63 Master Cylinder/Booster Conversion

[Guest RivieraBear]

Gents

I bought a new master cylinder and power brake booster for a 67 Riviera, Cardone part #10-1312 if my memory serves (and at 59, that's not bloody likely), but the car and I are in Italy so getting fittings, etc is an issue. However, there's a some talk here about mounting a dual master cylinder to the original power booster if I'm reading things correctly but nothing about putting the original master cylinder onto a newer power brake booster. Is that even possible? I want to do the complete changeout when I'm back in California but need to get the brakes working again before the 24th of this month to get a safety check and renew the registration. Sending the brake booster to Oregon for a rebuild is the only other way I can think to do this without getting a bunch of fittings and tube and bending them myself at the Auto Hobby Shop on the Army base here.

Thanks for your input!!

Colin

Edited August 3, 2010 by RivieraBear (see edit history)

[Guest RivieraBear]

50-1104

[TexRiv_63]

Colin,

I can tell you that a 67 dual mc will fit a 63 power booster as I did that conversion on my 63. I used the original 63 booster though and cannot tell you if a later booster is a drop-in. There is also a potential issue with the combos, they used either Bendix or Delco-Moraine and the booster and mc have to match. I think there is an article on the ROA website that explains all this if you are a member. Good luck!

[Guest RivieraBear]

thanks don. i am a member and read that technical tip. i'm going to try to put the original MC on the later power booster. if it doesn't work, i have new lines/fittings being made up at classic tube. i just can't wait for them to arrive as the 24th is coming quickly!

[Jim Cannon]

Colin-

Sounds like you need to pay for a Master Mechanic, experienced in Rivieras (that would be me!) to fly over there with the parts and fix it for you.

I am available any time.

Jim

[Guest Gee_Rydes]

This may or may not help, but I just retrofitted a later model booster and master in my 65.

All I needed was to remove the old junction block where the single master line went in and all 3 lines came out.

I then bought a 3/16th's tee for the front lines. Also bought two 3/16ths hardlines about 20 inches long knowing I would be cutting and flaring. Needed a single 3/16ths female coupler to adapt the rear male 3/16ths line to the new one coming from the master. The tee hooked up both front lines and also the new line coming from the master. The front 3/16ths fit directly into the master and the rear needed an adapter to go from the 3/16ths to something larger than 5/16ths but smaller than 3/8ths.

Easy task once I had what I needed.

[Guest RivieraBear]

Jim: Have you a passport? Have I the money? Yes and No would be my guess! Great idea, though!

[Guest RivieraBear]

What I did was take out the 63's master cylinder and power brake booster. Since I'm 6'5, it also helped to take out the front seat so that I could get under the dash more easily. Then when that was out, I had to open up the hole that the brake push rod goes through as well as opening up the upper 2 mounting bolts a little. Then it went back together fine, although it wasn't particularly easy (at least for me) to get the push rod eye off the shaft on the brake pedal arm. Or back on again, for that matter. However, I now have a power booster from a 67 and the master cylinder from the 63 (original) and it works just fine. I'll put in the dual master cylinder when the parts come from Classic Tube, but I couldn't wait due to a whole lot of reasons that revolve around being able to buy cheap gasoline in Italy. If anyone's interested, I can explain that, but I can't imagine anyone would be. Still need to put on new wheel cylinders and new shoes as the brake test revealed that the left rear isn't doing much in stopping power generation, but that's a piece of cake. Now, if I can just remember which side has the reverse threads on the wheels....

[Jim Cannon]

Driver's side has reverse threads on a '63 Riv (only).

Jim