Steering on SS/LA 58 Corvette

[Wade Mahaffey]

Can you use a Rack & Pinion style steering on a 58 Corvette in traditional Super/Stock (SS/LA) ? Didn't think you could, but thought I saw one recently and was wondering if an amendment was issued. The 58 corvette has (8) pivoting points from the steering box to the spindles, which could be reduced to (4) with a rack & pinion. (8) joints lends itself to "Steering slop" when just a little wear on any of the joints .. or the worm gears in the factory steering box. These (C-1 Corvettes) have what's called a "third arm" in the steering detail. This condition could of course cause and/or contribute to vehicle stability at speed becoming a safety issue. I believe you can install a rack for S/S Modified cars to eliminate all that mess, which is the common class for the old Corvettes. Haven't seen any C-1 (54-62) Corvettes that run traditional S/S, but have seen Several C-2 (63-67) Corvettes in traditional S/S. I believe H,I,J, maybe. If it's not legal, how would you proceed to have that request viewed. Would you go through the division tech director, or can you go directly to California? I have heard "Just do it" and of course "It's better to beg for forgiveness, than ask for permission" I have gone around the block with Mr. Bachelder out in California, and it took a few months ... but in the end he agreed ... the rule book wording was slightly changed after convincing evidence was presented. And I learned a lot from the whole experience!

Wade Mahaffey

[Tom Goldman]

Doug Ingles and Bob Brinkman's C1 Corvettes immediately come to mind as examples of a C1 Vette in SuperStock currently running the original steering .
SS/LA index is only 11.45 ,so a mid 10 second ride should have no problem with good parts and proper alignment.
Keep in mind you can use heims in place of tie rod ends and the other components can be changed from rubber bearings to roller bearings.
An awful lot of fast Modified Production C1 Vettes made it down tracks in the '70's on tracks that were nowhere near what we have now .

[Wade Mahaffey]

Yea Tom, I'm sure they could be built to provide a decent handling package. You can't do anything with the control arms to gain caster with the "dog bone/spindle". but you can wedge/shim the whole front suspension for improved caster. Don't now what they did in the old days. I currently have heims in place on the third arm. But if they allow a rack, I would rather go that way. The ratio is much better as well. I'll make some calls this week. Thanks for the reply, may see you at the grove

Wade Mahaffey

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

Yea Tom, I'm sure they could be built to provide a decent handling package. You can't do anything with the control arms to gain caster with the "dog bone/spindle". but you can wedge/shim the whole front suspension for improved caster. Don't now what they did in the old days. I currently have heims in place on the third arm. But if they allow a rack, I would rather go that way. The ratio is much better as well. I'll make some calls this week. Thanks for the reply, may see you at the grove

Wade Mahaffey

Rack and Pinion steering on C1 Corvettes for stock and Super Stock is NOT allowed unless NHRA changed the rule in the middle of this year year !

[Tom Goldman]

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

Yea Tom, I'm sure they could be built to provide a decent handling package. You can't do anything with the control arms to gain caster with the "dog bone/spindle". but you can wedge/shim the whole front suspension for improved caster. Don't now what they did in the old days. I currently have heims in place on the third arm. But if they allow a rack, I would rather go that way. The ratio is much better as well. I'll make some calls this week. Thanks for the reply, may see you at the grove

Wade Mahaffey

Wade , guys like Jack Arnew and others had that covered years ago . a little slicing and dicing of the control arms can provide sufficient positive Caster .
Like X-Tech Man said ,It's Super Stock ,not Super Gas.

[Lyn Smith]

They make a upper control arm shaft for the regular tri five chevys that helps you gain caster.Maybe the Corvette parts people make one for the early Vette also.

[Jason]

Once again a racer asks for a rule change that will effect all of S/S just so he can race a select model.

[Wade Mahaffey]

True Tom, and I know Jack personally, and have done work for him. But what you are speaking of is cutting, moving, and re-welding the upper control arm to achieve a rearward upper spindle ball joint location creating more positive caster. Jack was/is famous for this along with bending hot or cold the spindle steering arm to correct "bump steer" .... he told me he could always pick up ET for folks in just that, plus the Caster fix and not even have to steer it anymore ... the car would drive itself ! In my Roadster I never moved the wheel! When I used to do "A"arm front suspensions back in the 80s I would just locate the upper control arm mounts about and inch back from center for built in Caster ... but you cannot do that on these old corvettes because they do not have a "ball joint" type contact at the upper and lower control arm ... they have an eye and pin connection which will not allow the dog bone to be laid back creating more positive spindle Caster. I know many, many cars were using modified front suspension components ... and it was not a big deal, and I don't know if it was within the written rule or not.

[Wade Mahaffey]

Originally Posted by Jason

Once again a racer asks for a rule change that will effect all of S/S just so he can race a select model.

Good point Jason, I wouldn't ask for an amendment if it meant everyone would want a Rack & Pinion, and I guess if I got one .. everybody should get one, and we know it doesn't work that way! But if something has changed allowing it in old Corvettes, I would like to know about it. Thought I had seen one that's all. Not looking to ruffle any feathers out there, even though S/S is where it is today because folks ask "why not" ... I mean Valves, Pistons, Heads, Rear Suspensions, Front Wheel Drive Conversions ETC ... it has evolved over the years for better or worse. Rules are rules, and we all would change something given the chance

Wade Mahaffey

[Tom Goldman]

Wade ,a better solution for the alignment would be to use a fabricated spindle upright with the proper caster built in .
I've used some from Fatman Fabrications that use positive instead of negative caster on a car I did several years ago that was a bracket car .
The fabricated part might need NHRA approval, but that type of part makes more sense than a rack and pinion since there is no other practical way to achieve sufficient positive caster .