Was power steering ever available on a 140?

I have a very nice modified 142 that my wife won't drive because it is a bear to park(wide tires and low speed + major effort)

Has anybody retrofitted Power steering to an early 142?

I tried it on a 71 144. All the parts came from a 164.....except I also tried a steering column from a later 140. I did not succeed although I got close to success. The power steering pump, steering box, power steering fluid overflow container and all hoses can be installed without any problem. The steering box bolts right up in place of the existing box. The pump, with appropriate mounting brackets can be mounted in the area reserved for the idler pulley on cars equipped with AC. One problem however is that there is a mounting bolt which goes from the pump bracket into the engine head on the horizontal face of the head. Its almost like having an extra head bolt. Either you must drill and tap a hole in the head, or, modify the bracket with some kind of ear so it mates up with an existing head bolt and use that to hold it in place. That might compromise the force with which that bolt is helping to hold the head in place. The other bracket mounting bolts mate up with existing tapped holes in the engine block. I think there are a total of three bolts to hold this bracket.

Where I actually ran into trouble was with the steering column. I wanted to maintain the sheer off safety feature of the steering column and, there are varying configurations of splined ends and universal shaft or rubber connector setups at the end of the steering column adjacent to the steering box. The 164 steering column is too long. I tried one from a later 140, which was the correct length at the end near the steering box, but then I couldnt install the ancillary stuff which hang on the column and, if I remember correctly, the column was too short at the top end, that is inside the car to mount a steering wheel with sufficient clearance. Ultimately I could not get a satisfactory arrangement. The best option seemed to be the short offset column extension with universal joints at each end and also modifying the 164 steering column. This will involve shortening the column tube, and having a machine shop modify the column itself. It just didnt work out. Also, be mindful that the steering wheel must fit the spline at its end of the column. Lastly, the ignition and key setup and directional signal/flasher arm should attach to the column so that the signal cancelling feature is maintained. Volvo changed the column, the signal/flasher stalk, the steering wheel and the spline when they introduced the dashboard with round heater/AC vents (I think that was 1973). I know it was 1973 for the 164. Then there is the matter of trim to enclose the ignition switch and key as well as the directional stalk. These too changed in 1973 (or maybe it was 1974 for the 140 series. With a little ingenuity, something to overcome this problem can be worked out.

In the end I gave up when I couldnt get a satisfactory steering column setup. It all turned out to be an interesting exercise and I was able to reinstall everything as it was originally.

If you try it and have success, please post how you did it.

I´d guess the 140 steering box was the key to success - did the manual to power steering conversion with o-n-l-y 164 parts on a 145 a few years ago. The 164 steering box was a h**l of a job to get in there, but the rest of the parts?

Took a two-belt water pump pulley of a B27 and converted for the B20 water pump (only light machine work involved). Had to manufacture a pump console for the left side of the engine but hey, this is Sweden and noone has ever seen a PS equipped 140...

This worked out fine but I don´t like the 164 PS on a light car as the 140 (close to four turns between stops). Is the 140 PS more direct?

/Martin

I don't see why you couldn't take the pump, hoses, steering box, and

crankshaft pully off of an early 164 and put it on a 140. The 164

power steering setup is nice -- power assist at low speeds but no

assist at high speeds.

I know of a 164 in a salvage yard; I could pull the pump and other

stuff (The hoses look like they're shot) and see if it looks like it

would mount up to a 140. One thing you might have a problem with is

if the B20 doesn't have the places to mount the pump cast into the

motor. For instance, I don't think my 68 B18 has anything to the left

of the motor for the pump.

chris

I have a complete power steering set up taken from a '74 145 wagon. So, in that model in that year, yes, they made it. Will it fit your car.... my guess is yes, but........??

Leonard

To further amplify on the points made by Leonard. I agree with him that it is likely the steering box will fit. The hoses and overflow container can be mounted in whatever configuration is convenient. Therefore, it seems to me that with a complete setup from a 74 145, there are only two issues to be resolved. One is mounting the pump bracket. First, George Downs suggests using a head from a similar vintage car. Surely this will have the needed threaded hole to mount the pump bracket. The other issue is working out the choice of ignition switch and turn signal stalk attachments to the steering column, and getting the steering wheel and the trim surrounding the steering column figured out. None of this should be insurmountable.

The later B20s had both an ear on the block and an ear

on the head for A/C and P/S mounting. 'Nother good reason

to run a milled later head rather than earlier one.