Adding power assistance to the steering of a classic MG is one of the most genuinely transformative upgrades available, and the only one that can fundamentally change the daily usability of the car without altering its character on the open road. The original cars were designed for an era of lighter tyres, narrower rims, and a generation of drivers who accepted heavy low-speed effort as part of the experience, but modern tyres are wider, the radial-ply carcass grips far better when stationary, and most owners now use their cars in urban traffic and tight parking situations the rack was never designed for. The power-assisted steering conversion solves this without compromise, reducing perceived steering effort by around 55% when parking, measured at just 4Nm at the steering-wheel nut, while retaining the characteristic road feel at driving speeds that defines the cars, and is widely acclaimed as the most worthwhile single upgrade available.
How the Conversion Works
The conversion uses variable-valve technology so that assistance is applied where it is needed, at parking and low-speed manoeuvring where the effort falls dramatically, while at road speed the assistance is tapered back so the wheel weights up naturally and feels essentially identical to the original, the variable-valve design being critical because a constant-assistance system would make the steering feel numb and disconnected at speed and undermine the high-speed stability and directional precision the cars are known for. Designed and developed in conjunction with an accredited British specialist with a long track record in classic-British power-steering conversions, the kit has been fitted to hundreds of vehicles, is supplied with step-by-step instructions, and is suitable for home garage or professional workshop installation. The conversion does not alter the external appearance of the steering system and is fully reversible, the original components able to be refitted at any time, with power taken from the car's existing 12V supply through a dedicated fused feed.
Application Coverage
The kits are designed and engineered specifically for the MGB, MGC, and MGB GT V8 applications. The MGB kit covers both roadster and GT bodyshells across the full production run, with separate parts for the chrome-bumper and rubber-bumper steering-column and crossmember variants, including provision for the early rear-fill and later centre-fill radiator arrangements and for left-hand-drive cars. The MGC kit accounts for the heavier nose loading of the six-cylinder car, which makes the original MGC steering particularly heavy at parking speeds, the C-series engine being substantially heavier than the MGB's four-cylinder unit and that weight concentrated over the front axle, with the torsion-bar front suspension compounding the effort by providing less self-centring force than the MGB's coil-spring arrangement, so the conversion is widely regarded as the single most worthwhile upgrade an MGC owner can make. The MGB GT V8 kit covers both factory and converted V8 cars where the Rover-derived powerplant sits over the original front crossmember.
The Midget, MGA, MG TD, and TF are not covered by this conversion, as different column geometry and packaging constraints rule it out, while the MGF and MG TF had factory power steering as original equipment.
Installation & Long-Term Use
Installation is typically a one-day workshop fit including the wiring and the secondary fused feed from the battery. On the kits that use a front-crossmember modification, the crossmember requires welding to accept the new rack mounting positions, safety-critical work that must be carried out to a high standard on metal that is clean, straight, and free from significant corrosion, with a welding jig available on loan to ensure correct bracket location, or a pre-modified crossmember available on exchange for owners who prefer not to undertake the welding. The system is calibrated for the original wheel diameter and rack ratio, and if the wheel has been changed for a smaller-diameter aftermarket pattern the assistance level remains correct but the effort at the rim naturally drops as well, while the motor and electronics package is sealed and waterproofed for permanent installation. Over the long term the conversion has proved exceptionally reliable in regular use, and is one of the few classic-car upgrades that becomes more valuable, not less, as urban traffic conditions continue to deteriorate, often the single change that most determines which car gets used on short urban trips and which stays in the garage.
A full installation walkthrough is available on the MGOC YouTube channel for owners wanting to see the conversion completed before committing to the work.