Parts interchangeability

Paul Steinberg

PCS Life Member President
Staff member
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I have been stressing for decades now that you should keep all parts that are replaced on your vehicle for future restoration of the part, in the event that such a replacement part is no longer available in the future, unless the part is destroyed in removal. An example of this would be an exhaust system, etc.. An example of a part that you would want to keep is the master cylinder. They all look the same for a given year, make, and model, however, this isn't always the case. Internally, they are all different to accommodate different type of braking characteristics of the vehicle. Many parts that people think are the same on a Commercial Chassis look the same as the same part on a De Ville, but upon close examination, there is a significant difference. This is where the original factory parts book comes into play. It will indicate the difference by part number and price. The parts re-builders have a one size fits all mentality, and will list the same part number for many applications and years of vehicles. Problem is that the re-manufactured part will fit, but it will not perform like the original. Case in point is the Commercial Chassis brake booster looks the same as the car unit, but in actuality, it is slightly larger, both internally and externally. You wouldn't notice this difference by looking at them. The same goes for the Commercial Chassis wheel / rim. They look the same, but the Commercial Chassis rim is much heavier steel, and has riveted webs attaching the center section to the outer rim. The standard car rim is lighter in weight and is welded. Both will interchange, but the lighter standard car one might fail, causing you to loose control of your car.
 
Brake Booster Part Number

Hello,
Thank you for your informative post. Do you know the part number for the CC brake booster?

Thank you,

C.Spencer
 
Clarification...

The part number for the CC brake boost that I need would be the one appropriate for the 59 Cadillac CC.

Thank you again...

CS
 
Having owned BOTH a 1960 S&S Victoria hearse AND a 1960 Eureka hearse, I discovered that each car utilized a different brake master cylinder. One was manufactured by Bendix, the other by Delco Moraine. Therefore, I wonder if boosters need to be matched to the appropriate manufacturer of master cylinder. I'd be willing to bet lunch that they have to be.
 
Rear Wheel Cylinder

I checked the vendor list on this site for the answer, but I did not find what I was looking for. Do you have a source for a rear wheel cylinder for a 1959 Cad. CC?

Thank you for any assistance that you may be able to offer.

C.Spencer
 
You need to put this whole commercial versus passenger car chassis in the proper focus. GM built the commercial chassis to fill a need for ambulances and hearses. Ambulances were driven fast and hard and were heavy (7000 plus pounds) lives were at stake. Heavy duty was a must look at the tires as an example cars 8:20 X 15 four ply ambulance 8:90 X 15 six ply. Bonded brakes were not recommended for ambulances too quick to fade due to poor heat dissapation.A hearse led an easy life slow and no where near as heavy. Today as collector vehicles they all lead an easy life. It only takes a minute to see why brake boosters,wheels.rear axels etc were heavy duty. Thus using passenger car parts to keep your collector vehicle rolling today is not a sin or unsafe as they will do the job just fine.
 
My parts book is dated 1967, and as such, it only has limited information in it. It appears that GM only used the Delco Moraine power brake booster from 1959 through 1962, however, that might not always be true, since there are some mention of Bendix parts. Cadillac division didn't set up there parts books like any other division of General Motors, and it requires searching many headings under the same group number, which makes it extremely confusing and really muddies the water.
If you have your old one, you can have it rebuilt by Booster Dewey, and it will work like new. He can also restore it to look like new for an additional charge.
The wheel cylinders can be sleeved with brass sleeves, and a kit put into them to work like new. I use Apple Hydraulics in New York for this service. Very reliable, and quick turn around. They also do master cylinders, but it can get very expensive if you ask them to reassemble the master or wheel cylinder for you.
If you have additional questions, please send me an email and I will get back to you in a few days. I am extremely busy, and don't get to the website very often to read. I only answered this question, since I was sent an email by another member pointing me to this thread.
thanks Paul
 
Thank you all for your replies and advice. I am no mechanic. At times, I wish I was. I am grateful for all of the wisdom that 'you' have shared with me. I appreciate the value of using CC original parts for the purpose of preserving a vintage vehicle as original. I will always do so when possible. In this case, my right rear wheel cylinder is beyond rebuilding/repair.
I have had no luck finding a CC wheel cylinder...that said, I get that, according to a fellow PCS member, the passenger car cylinder could do the trick. I was wondering if there is a cross reference part number for a wheel cylinder used by GM that has a 1 1/16" bore and bolts in.

