Eventually got round to making more progress on the power steering installation. After a couple of trial fits in the car and lots of measurements I am now very happy with the position of the column. The top left picture shows the replacement cross member – this replaces the GD cross member due to structural and geometry requirements. as well as substantially beefing up the mounting bar and the side fixing plates it has to lie in a slightly different position to accommodate the power steering. I chose to mount the power steering to a top hung bracket so the columns collapse mechanism can operate as intended in the Oem installations (hope i never get to test that out though)!
Once installed everything fits very well and the wheel position falls in the correct place.
only just fits in – but im happy with “Only Just”. Notice the little bracket on the square section bar with two holes – these will take further reinforcement straps fixed down the side of the body tunnel adding even more rigidity to counteract the torque of the motorised column.
New wiper motor mount cradle required. and new demister vent fabrication to allow for glovebox.
The column on the engine bay side. A new bracket will be fabricated to fasten directly to the body at this corner location Rather than fasten it to the GD chasis. This should work well since it means the uppermost column is attached entirely to the body, with the lower part of the of the column attached to the chassis. The next section of column incorporates a splined slip joint, so small movements between body and chassis will be taken up in this joint.
Final Check that wheel sits nice and square to the car and approx 120mm back from the A post shutline.
Marks Cobra Build 
Hi Mark, great to see this blog, I’ve recently taken delivery of a gd body shell and a few boxes of bits ! I have been doing simple stuff so far but need to get to grips with the power steering so would be interested in a bit more info on the reworking of the corsa column and the new crossmember to support it – I’m in Preston – are you east cost or west coast ?
Simon
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Hi Simon
I am in Nort East of UK – We worked collaboratively with Canems and got it all hooked up with ECU so works absolutely as if it was a factory fit – you can even re-program the map , we had it set from the beginning to be 100% at 1mph tapering to zero at 16mph and that seems to be great, never felt the need to change it.
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