1965 Brake caliper

[Bruce W.]

Hey guys, need to replace front caliper. when looking at CC book they indicate there was an early version and later one. Vin on this car is 111922. Would this be considered an early car for this part?
Bruce

[John R.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

Hi Bruce, the C2 registry indicates you car's estimated birthday was March 2, 1965. I would not consider that early. However, let some others clarify as well.

[John R.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

Correction on the estimated dob, it's March 10, 1965.

[Bill W.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

John,
My '66 (built around June 15 is a late car. That being said, it's calipers were the early design having the black phonic insulators retained by a screw in the center. The second design used beginning in 1967 had a taller piston and no insulator in the top of the piston. By this time (50 years after leaving St. Louis) most if not all '66s have been converted to second design calipers, probably with SS sleeves. My originals crapped out around 1970.
You will be able to tell if yours's are 1st. or 2nd design without taking them apart. Order accordingly. Bill

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

Hey guys, need to replace front caliper. when looking at CC book they indicate there was an early version and later one. Vin on this car is 111922. Would this be considered an early car for this part?
Bruce

Bruce------


I don't know of any "1st" and "2nd" design for calipers for the 1965 model year. All 1965-E67 were equipped with "1st" design calipers. L67 and later were "2nd" design.

[John R.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

I wonder what the CC book actually states, per the original post? Seems to infer some difference between early and late cars.

[Gary C.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

I think this is correct;

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

I think this is correct;

	First Design	Second Design	Third Design
Year	1965 – 1966 & very early 67’s	1967 – 1971 & very early 72	1972 - 1982
Front Inner	5465954	5452270	5473795
Front outer	5465952	5452273	5473796
Rear inner	5465902	5452281	5473806
Rear outer	5465905	5452284	5473807

Gary------


The so-called "third design" is really not significantly different than the second design. Yes, the caliper casting numbers are different, the caliper material different, and various minor nuances of the castings different (primarily because of the different type of cast iron). However, the basic design is the same as second design. The internal parts are exactly the same as second design.

[Bruce W.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

JoeThanks, I will check the numbers
Bruce

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

JoeThanks, I will check the numbers
Bruce

Bruce------


Keep in mind that many 1st design calipers have been converted to 2nd design by caliper rebuilders. This involves machining out the piston guides and installing 2nd design pistons. Externally, of course, the calipers still appear as 1st design but, internally, they are 2nd design. The only way they can be externally discerned is to observe the presence or not of the 1st design piston insulator by peering down on the caliper between the pad and piston. I think this would be virtually impossible to do in a judging environment with wheels installed on the car.

In the early days of caliper rebuilding I think that almost all 1st design calipers going through commercial sleeving/rebuilding were converted to 2nd design. Since the 1st design are obviously the oldest of Corvette calipers, they would likely have been the first to need rebuilding and, thus, would have been included in "the early days of caliper sleeving/rebuilding". By now, I would expect that the vast majority of 1st design calipers have been converted.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

Here's the left rear outer caliper half I removed from my '65 in 1989. Paint inspection marks still evident. pistons are phenolic with center screw.

[Murray S.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

Bruce: check out this link: http://lonestarcaliper.com/p-1176-1965-1966-corvette-brake-caliper-1st-design-with-new-insulator-pistons-set.aspx
They provide correct 1965 calipers and are reasonably priced.
I used them on my 1965 coupe.

Murray

[Gary C.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

I think they also supply the correct bolts with castellated head.

[John L.]

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 Brake caliper

Bruce
Here’s my two cents - I wouldn’t bother using the first caliper design with the troublesome insulators. Even minor corrosion between the piston and insulator or corrosion on the back of pad could crack one of the sixteen insulators. I have a ‘65 and used that first design all the way to 2007. In the early ‘70s I was at the Chevrolet dealer on a regular basis buying piston assemblies or insulator/screw. The second design was used until the end of C3 without those issues and the cars were much heavier - the first design may have been more resistant to heat transfer to brake fluids

John------


2nd design with J-56 also used insulated pistons. The insulators were much thicker than 1st design, though, and the pistons were otherwise 2nd design.