I have been running on my 67 for 4 summers now a chevette based rack and pinion conversion. I also replaced my stock column with an Ididit replacement column with tilt. The install is pretty straight forward you remove the stock steering linkage and steering box, your front mounted strut rods and brackets and factory steering arms, and an option is to replace the stock crossmember with a tubular one that bolts right into place. This kit will use 64-72 chevelle steering arms and a rear mounted strut rod kit with heim joints, this really improves the handling by removing the big rubber bushing that GM used. The strut rods bolt to the existing 4 bolt holes left behind once you remove the stock steering pivot, you drill 4 new holes on the drivers side, and simply bolt the adjustment rod to the existing holes in the lower control arm (see photo).

Billet aluminum clamps are used to fasten and index the 76-87 Chevette rack to the tubular crossmember. The crossmember bolts up using the original crossmember bolt holes. Your outer tie rod ends will come from any parts store off of 35 different Dodge,Chrysler,and Plymouth vehicles 84-92 daytona,88-95 grand caravan,87-94 shadow just to name a couple. A part # from napa is: Dana 269-2759 (expensive) & es3008r (economy)

You will hook up the column to the rack via 2 steering knuckles and 1 steering shaft. We used flamming river and Borguson, I say we because my dad's car has this very same conversion on it as well (63).

One of the biggest improvements is that your factory bumpsteer is practically eliminated, it steers easier, it is only 3 1/2 turns lock to lock compared to 4 1/2 turns stock, and the turning radiius is a touch shorter.
You can run any oil pan that you would like as there is no longer anything under the engine. Headers no longer have to be dinged and bent to clear the steering linkage either. We have Hooker Super Comps on dad's car and I have custom headers to match the output of the engine.


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front sump pan
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Here are some updated photos for those who would like to continue using the 6 cyl. as you can see there is plenty of clearance.

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we are working with Hotckis suspension on having a custom sway bar that will work with our conversion. For those who may be interested you will need to contact me by e-mail to be put on the list for the first set of sway bars available.

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Ok everyone we finally nailed down the price for the Church Boys r/p conversion sway bar. We are pleased to be working with Hotchkis Suspensions in making our sway bars. They have actually laid eyes on our set up first hand so that there would be no mistakes in what was needed for fit and total function. Retail on the Church bar by Hotchkis will be 235.00. We will offer a 10% discount for those who pre-order by friday september 12th.
The discounted price will be 211.50. If anyone would like to pre order please call me @ 330-442-7162 or email me at novasteering@aol.com (novasteering@aol.com).

We should be receiving the first shipment in approximatly 4 weeks.

We have received a prototype sway bar from Hotckis, and I mounted it on dad's 63. It looks right at home tucked up and away from everything. A couple of dimensions need to be tweaked so we should be receiving another prototype next week. All bars will be powdercoated black and have all the mounting hardware included.

Sway bar update:

The new bar arrived on Wednesday. It looks awesome accept they forgot to send the hardware with it. They are supposed to overnight the hardware so I should have everything tomorrow and I hope to post some photos for everyone to see.

Well I received the missing hardware for the prototype 1-1/8" swaybar for the Church Boys Racing rack/pinion conversion. I installed the bar and drilled 2 holes in the lip of the frame, one on each side. I honestly can not believe the difference in the handling of the car from as little as 25mph to over 70! It's like the whole front suspension works in unisen now, unbeleivable. It's been a long time since I have driven my car with a swaybar and dad's car never had one, I don't remember any difference with my car when I removed it but, man what a change in the whole car it feels like a newer car going down the road. Well enough of me tripping over myself here are a few pictures of the bar. Now the bars that are sent out will be powdercoated black. In the first picture if you look at the mounting bracket the forward bolt is an existing hole for the radiator core support and the rear bolt must be drilled in the lip of the frame, it was simply done by bolting the bar in place using the existing hole and then drilling thru the hole in the bracket. Notice the zerk fitting for grease!...............................WOW.
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Hi Chuck,
Just have a few questions regarding your conversion which is very impressive by the way. I am still on the fence on whether to keep mine stock steering for originality or going all the way for a better riding and handling car. One of my question is the issue of the manual Chevette rack. I know that they also listed a power rack sometime in the 80-85 models, would i be able to utilize a power rack instead of a manual rack in your conversion? Several years ago i used a power rack in my 67 Nova and used a Fatman Fabrication bracket system, this was way before the tubular a-arms came available:hurray:.
Question #2, from your experience which headers works best for your conversion? I know there's not much to choose from but the headers that you use didn't have to be custom made did they. I'm wanting to use long tube under chassis style and not block huggers or "shorties".
Question # 3, can you order the sway bar uncoated so that we may coat it the color we need?
Looking forward to your reply and thanks for innovating better parts for our dueces.
Jack

Hi Jack, thanks for the comments. Question #1, absolutely you can use the power rack from the chevette. When ordering you have to let me know that you will be using the power and I will supply the proper billet clamps to go with the rack, as there is a difference in one of the clamps. When you get the rack you will have to do a little re-routing of the lines that come with the rack for clearance for the billet clamps once they are bolted up, this is very easy to do.

Question #2, I have not had many different headers on our cars but, I know of none that are an issue. The headers that we have and probably the ones that you would choose are the Hooker Super Comp headers, they are exactly what you describe for your wish list. Everything clears with plenty of room left over.

Question #3, all of the swaybars will be powdercoated black, a complete finished job. However I have not had anyone enquire about this so I guess if you order I could give you the one in the photos above as my dad will want to have the black one on his car. So for anyone interested in the un-coated bar the first person to buy and ask for this option would get it.

I hope this answers everything for you and if not please send me an email or call my cell phone. 330-442-7162

Sorry guys any further discussion should be made via PM with Chuck about his products. Thanks for understanding that this forum was and is intended for noncommercial use. For selling off unneeded items between members.