Steering box or rack and pinion

Rack,  see this thread about rack and pinion.

Ah! Thanks! 

We had a lengthy discussion on this subject a few years back. DannyP installed one in his Spyder. The rack needed is not a 914 but another make. All of that information is in the archives.

I considered doing one my self but have not. No doubt they are better, but a properly adjusted VW box is very adequate for the Speedster. IMHO

No, he did not install it. Fiberglass work is needed and I just didn't want to start cutting on my completed car.

However, I'd put it in a Spyder in a heartbeat if I was building a new car.

Follow Rick's link, there are a few pictures from Curtissb in there, he did one in a Speedster. The rack is from a European-only VW Polo. Other parts are custom-made.

Just wondering as I have a few r&p laying around and am designing a speedster chassis. (Wider floor/ narrower sills, reduced b pillar behind seats, lowered/ squared center tunnel, center e brake delete,  356 roadster seats....  )

If the rack has a CENTER LOAD, meaning both tie-rods are equal length and you can control the fore-aft and vertical position of the tie-rod pick-up point, then yes.

If the racks are typical with very short tie-rods you will have a very difficult time getting proper Ackerman and bump-steer neutrality with a typical trailing arm beam.

I recently ordered a double wishbone/coil over front suspension with rack & pinion that bolts in place of the VW H beam axle. I am installing it on my Magnum which had a type 1 H beam and steering box. The company that makes this is Red 9 Design and is located in the Netherlands. They take approx. 8-10 weeks to build it and they offer them for any type 1 VW based vehicle. They make a setup for VW vans as well. Mine unit was delivered last week to Special Edition; they are going to install it while they do the Suby conversion later this winter. My suspension is the black one, you can choose the color they use to powder coat it. I will report back to how well it works on my application next year when my car is back on the road. The silver unit is one they offer for RHD mine is LHD of course.

Oh, cool!

@DannyP posted:

No, he did not install it. Fiberglass work is needed and I just didn't want to start cutting on my completed car.

However, I'd put it in a Spyder in a heartbeat if I was building a new car.

Follow Rick's link, there are a few pictures from Curtissb in there, he did one in a Speedster. The rack is from a European-only VW Polo. Other parts are custom-made.

Hey Danny.  I was talking to Greg Leach the other day and he told me VMC is considering using the VW Polo R&P in his pan based speedster.  Have you talked to him about this?

No, but in a Speedster it's almost a direct bolt-in. I'd even leave the factory rag joint in place to make horn wiring a piece of cake.

There is less room in a Spyder, and re-forming fiberglass under the dash is required.

Thanks Danny. Greg should go for it. I’ve always thought the worm gear steering in these cars is a real weak link. Like Bob said there’s really no comparison between worm gear and R&P.

I agree 100% about rack and pinion vs worm gear.  My IM Roadster had worm gear.  I had the chance to drive George Brown's speedster with R&P at Carlisle, and sold the Roadster the next year and bought a speedster with R&P.

The directness of rack and pinion just can't be beat.

Who's Bob?  I thought I was Bob.

@550 Phil posted:

Thanks Danny. Greg should go for it. I’ve always thought the worm gear steering in these cars is a real weak link. Like Bob said there’s really no comparison between worm gear and R&P.

I bought the rack kit from @DannyP several months ago.

I'm on Greg's list for a Spyder with IRS. I believe I'm in the queue right behind Bruce.

I sent VMC some pictures of the Polo rack kit, and some installed pictures. I've offered to send the one I have to them, for prototyping.  Anna told me Greg said to hold off for now, as they are still looking into the feasibility of an A arm front suspension.

Looking at the pictures that Danny posted when he was trial fitting it to his car, putting this into a car while being built doesn't look too difficult. Time will tell.

Hey Bob. It’s funny you said that on another thread and I assumed it was this one. But yes it was you, IM S6 Bob.

Yes Greg told me he was considering A arm front suspension. This will likely take an extended period of time for R&D. If it’s that simple to add the VW Polo R&P he should just offer it now as an option. Customers would be very happy.

@550 Phil posted:

Yes Greg told me he was considering A arm from suspension. This will likely take an extended period of time for R&D. If it’s that simple to add the VW Polo R&P he should just offer it now as an option. Customers would be very happy.

Greg has been working on A arm front for several years now.  He tried a Mendeola a couple of years ago, but they couldn’t get it to fit.  @aircooled would know better than anyone, as he has been waiting quite some time.

Here is my experience installing the Polo R&P: https://www.speedsterowners.co...-rack-is-this?page=2

Don't make me go out there!

@Vintage Motorcars Inc That's a possibility, definitely, maybe?