Is a manual rack&pinion a good choice?

[GNon18s]

Is a manual rack & pinion a good choice for a "Pro-touring"/Street car? My car is an 87' g-body, I know the drag race guys are using a manual rack from TRZmotorsports but I wasn't sure if anybody runs a setup like this on a car that handles. I like the light-weight and simplicity of the manual rack&pinion.

[vette427-sbc]

I run a manual rack on my car- 2.5 turns lock to lock. I love it. Its really not too bad parallel parking, and as soon as you get moving it is fine.
A lot depends on how your car is set up though... A lot of caster, front end weight, and wide sticky front tires will make a manual steering car more unpleasant to drive at slow speeds

[JRouche]

I have a MII front with an inexpensive TRW rack. I like it. And like Chris said, all those concerns are something to think about.

I have a light 62 nova. Smallish 235/45/17 tires and about 5.5 degrees of caster.

And like he said, once you are used to driving a manual steered car you kinda unconsciously make tight parking lot turns when you are rolling. And it doesnt take any speed. Any amount of rolling make it a one handed steering event.

Why go with a manual rack instead of a power unit? For me it is really simple, COST. If I had the money YES, I would go with a power assisted unit. Im getting old and lazy (ok, always been lazy). Id love to have a power rack and pinion steering unit in my car. Hint, hint. If you have the money??? JR

[klean63]

I'd go with power steering if at all possible, you can always dial back the pressure to make it not as soft.

I have a non-power rack in my 63 Nova and while it's fine for just crusing around it eneded up being the wrong descission for auto-crossing

Not having power steering cost Mary Pozzi (in her estimation) about 2 seconds in the autocross portion of the 2011 Super Chevy Suspension and Handling Challenge while driving my 63 Nova.

Take a minute to read the "Drivers Impression - Autocross Course" in this link, its what Mary wrote about my car. You'll notice the biggest and only complaint was the lack of power steering http://www.superchevy.com/features/nova/sucp_1102_church_boy_racing_1963_chevrolet_nova_ss/index.html