NHTSA Complaint #10671829 — 1968 CHEVROLET CAMARO

I'M RESTO-MODDING A 1968 CAMARO. I HAD A SHOP REPLACE THE ORIGINAL POWER STEERING BOX (RECIRCULATING BALL STEERING GEAR) WITH A NEW ONE FROM CLASSIC PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS (CPP). THEIR WEB SITE WOULD LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE THEY MAKE EVERYTHING LOCALLY BUT THEY FINALLY ADMITTED THEIR 400 SERIES STEERING BOXES ARE MANUFACTURED OVERSEAS. I HAD A CERTIFIED MECHANIC DO ALL THE WORK AND HE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THE INSTALLATION. FROM DAY ONE, THE BOX DID NOT PERFORM TO ANYONE'S EXPECTATIONS. AT IDLE, IT PROVIDED NO POWER ASSIST AT ALL. EVENTUALLY IT BEGAN TO STICK WHEN TURNING A CORNER AND FINALLY IT FAILED ALL TOGETHER RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE. WHEN IT FAILED, IT WAS AS IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE STEERING BOX. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE INTERNALS OF THE BOX AFTER IT FAILED AND THE MECHANIC ADMITTED HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. THE BOX WAS SENT BACK TO CPP AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH ANOTHER 400 SERIES BOX WHICH IS ALSO NOT PERFORMING CORRECTLY. SOME OF THE STEEL BALLS WERE ELONGATED AND SOME WERE FLATTENED WHICH WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF THEY WERE MADE FROM HIGH GRADE HARDENED STEEL - THE KIND USA MANUFACTURERS TELL ME THEY USE. ACCORDING TO CUSTOMER COMMENTS ON THEIR WEB SITE, I AM NOT THE ONLY CONSUMER WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS BOX. THEIR ENGINEERING DEPT. EVEN OFFERS A WORK AROUND FOR SOME OF THE PROBLEMS SO I BELIEVE THEY ARE AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS YET THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THE PRODUCT. I HESITATE TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE EXPRESSWAY AT 60 MPH. I DO NOT KNOW IF CPP AS A COMPANY IS ACTING IRRESPONSIBLY BUT I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE SOME HELP PREVENTING ANY MORE OF THESE BOXES BEING SOLD UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FULLY RESOLVED. ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE OF THEIR BOXES SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE. *TR