Master Cylinder

[Allan Christie]

I have a 64 convertible. I was on e-bay looking at a 64 NOS master cylinder. The master cylinder was complete with original box. The master cylinder looked like it was unpainted cast iron for non-brake booster car (which mine is). The master cylinder had a white inspection mark on it. The seller said it has never been on a car.

I am an automotive technician by trade. On the cars that I work on, I see these marks as inspection marks when the cars are inspected after completion (for tightened bolts, etc) The seller e-mailed me back saying that this inspection mark is put on by the factory, before installation on a car.

Is this fact correct? In my restoration kit (paint, chalk markings, frame stencil) I believe it did not have any marks for the 1964 master cylinder. It did have all the other marks, for example: spindle, driveline, axles. Why did it not have it for the master cylinder?

Thank you very much.

Allan Christie
#35010

[Joe L.]

Re: Master Cylinder

Allan-----

The original master cylinder used on your 1964 was a master cylinder of Delco-Moraine manufacture and of GM casting #5464264. If the master cylinder which is for sale carries that casting number, it should be an original master cylinder. The PART number, found only on the box, may be GM #5464275. However, other part numbers may have been used that I can't determine at the moment.

Inspection marks of the type that you describe are commonly found on GM parts. Usually, these marks are inspection marks placed on the part at the time of manufacture to signify that some sort of checking or inspection procedure had been performed on the part before shipment from tha manufacturing plant. Sometimes, several inspection marks of different colors will be found signifying the completion of several different inspections.

Although the practice is more common today in vehicle assembly plants, in days of yore at the St. Louis Corvette assembly plant, I don't think that too many inspection marks were placed on the cars to signify completion of tasks like bolt tightening, etc.