Thank all of you once again for your help and time,

C.Spencer
 
there is no such this as unrebuildable unless it's broken in two. the company Paul as stated will rebuild it back to factory specks by boring it larger then using a brass sleeve to bring it back to specks. what ever you do don't mix one wheel with a different slave cylinder then the opposing side. you get a wheel lock up with any hard braking. if you must change both sides.
 
That wheel cylinder was obsoleted by 1970, according to my Delco Moraine and EIS catalogs. I believe that you are left with only one choice, and that is to have your old one sleeved, and then install a rebuild kit into it. If you absolutely have to have a replacement, send me all the particulars, and I can check with a friend that owns a closed auto parts store, that has a lot of very old "new old stock" (NOS) and I can check his old parts books and inventory.
 
Having owned BOTH a 1960 S&S Victoria hearse AND a 1960 Eureka hearse, I discovered that each car utilized a different brake master cylinder. One was manufactured by Bendix, the other by Delco Moraine. Therefore, I wonder if boosters need to be matched to the appropriate manufacturer of master cylinder. I'd be willing to bet lunch that they have to be.

I have no experience with Cadillacs of this era, but both the '59 Olds shop manual and the Fusick Olds catalogue indicate that Olds used either Bendix or Moraine brake booster/master cylinder combos from '53 to '60. The difference could be identified by Bendix being of aluminum constuction, and Moraine being cast steel. Since the Oldsmobile procars of this period were not built on a "commercial chassis", I have to assume that the parts are interchangeable with a standard passenger car configuration.

Over the past couple of years, I have done some research on locating an aftermarket dual chamber master cylinder for my '59 Comet Olds, where no other extensive modifications would be required, but have not had much success. It seems that in this neck of the woods, the only two options are stock or radical street rod modifications to a brake system. My mechanic finally ordered a factory rebuilt unit from Fusick, and just received it today. I only spoke with his shop briefly, so don't know whether it ended up being a Bendix or Moraine.
 
Brakes

Find the first year the particular manufacture used a dual master cylinder , most American cars it is 67 . Some had dual M/C before that Cadillac in 62 and Rambler had it I think also in 62. I converted my 64 wagon by using a master cylinder from a 67 Plymouth . I did some research on bore size etc and basically it was a bolt on ,only need needed to run another line to the rear wheel cylinders. If a single system is rebuilt correctly it is just as safe as it was when first built.
 

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Thank you...I thought as much. I was scolded by an old car guy over the phone who said the same...I will do both the right and the left side.

Channing Spencer
 
If a single system is rebuilt correctly it is just as safe as it was when first built.


this is the part I get. anyone ever have a dual system lose the front side and try to stop the car? most people would not know if they lost the rear half. your brake system at factory specs and your emergency/parking Brake system the same the vehicle will function as it was designed. if you want to do road rally racing you may want to alter a few things for the new purpose, brakes being one. but it is my understanding that once you lock up all 4 wheels they are locked up no matter if or how you have altered the system.
 
this is the part I get. anyone ever have a dual system lose the front side and try to stop the car? most people would not know if they lost the rear half. your brake system at factory specs and your emergency/parking Brake system the same the vehicle will function as it was designed. if you want to do road rally racing you may want to alter a few things for the new purpose, brakes being one. but it is my understanding that once you lock up all 4 wheels they are locked up no matter if or how you have altered the system.

I also agree. I have the single reservoir master on my 49 S&S and it works just fine. And anyone that knows me knows I drive the car often, and sometimes hard. Yes, Ive had to lock them up a few times over the years no issues. The Only issue I ever had is when I first got it and a wheel cylinder blew, and the brakes went to the floor. The E brake had no trouble stopping it. The problem is most people do not know how to react when something goes wrong and they panic, making the situation much worse.
 
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