The Datsun 620 was always designed around using manual steering, mainly due to the availability of rear steer rack configurations that matched the geometry constraints of the front suspension. As electronic steering has continued to bleed its way into the performance aftermarket, a few options became available as possible options to integrate on this project. One of those options was DC Electronic’s Microsteer system which uses a column mounted servo in tandem with a control ECU. The ECU is given a vehicle speed input, and the electronic assist can be biased and tapered off with increasing vehicle speed for less assist and more dynamic steering feel at speed.

Integrating the servo under the already developed dash was a design challenge, I had to design in a new mounting structure for the motor and find room for the servo body to live that didn’t conflict with any of the current designs. Finding the room needed, the dash and steering column were modified to accept the steering motor while the ECU had simple mounts designed to clamp onto an unused portion of the dash tubes.

The relatively small steering motor makes a big difference at slow or zero vehicle speed turning, allowing a comfortable amount of assist to turn the wide scrub of the negative offset front wheels and tire.