1973 Mustang – Project SportsRoof – Power Steering Fluid Cooler

Thanks for checking back on the 1973 Mustang #ProjectSportsRoof.

The power steering cooler is pictured below.  It’s pretty ugly even when cleaned up.

Keeping the Power Steering fluid cool!!

Non-A/C car power steering fluid cooler

Here is a little info from a fellow Mustang owner.

Steering coolers were an option from what I understand. My A/C car did not come with a cooler. I added one to my car later as it was just a simple bolt on.

Originally the extra long return line for the power steering box was U’d on top of the drivers side cowl brace that acted as a primitive cooler before returning back to the pump.

Someone told me that the ‘competition suspension’ option included the variable ratio power steering box and included the power steering cooler. However I have seen cars with the competition suspension option that did not have coolers. The owners claimed it never had one.

There are 2 different coolers one designed to be bolted on A/C cars over the compressor and the one designed for cars without A/C.

Ford had a revision to the return line in later cars, originally the return line was U’d on top of the drivers cowl brace then later they shortened the return line and just left it next to the high pressure line going to the box.

For the variable power steering box there was another power steering pump that had a different tag on it. HBA-CG was used with the variable box and HBA-CF was used with the standard box, nobody knows if the pumps are in fact different or not internally.The variable box was tagged SPA-T or SPA-V. The normal box was SPA-S and SPA-U.

I have a 72 H code originally with a FMX, A/C car, no competition suspension.

As for requiring a different pump, no, not that I am aware of I use standard power steering pump with the cooler, works fine.

Typical hose layouts for the coolers

Power Steering Fluid Coolers Diagrams

I’ve seen a with the cooler painted or powder coated. However, that would severely hamper it’s ability to cool the fluid. They do look better.

Here is the example in an A/C car – unpainted.

Another Mustang owner recommended spraying the cooler with black radiator paint.  That should do the trick.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

#ProjectSportsRoof