Borgeson for the Black Sabbath. (68 Charger)

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Time to install the Borgeson unit in my 68 Charger.

My car has the full package of subframes, ias shocks, hotchkis front and rear set, boxed lcas etc etc
....and a FF st3 box.
It ran like a gocart, the most enjoyable car I has ever driven.
....but then my federal pump died, changed to saginaw and different oil, then my FF box started to develop a huge slop at center...

Wanting to get back to that solid feeling that the car had before, I got myself a Borgeson kit. I also got the mopar oil cooler (Very expensive but sits compact on the pump, just like I want it.)

I have removed my power steering unit before and it was a hassle bending against the headers, denting the oil pickup tube etc.
This time the battery is in the trunk and all bolts has been replaced so they are easy to get loose. Lots more fun to tinker with the car now.

This time I will take my time and with a coffee work slowly and thought through, starting now with loosening the headers and removing the pump.
And also reading through Kerns great thread about the subject:
Swapping a Borgeson steering box in a 1970 Charger

At the same time I will install my schumacher torque strap thats been on the shelf for a year.

More to come....

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

I dont have the biggest headers but still they hit the box. Had to put a dent in them to clear.
A huge thing for me with the Borgeson box is that it is smaller. It will be super nice to just put on the headers without having to raise the engine and bend and curse.
Removing them earlier to weld in lambda sensor bungs was a nightmare.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Removed the steering column, not so tricky to do by yourself if you go slow.

But one of the fasteners at the firewall broke off, so I guess some welding needs to be done.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

I have a FF sector support installed that I want to use, lets see if the Borgeson sits in the same location as the original box.

Though first a big hurdle, the Borgeson does not have the same thread size as the original box, so now the very custom nut for the sector support does not fit....

 

[WileERobby]

Ooh... I thought this was about

. My favorite BS album.

 

[Kern Dog]

The sector support isn't needed with the Borgeson.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

The sector support isn't needed with the Borgeson.

Im going to try to put it back, just for a piece of mind of all the time and money spent on it. Got some replies now that could fabricate a new nut.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Removing the pulley from the old pump and putting it back on an newly restored pump (With one shim added.)
I clamp the pulley carefully in a vise with a very spongy plastic, then torque it to 45 foot pounds according to the book.

 

[Kern Dog]

Peter Bergman suggested NO shims in the pump based on the belief that the Borgeson should get maximum pressure.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Peter Bergman suggested NO shims in the pump based on the belief that the Borgeson should get maximum pressure.

Ok? I got the reply from him that one shim was it. I will test. I am also thinking to build some sort of pressure gauge I can put in line between the pump and box and see what pressure I am at. Just a temp one when checking in the garage.
Borgesson wanted 1200 psi, right?

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Test fitting the 70s oil cooler. Very nice fit.
Huge thanks to Bob over at Glen-ray radiators for the cooler and especially that he bought the correct pump housing on Ebay for me when the seller didnt want to send overseas.

The outlets though dont really line up, lets see if I can fix it so I dont loose sleep over strange lines.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Some massaging and we got a better curve that results in a nice tube inbetween.

 

[ckessel]

Make sure the hose you are using is either p/s rated or oil cooler rated. Regular fuel line is not the stuff to use.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

The bolts for the steering box are quite easy to get to. The two innermost ones from under the car and the one close to the fender can be reached from above with a long ratchet.

Then rotate the header up and backwards to clear the box.
Then the box can be rotated forward and lifted straight up from the engine bay.
....damn the original box is heavy...

 

[Turbobus]

Time to install the Borgeson unit in my 68 Charger.

My car has the full package of subframes, ias shocks, hotchkis front and rear set, boxed lcas etc etc
....and a FF st3 box.
It ran like a gocart, the most enjoyable car I has ever driven.
....but then my federal pump died, changed to saginaw and different oil, then my FF box started to develop a huge slop at center...

Wanting to get back to that solid feeling that the car had before, I got myself a Borgeson kit. I also got the mopar oil cooler (Very expensive but sits compact on the pump, just like I want it.)

I have removed my power steering unit before and it was a hassle bending against the headers, denting the oil pickup tube etc.
This time the battery is in the trunk and all bolts has been replaced so they are easy to get loose. Lots more fun to tinker with the car now.

This time I will take my time and with a coffee work slowly and thought through, starting now with loosening the headers and removing the pump.
And also reading through Kerns great thread about the subject:
Swapping a Borgeson steering box in a 1970 Charger

At the same time I will install my schumacher torque strap thats been on the shelf for a year.

More to come....

View attachment 1528977

View attachment 1528978

I bought a borg

The bolts for the steering box are quite easy to get to. The two innermost ones from under the car and the one close to the fender can be reached from above with a long ratchet.

Then rotate the header up and backwards to clear the box.
Then the box can be rotated forward and lifted straight up from the engine bay.
....damn the original box is heavy...



View attachment 1530742

View attachment 1530744

View attachment 1530745

View attachment 1530746

Will be interested in how you liked the kit when it’s installed and running. I bought a Borgeson kit and it worked until it got hot, tried two other pumps, same problem. Looking into a cooler as the next step.

 

[Kern Dog]

I already had an inline fluid cooler in my car. I put it in 20 years ago when the stock P/S box would cook the fluid on hot days.
I just did a Borgeson swap in a 68 Plymouth that had no cooler. It drove fine without one but I didn't drive it too hard. To me, the cooler is cheap insurance. A hot day and aggressive driving surely heats up the fluid.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Make sure the hose you are using is either p/s rated or oil cooler rated. Regular fuel line is not the stuff to use.

Thanks for the reminder ckessel.

I had nice brand new hoses, but when I checked the longer end from where that short piece came from it clearly said "FUEL".

A trip down to the awesome hose store "hose-service" in my town and I had a high quality hose for oil. You can really feel how "sticky" it is compared to the fuel hose. (Oil hose on top in pic)

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

A pic of the two boxes next to each other.
By measuring to the tap for the pitman arm the two boxes seems to be at the same location, so my sector support should bolt right in. (I hope)

I also did marks in the car and measured, so will see how far off the Borgeson steering tap is from the original

 

[Joske2]

I have a FF sector support installed that I want to use, lets see if the Borgeson sits in the same location as the original box.

Though first a big hurdle, the Borgeson does not have the same thread size as the original box, so now the very custom nut for the sector support does not fit....

View attachment 1529283

View attachment 1529284

I have made the nut for the sector support to a borgeson unit.
i think i have 2 or 3 left.

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Test fitting the Borgeson and coupler shows why the Borgeson coupler is longer.
When attached all the way to the box the Borgeson sits at the exact same distance from the firewall.

I had planned to cut it to make my locking clamp fit but that is a no go now.
Guess I have to follow Kern and make my own clamp. (The clamp is awesome and I thought it was cool when I noticed it was an original service item.)