1962 Imperial Disk Brake Conversion?

[imperialsrus@xxxxxxxxxxx]

John beat me to the punch!! I just got through bleeding the brakes on a 1962 owned by Vince Turner, and apart from the fact that I could not bleed the passenger side lower front wheel cylinder (will be replacing it in the near future) because the bleeder screw came "pre-rounded off and siezed" into the casting, I still manage to get the "Big Girl" to stop comfortably, even with a slightly "wheezing" booster. I concur that the "dual master" cylinder may be part of the problem.

--
Mike Veronesi
Member of the
Northeast Imperial Owners Club (N.E.I.O.C.)
imperialsrus@xxxxxxxxxxx

-------------- Original message --------------

I have a 60 with the same brakes & there is very little pedal travel. I agree that these brakes make me feel less than confident when I use them. However they do stop such a heavy car fairly well. I think something is still wrong if you are getting a lot of travel in the pedal. If the are unfamiliar with adjusted the shoes, that may be the problem. The adjustment amount is very little, plus 3 of the adjusters on each side need to adjust with the forward rotation of the wheels. The one on the rear wheels furthest back adjusts in a rearward rotation. Since you have the incorrect master, that would be suspect also. The proportioning valve may also not be right for this combination.

John

----- Original Message -----

From: Duckie26626@xxxxxxx

To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2004 7:19 PM

Subject: IML: 1962 Imperial Disk Brake Conversion?

Fellow Imperial Fans Help:

After putting on 200+ miles on a near complete Brake Rebuild, that included "New-NOS" Shoes Up front, 5 of the 6 wheel cylinder replaced & 1 Rebuilt, Turned front drums, Cleaned rear ones, Dual Master Cyl. 1 1/8 Bore Size, Many Brake Bleedings, 1/2 of the brake lines replaced, Wilwood 10 psi check on both half's, I Have Come to the Conclusion that the Bendix Total Contact Brake System should be called the "Pedal of Doom System." Somehow they Just Don't Inspire much confidence with a Soft Pedal & a Lot of Pedal Travel. Has anyone found a Disk Brake Conversion Kit or A Home Brewed way of putting Disk Brakes on the Front of a 62 Imp. I'm a 50+ year old tool & diemaker at a DaimlerChrysler Engine Plant, so I've done 97% of my own car/truck repairs from my high school days. I've found Kits for 62 Chrysler, but I don't have to tell anyone here that they are Different on the Imp's. If needed I can make adapters myself or bore out housing's for bigger wheel bearings. It's a White 62 Custom with 55k miles & spent the fi rst 24 years of it's life taking a little old lady from Toledo, Ohio to Church on Sunday & spent the rest of week in a heated Garage - No Kidding.

Help. Dave Van Buren

PS:The Info on the website was GREAT. I replaced all 4 shocks & put all new front end parts (after looking on E-Bay for months), 235-75 15 Radials Kelly Tires All Around &

It Now Handles 10 Times Better! Thanks!!