The Bishops Steering Box Problems

[Gene Gillam]

Ian wrote:

> It's just that the original steering set up is such a poor design, even by the standards of the day, that I cannot believe that the fitment of a steering box alone can really make that much difference.

Ian, When I bought my TC it had the original Bishop s Cam steering box. The first time I drove it I was scared to death I was going to run off the road or into oncoming traffic, so I took it off the road and made all the modifications suggested in the Sacred Octagon (and elsewhere) to make the steering more accurate. Granted, I didn t have the box refurbished by Phil Marino but I don t imagine that many people have. When I next tried it the steering was marginally improved I wasn t sawing the wheel to keep the car going straight but I was still uncomfortable driving in traffic. Maybe I m too attuned to the feel of modern steering systems, I don t know. What I did knew though was if I were going to drive the TC like I wanted to I had to do something about the steering. Thankfully I read TC s Forever, learned about the Datsun modification, and found Skip Kelsey on the internet. From what you wrote I don t believe you ve ever tried a TC with this modification. IMO it still looks like a TC, sounds like a TC, grinds gears like a TC, and if you re not careful, will run off the road like a TC with a Bishops Cam steering box. Where did the character go is what I want to know? Heck, try it, you might like it for that matter if you re ever in Mississippi I ll let you drive mine (but be careful you might be a *convert*). BTW, the first TC I owned was in 1967 when I was in the Navy stationed in Scotland to be honest I don t know whether it was the lager or the steering but something made me drive my little car off the road and into a stone fence if it happens again I ll know it was the lager. Gene

[C Sherriff]

Message text written by Gene Gillam

>>The D****N box is only for those who quest after the hope of better

steering.

[LuckyFloridaLin@aol.com]

Dear Peter; Many thanks a few thousand times. Gene Gillam will be kind enough to lend me his ,in time for the Big GOF Shew in Sebring W/E 12 Apr. Truly appreciate your kind offer. Hard to believe it ,but Badger and I went to the very first GOF in Laconia, NH and I am really looking forward to this meeting at the world famous Sebring, Florida. Tempus Fugit- Thom Collins

[LuckyFloridaLin@aol.com]

Dear Ian; My feet are firmly implanted in Mid Air. Gene Gillam is lending me his original unit with the Thompkins Mod. Should be interesting,because I can understand, for the first time, what such a unit feels like. I did drive Gene's Datsun equipped TC and was overwhelmed." Twas like driving with Power Steering. Lot of my problems come from too little use by the previous owner. Use them or loose them! Thom Collins Now Flying Low and Slow

[AJChalmers@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/22/02 5:57:11 AM Pacific Standard Time, i.thomson@talk21.com writes:

The steering, when it is_all_setup as original with no slop and all angles correct from the wheels and suspension back to the driver is adequate - and is very much an integral part of the character of the car (without wandering all over the road)

Again my dears, I will throw out my experience to remind you that it is not just the vague and direction challenged steering that you should worry about. The top of my sector shaft twisted off on Page Mill Road (San Francisco area folks will know this lovely twisty road) during spirited driving several years ago. I had a Marino box and correctly set up front end but that fifty year old shaft just gave it up. If you are going to keep that Bishop box, take it apart regularly and crack check it.

[i.thomson@talk21.com]

Amen to that - and the drop arm and stub axles.

> In a message dated 2/22/02 5:57:11 AM Pacific Standard Time, > i.thomson@talk21.com writes: > > > > The steering, when it is_all_setup as original with no slop and all angles > > correct from the wheels and suspension back to the driver is adequate - and > > is very much an integral part of the character of the car (without > > wandering all over the road) > > Again my dears, I will throw out my experience to remind you that it is not > just the vague and direction challenged steering that you should worry about. > The top of my sector shaft twisted off on Page Mill Road (San Francisco area > folks will know this lovely twisty road) during spirited driving several > years ago. I had a Marino box and correctly set up front end but that fifty > year old shaft just gave it up. If you are going to keep that Bishop box, > take it apart regularly and crack check it.

--- talk21 your FREE portable and private address on the net at http://www.talk21.com

[AJChalmers@aol.com]

regarding the twisted off sector shaft: I was extremely fortunate that I was coming into a sharp uphill turn when it let go. I braked to a stop and, after determining where the problem lay, rolled carefully down the hill, kicking the tires to turn it, out of the way of traffic. My main reason for appending my first email is to point out that I ignored a glaring warning sign: the steering wheel in the straight position had gotten a little off. Obviously, the danged sector shaft was telling me something. In any car, if you notice the wheel has moved off its usual position LOOK FOR THE REASON!

[Graham Knight]

Dear All, I too had the top of the sector shaft begin to come adrift. This was when I was using a (then?) common modification of a bolt through the cover bearing on the end of the shaft. I decided, after the event, that the shafts were never built to stand this treatment having been designed with the notion that the whole cover would take the upthrust - most especially just above the peg. I got quite an improvement from my BC box after grinding the bearing surface of the cover really flat and playing with shims. Graham