BRP Nightmare.....
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
BRP Nightmare..... I stepped up and purchased a full blown kit from BRP for my 67 Firebird. I thought the conversion was going to be somewhat easy. I was wrong. The Rack and Pinon is to long and the angles for the rack to the steering shaft won't work because they bind up. I think you have to use a late model steering colum for this to work. Anyway I now have a cut up sub frame I need to weld back up. I was wondering, should I use the motor mounts and tranny mount from BRP to complete the conversion? Also I plan on putting my rear steer back in the car. Will it clear the headers, etc, etc. Help my motors almost ready to install............Feel free to email me at jcp@reatachevy.com Thanks guys
the rack needs to be angled back slightly so that the u-joints do not bind. I just got my BRP kit working this week. I had to notch some areas on that weld-in tube on the k-member for u-joint clearance, and also notch the k-member a bit behind the input shaft housing on the rack. This allowed it to tilt back a bit, making the steering geometry work well.
Used the factory '69 column. That flange on the end of the factory column is slipped onto a splined shaft, and then the end is flared to keep it from coming off. I used my sawsall to chop the flange off (from the backside, as close to the flange as possible) and then used a pulley puller to remove the remaining part of the flange that was stuck on the splined end. This left about 3/8" of splines on the end of the shaft. You will need a 1"-48 spline to 3/4" DD steering u-joint at the top. I got mine from Flaming River (about $75 shipped). The DD (double-D) shaped BRP shaft needs to be cut to fit.
It was a minor pain in the *** to install, but mine is in. Once I get it final installed, I'm going to tack weld the steering column shaft to the flaming river U-joint, as there aren't quite enough splines showing for the set screw to grab.
Tony
Used the factory '69 column. That flange on the end of the factory column is slipped onto a splined shaft, and then the end is flared to keep it from coming off. I used my sawsall to chop the flange off (from the backside, as close to the flange as possible) and then used a pulley puller to remove the remaining part of the flange that was stuck on the splined end. This left about 3/8" of splines on the end of the shaft. You will need a 1"-48 spline to 3/4" DD steering u-joint at the top. I got mine from Flaming River (about $75 shipped). The DD (double-D) shaped BRP shaft needs to be cut to fit.
It was a minor pain in the *** to install, but mine is in. Once I get it final installed, I'm going to tack weld the steering column shaft to the flaming river U-joint, as there aren't quite enough splines showing for the set screw to grab.
Tony
So you plan on using the steering gear box and NOT the Rack/pinion??
Well thats what I did, and I used the BRP mounts BUT i had to make adaptor plates to move the engine back 1 5/8 inches so that 1. the oil pan will clear the center link and 2. so the gear box will clear the headers.
I think my system is perfect.. it moves the engine closer to the firewall and gives a much better weight ballance.. HOWEVER there is one drawback to what I did.. I can NOT run the factory AC compressor in the stock fbody location.. well at least I heard i can (didnt actually try).. I was told that the BRP system moves the engine so far forward for this reason.
Personally im not convinced that the rack and pinion system is THAT much better than a GOOD gear box set-up.. im running the new DS&E Saginaw 600 boxes that actually has a pinion type valve in it..
Oh, im running S&P mid headers.. pics at my site.. best of luck to ya
Well thats what I did, and I used the BRP mounts BUT i had to make adaptor plates to move the engine back 1 5/8 inches so that 1. the oil pan will clear the center link and 2. so the gear box will clear the headers.
I think my system is perfect.. it moves the engine closer to the firewall and gives a much better weight ballance.. HOWEVER there is one drawback to what I did.. I can NOT run the factory AC compressor in the stock fbody location.. well at least I heard i can (didnt actually try).. I was told that the BRP system moves the engine so far forward for this reason.
Personally im not convinced that the rack and pinion system is THAT much better than a GOOD gear box set-up.. im running the new DS&E Saginaw 600 boxes that actually has a pinion type valve in it..
Oh, im running S&P mid headers.. pics at my site.. best of luck to ya
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
The rack & pinion is a pain, but works great. Talk to Kyle at DSE 810 227-6343 about your gear box he can set up yours or buy his for the same amount it will feel like you have a rack set up. If you need to modify your pan Visalia Street Performance will do it for you they also carry the LS1 motor mount conversion. Good luck. By the way DSE is also working on the conversions for LS1.
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Here are the photos of the installed BRP rack/pinion kit. As you can see, I had to cut away certain areas of the K-member to make the rack and U-joints fit snug. No biggie since there is still a 1/2 cut piece of pipe welded behind it to reinforce it enough. Warning, the car is dirty! Alot of sanding going on 
BRP rack photo 1
BRP rack photo 2
BRP rack photo 3
BRP rack photo 4
BRP rack photo 1
BRP rack photo 2
BRP rack photo 3
BRP rack photo 4
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Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 71
Likes: 4
From: Cloquet, MN
Here are the photos of the installed BRP rack/pinion kit. As you can see, I had to cut away certain areas of the K-member to make the rack and U-joints fit snug. No biggie since there is still a 1/2 cut piece of pipe welded behind it to reinforce it enough. Warning, the car is dirty! Alot of sanding going on
BRP rack photo 1
BRP rack photo 2
BRP rack photo 3
BRP rack photo 4
BRP rack photo 1
BRP rack photo 2
BRP rack photo 3
BRP rack photo 4
