Beemon

The springs should be the same for both shoes.

Interesting. I'm going to have to drop the pan to replace the timing cover and check the timing chain some time before August, so if I find one before then maybe I'll try it out. Matt, please report back if the holes are still there for the tray.

Dot 3/4 and Dot 5 fluid are not the same chemical composition and are not compatible. If reusing any hydraulic components, do not use dot 5. If everything is new, use dot 5 or dot 4 (higher boiling point than dot 3). Once you pick, you have to stick with it unless you want swelling/shrinking rubber cups in the wheel cylinders and master cylinder.

When I did my rear main seal in my 56 322, there wasn't a windage tray. I didn't even know they existed. What year 322s came with windage trays and will they go into a 56 322? Also is there any real advantage to adding a windage tray?

I want to say put some weight on the car and slip the pins in real quick but that's probably really stupid. Maybe a ratcheting strap?

It could have at least been a Buick 350.

Funny you say that. There's a gent on Ebay currently selling a complete front drum set off a 55 Roadmaster that he recently swapped to discs. He wanted $145, new drums, shoes, everything. I told him I would pay for shipping whatever the cost, here's the money. Each drum is worth $120, so it was quite the steal. "Willing to work out shipping cost for any interest buyer." The guy said he wasn't going to ship them. Why bother putting them on Ebay? Oh well, the hunt for Roadmaster backing plates continues...

You can get your original wheel cylinders and master cylinder bored by White Post. I hear they're pretty good. As for wheel cylinders, they should be available at the local NAPA. Your spring kits, drums and shoes can be had from multiple vendors and they're all the same so you just need to pick one. If your drums are within spec, then no need to replace - some auto stores still check thickness, just make sure you have the runout thickness handy when they tell you the drums are bad. If you get really in depth, you might want to redo all of your brake lines, too. The NICCOP brand at NAPA is probably the best stuff to use. Pretty easy to bend by hand and won't break down over time like the steel lines might.

John, just popped hubcaps off. Couldn't find the calipers, but with the tape they seem to be between 3 7/16" to 3 1/2".

I guess this is a common problem. Carb King told me there was a factory fix that involved installing a bushing in the choke arm hole I think.

differentials from 56-62 will interchange, with 61-62 being open driveshaft.

Here's my rear speaker: The recone kit would work for the speaker cone, but the spider on the original is too small. So I'm back to hunting for a set that will fit. By the way, the Kenwood speaker will not fit the rear shelf because it has a bar through the center of the hole. I found this site that sells custom made speakers to fit OEM applications. The price isn't right for me right now, so I'll keep searching, but might be interesting for others here.

56 Specials use 3.23 gears, everything else uses 3.36. They will work.

That rear end is only in the 56 Special. You're welcome to it, mine doesn't make any noise after I swapped rear ends.

Wow! Hopefully it's not gone by the time my tax returns hit.

Power steering pumps, for instance, go from Pontiac Buick Olds and Cadillac, but not Chevy. Generators, too, maybe. I know Olds uses a similar steering gear box, not sure about Pontiac or Cadillac.

Gary, I have to go back out and pull those backing plates for the 12x2.5" drums I want to put on my Buick vs. the 12x2.25, so I'll ask when I'm out there next time. Sorry to get off topic!

Hey Mudbone, I forgot to ask, but how's your radio with the Packard 440 wire?

The breaker plate uses stock point set. It's just a matter of walking in and spending another $10. The points haven't migrated since last adjustment, so I think I'm in the clear.

My mother teased the idea of FM and Bluetooth chips for the radio as a graduation gift. If the notion is genuine, I will definitely take a reading at the 0Z4 pins.

Thank you for the information! Those wires look great.

That 52 was a standard straight 8 engine with no extra goodies and I think it was a Special. The 53 Roadmaster has power steering, however. Finding a good piece of pot metal chrome out here will be a challenge, lol.

Oh, I couldn't remember the actual reading, though in my notes now that I'm looking, it says the 0Z4 output is 240VDC. John, vintage radios are very dangerous, do not stick your hand inside a running radio lol.

A voltage is the input DC voltage to the vibrator. B+ voltage is the voltage that is rectified to DC output at the 0Z4 tube. So 12VDC goes into the vibrator, the vibrator turns it into 12VAC, the transformer steps it up to somewhere around 300VAC and the 0Z4 rectifies the voltage to 300VDC.

Just some pictures from my favorite junkyard. 55-57, with one 56 - my personal parts car. The spirit of this 56 lives on.