hadn't noticed the u-jointed shaft
either, he had made some calls looking for a u-jointed shaft.

Bottom line, in less than 2 hours total, the new box is in the car!  Didn't
have to muck around with the steering wheel/shaft, didn't have to drop the
headers.  The brake master cylinders were already removed (in anticipation
of having to do this job).

So, Mortimer has steering again.

Three things remain:  First, replace all the fluids and filters.  Second,
install a Spica pump.  Third, install the brake masters.

Hopefully I'll have the beast fired up in the next week or so.  The car
hasn't been run in a couple of years, it will be great fun to get it running
again and find out what else needs fixing.  I'm hoping to have it ready for
Lime Rock in late April.

bs

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