1956 Rear Brake Cylinders

[Sheldon S.]

I adjust cleaning up what I believe to be the original Brake cylinders on my car. The front ones match the casting numbers in the Judging manual, the back ones are also the Delco Moraine cylinders but the castings are 5450649 which is the actual part number without the -37 or -31 identifying right and left. Hoping Joe will comment on this configuration. It is a very early 56, serial 282.

Sheldon
Thanks

[Joe L.]

Re: 1956 Rear Brake Cylinders

I adjust cleaning up what I believe to be the original Brake cylinders on my car. The front ones match the casting numbers in the Judging manual, the back ones are also the Delco Moraine cylinders but the castings are 5450649 which is the actual part number without the -37 or -31 identifying right and left. Hoping Joe will comment on this configuration. It is a very early 56, serial 282.

Sheldon
Thanks

Sheldon------


According to GM, the 5450649 CASTING number should have had the -37 and -31 suffixes for left and right. However, that does not mean that all actually did. Regardless of whether the suffixes were present, the PART numbers of the left and right cylinders were different as the cylinders are not the same. These same cylinders were also used on 1955-58 full size Chevrolets and 1/2 ton pick-up trucks as well as 1956-58 Corvettes.

[Mike E.]

Re: 1956 Rear Brake Cylinders

Sheldon------


According to GM, the 5450649 CASTING number should have had the -37 and -31 suffixes for left and right. However, that does not mean that all actually did. Regardless of whether the suffixes were present, the PART numbers of the left and right cylinders were different as the cylinders are not the same. These same cylinders were also used on 1955-58 full size Chevrolets and 1/2 ton pick-up trucks as well as 1956-58 Corvettes.

FWIW, 649 rears were used all the way through 1962.

[Sheldon S.]

Re: 1956 Rear Brake Cylinders

Thanks for the information Joe and Mike. What is th process for having items either added to or corrected in the judging manual when you find things that don,t match what it says. I have discovered that the knuckle supports for the 56 is actually using the 49-52 passenger car ones which joe looked up for me. I have been contacting other 56 owners and seeing what are on there cars. So far I have several in the early part of 56 production that used this support and am trying to find how far into the production before they were changed. The brake cylinders might be another item, they are not visible but is nice knowing what was there originally.

thanks again
Sheldon