1971 351C Power Steering

[Regus]

I'm in the process of putting a 1971 convertible together after sheet metal work and painting.  Does the power steering require a fluid cooler?  Pictures of the factory cooler looks awkward and is attached with a long hose secured on the A/C compressor. Is there a better looking option or location?  

 

[Gregaust]

No it does not for normal use 

 

[Stanglover]

The cooler is not necessary on a stock car and normal driving. The 71 only had the long top HP hose. No-one seems to know the exact reason for it, but it was dropped for 72/73. You can use a short hose on the 71. On the subject of the Saginaw 800 type PS box used on our cars, there has been much written and if you "search", you'll find most of your answers to you questions. If not ask away.

All the best with it.

 

[jpaz]

My 72 Mach 1 Q code came from the factory with the long hose and cooler. 

 

 

[secluff]

Through the years I've heard several reasons for the long hose. The two most prevalent is the extra length was used to allow additional fluid in the system for cooling, the second being that the length was used for pulse dampening. My '71 M code Mach1 has AC with a radiator style PS cooler mounted to the compressor and the long pressure hose. I have also seen cars equipped identically to mine without the AC compressor mounted cooler. With the combination of a rubber pressure hose with a foam wrap, I'm not sure how much actual cooling was accomplished. The pulse dampening story.....who knows?! 
The long hose was used until 5/1/72 when a pressure hose approximately half the length of the previous hose was used. I've driven with both versions of the hose on my '71 and noticed no difference in how the car drove. I'm presently running the after 5/1/72 pressure hose.
 To me, it just looks a little cleaner under the hood without that extra hose mounted to the shock tower brace.
 

 

[ponypastor]

As Stanglover correctly noted,  normal driving did not require the extra power steering cooler.

But with a high winding 429 SCJ, built for the drag strip, I have to use type F transmission fluid in the power steering system (due to the anti-boiling ingredients in it) as well as the longer hose and PS cooler. The 429 SCJ puts out so much heat that the PS fluid can boil over without the extra cooling devices. 

 

[Stanglover]

Just to clarify my response. I ought to have mentioned the long hose was used up to May 1st of 72 as Steve describes. Also as Ponypastor correctly mentions, our factory PS systems use Ford type F transmission fluid and that is important to remember. 

Then there is the foam wrap on the long hose. I believe that is only for vibration (banging) and ware against the shock tower brace, I can't think of any other logical reason. The one seen in my picture is on a so-called "Concours" PS hose, the foam is barely long enough to contact the brace. Not a lot of good that does!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I would for sure put a cooler back on. If you live where I do the roads are like a snake. In fact this area is known for the curviest road in the U.S.A. SCCA has a hill climb there in the fall The Tail of the Dragon. It is an 11 mile stretch of road with no other roads coming in and no driveways. There are 318 curves in that 11 mile run. People come from all over to ride their motorcycles on the road. They have a sculpture made of crashed motorcycle parts. Here is link lots events planned. https://tailofthedragon.com/
I went with a friend in her Honda to Franklin, N.C. and we came back on Hwy. 64 where part of the old movie Thunder Road was filmed. I was driving and taking the curves pretty good and light came on in dash. Got the manual out and the electric power steering had overheated, lol. So not just a issue with fluid getting hot even without if you have curves gets hot.
I even took my automatic transmission cooling line out of the radiator and put a stand alone transmission cooler with fan. The fluid is barely warm when it goes back to transmission.
Here are some pictures of it. I did not have to drill any holes used fasteners that Ford had there and just made my own brackets to mount it. Sure helps eliminate the extra cooling the radiator had to do and keeps the transmission way cooler.
 

 

[Regus]

Thanks to all for the great photo's, expert info and advice. Really a big help