The Federal pump on our '66 Newport is original to the car, which had over 150K when I parked it years ago. No pump issues, noises, or leaks. That "flex mount" bracket was really neat! Even with the pump sitting cock-eyed (looking like it might fall off), when the steering wheel was turned all the way to one side, at full travel, the pump would lean into the belt, via a torque reaction of sorts.
The problem with that set-up was that people didn't understand how it worked and why the p/s belt appeared "loose". Once, when the car was newer, I sought to get it tightened up and it really didn't work that way. There had to be enough looseness in the base adjustment for the torque reaction to work. I really liked that the belt didn't squall like GM cars tended to do AND that the belt lasted a very long time, being under less stress when max pressure wasn't used. The front seal and bushing would also last longer, without those additional stresses, too.
The service manager at the local Chrysler dealer (who remembered working on Dodge Bros. cars, when he was younger in PA) explained how that system worked, and that they welded-up the brackets for some customers. Knowing how things worked, I declined to do that.
Another mis-understood Chrysler engineering "advance", it seems. Not the first, not the last. FWIW
CBODY67
