i know that the s10 box works, but what other vehicals have a box that is compatible?

 

All GM steering boxs that are mounted on the inside of the frame will be a direct bolt in. I'd stay away from the pre 84 boxes since they were the smaller size and the sector shaft needs the smaller pitman arm.

There are not a lot of models available that might have a manual steering box. There's a slim chance that a G-body will have one but the odds of finding an S-10 box are better.

If you find an older vehicle with a manual box, you'll need to use it's pitman arm also but there no guarentee it will be the same shape or length.

Older Nova's and Camaros came with manual boxes. There may even be a manual box in a Chevelle or Impala.

Vehicles like most pickup trucks have the steering box mounted on the outside of the frame. These won't work just because of how they're mounted.

 

i saw some older camaro/nova boxes on ebay, but i don't really know what they are supposed to look like. the pitman arm is the arm attatched directly to the box, right?

 

how bout this one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...category=34200

 

That box is a direct bolt in replacement but is an early style. It uses the smaller diameter pitman arm on the sector shaft. Your pitman arm won't fit on it.

 

3rd gen box fits a 1st gen so i'd guess just about any gm box, at least going back 30 years or so, ought to fit.

 

so, if i had the pitman arm and box from an ealier style box, it will work, correct? that's how i am reading this post.

 

Yes and no. First gen Camaros/Nova's etc have a completely different pitman arm design. Third gen, S10 etc pitman arm has a tapered hole at the end that the center link ball socket pin goes through. The first gen's pitman arm has the ball socket as part of the pitman arm and goes through a tapered hole in the center link.

Measure the length of a third gen pitman arm. I believe it's 5.5" center to center but I'm probably wrong. The pitman arm is also straight end to end but has about a 2" drop. If your third gen pitman arm doesn't fit on the old style manual box, you just need to find a pitman arm off some other GM product that is close to the third gen dimensions. S10 pitman arms are close but the length is slightly different.

Just use a late model S10 box and you'll have no problems having to adapt anything. There's usually always at least one available on Ebay every week. Prices vary but average price is $60. I've seen them go for less than $30 and well over $100 too.

 

I picked a s10 box up outta the junk yard for 45 bucks. Used the s10 pitman arm, and everything seems to work ok. I dont drive on the street much, but it's plenty stable at 100mph on the track.(but then again I'm goin straight )