We just installed Classic Performance Products' new Series 500 steering box in the project Laguna, and it transformed the driving experience.
It’s kind of a shame that we’ll have to wait another three to four months before running the story on our new Classic Performance Products Series 500 steering box, but we have to roll out the project car work in the order that we performed the mods. That said, I can tell you on my daily blog that CPP’s new Series 500 steering box is a godsend to guys who have ’73-77 GM Colonnade A-bodies. Before now, nothing else was out there (as a direct, easy bolt-on) for these “bastard” cars. That problem is solved.
The Series 500 box has a 14:1 ratio, which is moderately quick—the main point being that it’s not so quick as to dart all over the road constantly. One thing I didn’t want was a box that required constant “minding” to go down the road straight. Having said that, this box has a decidedly firmer feel, with a modern spool valve, which I also like. Gone is the loose, disconnected, floaty feel of the OEM box.
The CPP box for the ’73-77 GM A-body is part No. CP50004. The CPP box has a ¾-inch 30-spline input shaft, so you’ll also need to order the correct rag joint from them. The swap is an easy install—we did it in about two hours including the photos. The thing that makes this such an easy bolt-on is that the hose fittings are all SAE flared compression fittings—not the late-model Metric o-ring connectors that other manufacturers force you to convert to. That means your stock steering pump and lines will work too.