Electric Power Steering Pictures

[rwmastel]

When I reassembled the car during the restoration, I added a center under-dash console, rear stereo speakers, front and rear cameras wired to a monitor in the console, air conditioning with controls and vents in the console, cruise control with the switch pad in the console, a cold start valve manual push button and a circuit for independent driver/passenger courtesy lights on the under-dash cover near the hood release.

I would have just bought a newer car.  The quirky old simplicity of the Pagoda is what makes it fun.  But, to each their own!  I hope you're enjoying your modifications.

[Tomnistuff]

When I retired in 2001, I found that I missed doing automotive engineering so I restored a Ferrari 365 GT 2+2, then, when finished, discovered that it was worth too much to drive it.  A few hours of driving cost a few days of maintenance, repairs and detailing.  I sold it and started on the basket-case Pagoda.  This time I made it a really nice driver with all the modern features.  I followed Jim Villers' philosophy of making everything reversible.  I saved all the old parts. And yes, I love my AC, stereo, Cruise Control, and Cameras (to save the bumper chrome).
Tom Kizer.

[mdsalemi]

Is there a problem with the standard power steering on our Pagodas that I don’t know about?

Last I checked an OEM rebuilt pump is less than $300. Plug and play. That’s less than an oil change on your daily driver new Mercedes at a dealership.

[MikeSimon]

I think this discussion was brought on because of the conversion of a manual steering car to power steering. I don't think that it would make sense to convert from hydraulic p/s to e-p/s - unless you want to convert the whole car to an EV.
The only problem you could have with the hydraulic pump is a shaft seal leak or a lack of performance due to contamination and a sticking flow control valve. When I had the engine out of my 280 in  1987 I still worked for Vickers at the time. I took the pump to work and asked the guy who ran the lab to "rework" it. After testing it, he refused to do anything other than putting a new shaft seal in.

[Tomnistuff]

I was going to try to price out the production system, but after realizing that I would have to pay not only shipping (out here to the boonies, mostly from Europe and the U.S.), then adding in the core charges, since mine is non-P/S. then adding the Quebec sales tax and VAT on internet purchases (another 15%), just that pump without a reservoir and a rebuilt P/S steering gear, the price was already well over $1,000 without installation.  Car parts are getting way too expensive.
Tom Kizer