65 Galaxie cast iron headers

[Gettinther]

I realize I am opening an old topic. I have now owned almost my dream car for about a year. I want to add power steering to this car with cast iron headers. The headers are already in the car and best I can find they are the correct ones for the car but I am unable to install the power steering box without hitting the header. Any help would be appreciated. thanks

[thatdarncat]

I have a 1966 7 Liter Galaxie with 428 and power steering. With the help of my mechanic buddy, I added the '65-'67 427 cast iron headers quite a few years ago. They do fit. A couple thoughts I'll throw out there - when we did it the car already had the power steering installed, is it possible you need to take a header off first to install the power steering gear box? Where exactly are you seeing interference? We also installed NOS rubber motor mounts at the time of the header install to be sure sagging motor mounts wouldn't cause an issue - are your mounts in good shape? I looked in the Ford parts book, it looks like Ford used 2 different power steering gear boxes in the '65 to '68 period - a Saginaw box and a Ford box. They can be I.D.'d by the code on the tag attached. I don't know how they differ, but it's possible one works with the cast headers and one doesn't? Unfortunately my car is stored away from home so I can't immediately take a look at anything. 

[Gettinther]

I have a 1966 7 Liter Galaxie with 428 and power steering. With the help of my mechanic buddy, I added the '65-'67 427 cast iron headers quite a few years ago. They do fit. A couple thoughts I'll throw out there - when we did it the car already had the power steering installed, is it possible you need to take a header off first to install the power steering gear box? Where exactly are you seeing interference? We also installed NOS rubber motor mounts at the time of the header install to be sure sagging motor mounts wouldn't cause an issue - are your mounts in good shape? I looked in the Ford parts book, it looks like Ford used 2 different power steering gear boxes in the '65 to '68 period - a Saginaw box and a Ford box. They can be I.D.'d by the code on the tag attached. I don't know how they differ, but it's possible one works with the cast headers and one doesn't? Unfortunately my car is stored away from home so I can't immediately take a look at anything.

Thanks for the reply.

Believe it or not I am a mechanic , I did realize there were two different boxes used in these. The Ford box has a two bolt flange that holds the sector shaft and adjuster, where as the Saginaw box has a four bolt flange and is quite often aluminum and I do believe the sector shaft in the Saginaw box is smaller diameter. I was trying to install the Ford box because I had one complete with pitman arm. The engine mounts are in excellent shape but the ford box hits at the top rounded edge of the sector shaft plate about centre where the divot is cast in the header and will not allow me to align the mount bolts. I bought the car with these already installed on a rebuilt 390 but has manual steering after trying for 2 days almost without removing the header I just went back to the manual box as I didn't want to remove the header. the headers are well sealed and I didn't want to disturb them and risk breaking a lug off or worse. The headers are in perfect shape as best I can tell without taking them off.

I was wondering if there was a possibility of a Saginaw box needed to do this. 
I have searched about all I could to find a good pic of them installed on a car but that is more rare than an original 427 in the same car.
 Thanks again.

[thatdarncat]

I will try to see if I can get a picture next time I'm at the car and also see if I can tell which steering box it has, but unfortunately it may be a couple weeks.

[Gettinther]

At your leisure if its possible. 
That would be greatly appreciated

I thank you in advance