If you’ve been following our Project Mighty Mouse series, then you know we’re building a stout small-block 327 to go in a 1977 Chevy Nova. While the engine has been the star of the show, it’s time to tackle another crucial aspect of our build: a much-needed Nova steering upgrade. When you’re pushing serious power through a classic chassis, every component needs to be up to the task of managing that muscle. That’s why we’ve turned to Borgeson‘s Street and Performance (P/N 800130) to handle the heavy lifting of the steering system.

The factory steering box, now pushing 47 years old, comes with a relatively lazy 16:1 ratio, and requires four full turns lock-to-lock. While it’s served its purpose admirably, it’s well past its prime. Though not completely worn out, it’s earned retirement to the spare parts shelf – especially considering what we’re planning to throw at this Nova.

Sadly, that isn’t a matte black paint job over it, but in fact, 47 years of grease and oil coating the factory steering box.

The new Borgeson box is a modern marvel that brings some impressive specs to the Nova steering upgrade. The most significant is the quick 12.7:1 steering ratio, resulting in a more responsive two-turn lock-to-lock design. This combination promises more responsive handling and significantly more fun behind the wheel. The quicker ratio means less hand-over-hand wrestling with the wheel and more precise control – exactly what you want when you’re managing a high-powered street machine.

The Borgeson unit also offers a small weight reduction of two pounds – dropping from the factory box’s 34 pounds to a leaner 32 pounds. While that might not sound like much, every pound counts when you’re building a performance car, and the weight savings in the front end is always welcome.