Power steering and Power Brakes

[lavamatrix]

I know I know many purists will try to talk me out of adding power steering and power brakes to my 1975 spitfire rebuild project but I do have a legitimate reason. I live in san francisco and if any of you have seen the classic movie Bullet you will know the city is full of massive hills. This is why I need to have power brakes as it is difficult as is to drive a car with a manual transmission up these hills without struggling to keep the car from slipping backward into a car behind me when at a stop sign.

In addition parking in the city is difficult to say the least. There are some very tight squeezes that I need to parallel park into and coupled with the hills it would make things so much easier to have power steering.

While it would be great to keep the car as original as possible I have to compromise to meet the realities of where I live.

With that said I wanted to poll the great members of this forum to offer any advice on how to go about adding power steering to my spit. Is there any after market power steering replacement that I can buy?

Also with the power brakes I know there are remote servos but those only work for single line brake systems and since I have a 75 with a dual line it seems I have only one option, change to a single line system. Obviously this is not ideal as it reduces the safety of having a redundant brake line so I am hoping someone else can offer up advice on another solution.

Thanks in advance for the help everyone. I cant wait to get my spit up and running. It has been a big struggle but progress is being made!

[thescrapman]

You only need to put the servo on the front circuit, that was what Triumph did on teh GT6. So you keep the dual circuit brakes.

As for power steering, that is also "easy", you need the steering column from a Vauxhall / Opel Corsa.

That is where it stopped being easy for you as I don't know what it is fitted to in the US.

Do some searching of the forum archoves, there are a few people who have done this or are doing it at the monent,

Cheers

Colin

[GT6 M]

Power steering on a Spitty, with Standard 155,s !!!! they light enogh as it is, want to make it feel lighter,and make it ride better,  then put some more air in tyres, bet you running about 24-26 psi
try 30-34, and you will also save the tyre edges frae wearing away.

As for a servo, try some better pads, and make sure the rears are ok, like no drum wear, out of adjusment,   I used to have a servo on, but took it off, useless, no pedal feel, too much pedal play,and felt spongey, as doo most modern,s with servo.

if none of above are to you likeing, then go to the Gym to build your right leg and your arms up. :) ;) ;)

[smithy]

Drive it - and try it - first.
Make sure the handbrake's OK - that's what you're going to need to use most.....
I drove a Morris Minor around in SF for a while; not a problem.

[Scottie55]

If your serious about doing a power steering upgrade have a look at the thread below which outlines the parts and a method of installing it.

http://club.triumph.org.uk/cgi-bin/forum10/Blah.pl?m-1229790537/s-330/

Vauxhall Corsa B steering unit required plus a fair bit of front bulkhead mods etc etc. This is often used on kit cars as well. Not sure if you have something similar in the US but you could always buy from say Ebay in the UK and get it shipped over to you.

Roy  

[lavamatrix]

Thank you everyone for the quick replies. I am not sure why my forum search didnt give me any results but I will try other search phrases to see if anything comes up.

I am still going to research the options on power assist everyone gave me for the brakes and steering but the point is taken that I should wait until I have my spit running and drive it before I alter its driving characteristics.

I used to drive a 1967 Mustang and I remember how difficult it was to stop the car and how much effort it took to turn the wheel. I am not a slight man, I have some strength but I'd rather not feel exhausted after my morning commute to work. However the Mustang is at least twice as heavy as the spit so I am sure it will not be as difficult.

[GT6 M]

Just a thought, If you doo think the Spitty is too heavey on the steering, then you could
always put in a GT6 pinnion, its gives a slightly amaller effort to turn the wheels.

either full rack, or just change the pinnion.

If im no mistaken, was the Mustang no on drums all round,!!! or was this the earlier model.