I am slowly, really slowly, building a Hemi for my 70 Chall.
Am now debating whether or not I should run manual or power
steering.
So, looking for feedback on how fun (how much work, that is)
these cars really are to drive around with manual steering
and an all-iron Hemi. Car will have a clutch and 4-speed.

You want P.S.The header and PS box are really close but it doesn't matter.

Have you considered and electric assist?
https://epasperformance.com/products/mopar-e-body
The price is high at $1500 but it's a no mess solution. No pump, no lines, no leaks. No pulley alignment issues. You keep the small manual steering box or if you have a coil-over conversion, you can buy a rack and pinion that has the E-Assist built in. I'm sure that the price will come down as competitors enter the market. I just finished a Hemi build for my E-Body ... I'm tired of doing the Popeye forearm thing as I jockey into parking spaces at the car shows. Plus, I like the idea of a system that only uses power when you are actually steering although, I suppose that the E system has some constant current draw.

I run an all iron hemi with a stock 24:1 manual steering box. My hemi is megablock based so its near 800 lbs. I don't think its that bad. (F60-15 tires, TF727).

'68 Hemi 4-spd Roadrunner, no options except the drivetrain. 265/50R15s on 15x8s front. Pretty fair effort if parallel parking, but no issues any other time, and I'm a skinny guy. By the same token, it's not a daily driver or canyon carver; for that kind of duty PS would probably be easier to live with.

I run a BB wedge Challenger and appreciate the PS. Faster ratio and less effort. With a Firm Feel box and good alignment settings "feel" is good and a pleasure to drive. I do run HSAX occasionally and I like the PS on the track. Regular racers run PS also. Faster and easier steering helps track times.

firm feel ps for sure

Power steering is the way to go if you have a 4 speed

OK, thanks much guys.
I kinda thought with the 4-spd it would be easier.
Although, there's just no dang room down in there........
I have an old but new set of JR headers, 2" primary, have
not done a mock-up yet.
Going to put the battery in the trunk for sure.

The battery will really help.

Why add weight and the power robbing pump onto your car
I've driven a lot of different OEM Hemi cars back in the day, power steering wasn't wanted or needed back then with stock front tires and rims
I use to help a couple(Steve and Linda Meyers, Pink Panther NHRA stocker) back in the early 1970s who had a 1969 GTX with a 440 motor in it with power steering, she was a street racer who loved to street race (5 ft. 4 inches tall that weighed less than 105 Lbs. dressed), she got tickets and her boyfriend said he would pay for the car to be converted to drag racing only so she would stop street racing it.
I swapped heads and cam and then later swapped a 1968 street hemi motor into it and removed the power steering, she never complained about the lack of power steering We did put skinny lightweight front tires and rims on it also
I did the same thing to a 1970 Baracuda with a 4 speed in it, I later sold it to a kid in Santa Monica, CA who ended up street racing it on Mulholland Drive in the Santa Monica MTNS between L.A. and the San Fernando Valley after he added wider rims and tires all around I told him he was crazy to road race that car in the mountains and canyons with so much nose weight on it after he told me what he was doing with my old drag car He ended up finding and buying a original T/A Challenger for $300.00 and never looked back

Hello Cab,
This is why I love this forum !
I'm putting 14x8 zero offset wheels on the front (G60-14 tires).
I really don't plan on any radical canyon carving, but it does
seem like it would be a little easier to drive with one hand
on the wheel and one hand on the shifter, if I use power assist.
Believe me, I would prefer to eliminate as much stuff as I
could from the engine bay !