65 caliper rebuild
Who is the best at installing stainless sleeves on original 65 calipers . ? Whats best lip seals or "O" rings ?
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Bill-------
All 1965 used 1st design calipers with guided pistons. For years most rebuilders converted these to 2nd design when they encountered them. This involves machining out the piston guides, installing sleeves, and installing 2nd design pistons. Most of the major caliper rebuilders can rebuild the 1st design calipers to 1st design standards as reproduction 1st design pistons are now available. These include Stainless Steel Brakes Corporation (New York), Corvette Stainless Steel Brakes, Lonestar Caliper, and Vette Brakes.
If you elect to convert to o-ring type calipers, then you must convert to 2nd design. I don't know of any o-ring type pistons available for 1st design calipers.In Appreciation of John Hinckley -
Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Thanks Joe I didnt know they could put stainless sleeves without removing the piston guide .Comment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Don't know about the other guys , but if I recall ,Lone Star offer them rebuild either way, and all correct numbers .
JimComment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
I just had a master cylinder sleeved by Brake & Equipment Warehouse, Minneapolis, MN (612-378-2768). They were much cheaper even before considering the others "babysitting" fee (to get your original back) and they ship back free. I am VERY satisfied and highly recommend them. Good luck, Don H.Comment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Bill-------
I can tell you, for sure, it can be done. I have two car sets of the 1st design calipers which have been stainless steel sleeved. Mine were done by Ken Carter at Carter's Corvette in Livermore, CA.
These were done quite awhile ago, even before the reproduction pistons were available. However, I have two sets of NOS 1st design pistons [none for sale] which I can use if I ever decide to assemble them.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Bill,
Lonestar will rebuild you're old 1st design calipers and install new pistons with insulators. Nice guys to deal with, they go to most big swap meets. In fact saw them at Bloomington Gold today in Indy.
I actually swapped mine out because one caliper had been changed years ago to a 2nd design. They told me the castings can have large casting numbers or small number, when they put together a set they always match the set to be all the same. They had several sets and we match them up my originals. That was an advantage of getting them at a swap meet. I've heard there are date codes on them, I've never seen a good explanation the date coding system.
I've heard several reports of O-ring seals requiring higher pedal effort than the traditional lip seal. If you have power brakes that may not be as big of an issue, with manual it might be something to consider.
MikeComment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Bill, I have used VBP, Lone Star, and CSSB. All do excellent work and easy to do business with. SteveComment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Thanks guys I will clean mine up and look at the size of the casting numbers . Im not sure if Im sending mine to be rebuilt or buying the rebuilt ones they have . Any one have secret ways of getting stuck bleeders out .Comment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Bill -- here's a couple of shots of the originals off my '65 # 23564. Orange paint dab (also white) were inspection marks, per a TSB. Notice the broken off bleeder on the last pic (front caliper).
Dated Place bolts.JPGL7_7 place.JPG65rearpins-1.JPG1st design pin, clip.jpgFront954Custom.jpgComment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Wayne ,yours look the same as mine except I have not seen that type of pin retainer before . I think the caliper bolts were 1st design only ? Do you know how to date the 1st design ?Comment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
I had a couple of broken bleeders and one broken bolt on my old calipers. I've always heard they charge extra if your cores had issues. When I bought mine from Lone Star a couple years ago at Bloomington Gold, they didn't even look at the old ones. Threw them in the big tote with a bunch of others cores.
MikeComment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Bill -- there was a disc brake guide pin recall notice (reproduced in Restorer, Vol 10 # 1), bulletin issued Feb 1st 1965. Involved 4198 '65 Corvettes. Records indicated that 4137 were corrected. My Nov 6th '65 coupe was one of those missed. Somewhere, I have a few of the earlier design (NO NAILHEAD on either end) just a hole for a retainer clip on BOTH ends (clip used was probably the clothes-pin type that shows in one of my pics, rather than the normal split cotter pin.
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[aside] Hey, did I ever give you the trim tag data on that L78 VIN 14245 that was in Howard's boneyard in Sioux Falls ? So the body must have been there as well, with VIN & trim tags. Found in my notes: I5, S2597, 414AA, 900FF.
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Early caliper cast dates: all 4 calipers (8 halves) off my late 396: Right rear; 5465902 (screw head) 99 (screw head); 5465905 (same screw heads) 96; Left rear .. 902, 119; ...905 96;
Left front: 5465952, 153; ...954, 155; Right front: ...952, 147; ....954, 130.
So an overall date spread of 59 days (155-96) or 2 months, late March to early May, with the rears grouped within 23 days and the fronts grouped within 25 days.
This on a car produced 2nd August 1965.Comment
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Re: 65 caliper rebuild
Gene------
These are special bolts that are called PLACE BOLTS. The configuration of the head is to provide some sort of locking functionality and has nothing whatsoever to do with designating bolt strength (although I believe that most, if not all, place bolts are SAE grade 8).
These bolts were used on all 1st design calipers. For 2nd design calipers standard hex head bolts were used without lockwashers. I guess that Delco-Moraine must have decided that no locking functionality was really required for the caliper half clamp bolts.
Place bolts can still be purchased but not through GM. However, head designs may be slightly different than the ones pictured here.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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