Hello!! Caddy 16v with PAS!!!

Hello everyone!!

I recently signed up, and asked about 16v and PAS into a Mk1/Caddy…. well, am half way! I am doing the job for an elderly gent near my work, the caddy is a K reg Sport that came with factory 1800 injection running gear… well it seems a 70 year old will want more power too! So, he promptly bought a Helios Blue 16v 3 door (all body bits for sale, also some et25 15" alloys!!) for ?500, I have removed the engine, got a Ashley conversion manifold, rebuilt the engine and new clutch etc etc, used 16v box, and the best bit? POWER STEERING!!  Following a couple of threads on here, we got a 1990 Nissan Bluebird power rack, made some new 'horseshoe' clamps for it, a couple of spacers to sit between the bulkhead and the rack (25mm thick steel, welded in place) and cut/welded Nissan UJ onto column shaft, made brackets for rod linkage, but so far, so good!!! I have NOT finished yet, but heading the right way so far!  Some pics for you all…… and yes I know its a lousy colour, but he is a) mad and b) loaded! so if you have enough money to not care about taste, who cares????










just a bit of plumbing wiring, exhaust etc etc etc then might be there!!

Good work - more details on the power steering

How are you sure the column welds are not gonna break?

Is the rack centred?  When you welded the linkage bracket on the rack how did you ensure the internals wern't damaged.

Please dont take the q's above as criticism - they're not - just would like to get more info

Cheers

Rich

okey dokey….


well I slotted the shaft for the UJ, bolted it (clamped up nice and tight) ten turned the welder up, nice deep welds, dont think will have any probs with the welds, the slot is nice and deep, with the bolt through loosely the uj wouldnt spin on the coloumn either. The rack, well after every small weld, it was blown cold with airline and had wet rags on the rack surround the work area to soak the heat, the linkage isnt a major stress point, the welds are small stiches and the brackets not very heavy or thick. if the linksge falls apart I'm not that fussed just re-think it. If it all works the owner will be fabricating a bolt on two piece bracket that can be replicated easily for other people to use. On the centering, its a 3 turn lock to lock rack, just had it at 1.5 turns, and coupled the column up in dead ahead, the rack sits 3mm offset to the left from our measurements, so pretty confident that offset can be taken up in track rods etc. The guy who owns it is a retired engineer and he made the U clamps and has seen the work, he's happy, I'm happy and I think it (hopefully) will all come together!! The rack has no visible part numbers so not sure if I could tell you if its genuine Nissan or not, but apparently was a low mileage accident damaged car. Oh, and I have a 3 foot Snap-on breaker bar, and couldnt move the rack!!!

Alright boss, good to see this all coming together!  Have read the threads on Ed38  :mrgreen:

That's sounds great work and should be a great conversion.  Looking forward to seeing more progress. You going to use a mk2 pump on it?