Jason Coupe DeVille Resto - Rebuilt Original Power Brake Booster and Master Cylinder Installed

[Jason Edge]

I've had a newer aftermarket power brake booster and master cylinder in my 64 Coupe DeVille the past few years and it has very few miles (and on the way to good home now), and has been a great brake setup, but as I continue to restore my car to an "Original Look" this was one of the areas I wanted to return to original in appearance.   It is also one of the areas I would get dinged a point or two when I take the car to the Grand National for Judging, and I  just like the original setup better anyway! I've had an original rebuilt Delco Morraine waiting to go in my 64 for well over a year and finally got around to installing it this week.

According to the shop manual the Delco Morraine is zinc plated. It doesn't list it as yellow zinc or silver zinc.  My booster and master cylinder came silver-grey which is the natural color of zinc anyway so I think I'm in the ballpark!  Also looking at Fig 6-10 in the shop manual the cap looks a little lighter and the hold down clamp is black.  The cover was scruffed up a bit anyway and painted it with the Tank Tone paint I bought from Eastwood sometime back, and painted the hold down clamp black. I put a washer beneath it to protect the paint until it cures more.

I have a car show this weekend and was a bit nervous about removing and replacing the brakes booster and master cylinder, but all is installed, brake system has been bled and all is working perfectly!  I used a vacuum pump to bleed the brakes which was a first for me, and now I'm asking myself why I didn't use this method 30 years ago!

 Below are pictures of the aftermarket setup I have had in the car, the rebuilt original Delco Morraine setup I've had waiting in the wings for over a year to installed, and everything installed in the car and ready for this weekend's meet-up and car show with the NC Eastern CLC Members in Clayton, NC.

 

 

 

 

[Mike Travers]

Yes, I found out that it is indeed hard (impossible) to find a good new brake booster for our '63s. I ended up rebuilding my Delco style booster with the new rebuild parts and it works great. Those boosters are relatively easy to rebuild. I even made my own tool to spin the two shells apart on the booster. Anyone in the club needing that tool is welcome to borrow mine. I'd even be willing to share my rebuilding experience, as long as this old brain can remember the procedure.  :-)

[Mike Travers]

Eunan - Thanks for the reply. Your information is indeed very helpful. Jason got me fixed up with a rebuildable unit but I may still purchase a new unit from O'Reilly. Please keep me posted once you install yours so I can check on the fit & finish.

[Mike Travers]

Eunan - Did you ever find a 64 Delco booster? I'm in need of a Delco booster for my '63 but it sounds like a 64 Delco would work, as well.

[Jason Edge]

What bolt pattern are you talking about? Booster to car body or master cylinder to booster? 
The bolt pattern from booster to the car is the same regardless 1963 or 1964, Bendix or Delco.
The bolts/openings in firewall, center to center are approx 3 3/4" sided to side and, 3 9/16" top to bottom.
Since the original 1963 Bendix brake setup has 4 bolts from master cylinder to the booster, obviously, nothing else is going to mate up to it. That is a 1964 Delco, 1963, Delco, 1964 Bendix with 2 bolts from master cylinder to booster is not going to mate up to a 1963 Bendix... booster or master cylinder. It has always been my understanding that for a direct mate up you want to use the same brand --> Delco to Delco, Bendix to Bendix. I think I remember you can say attach a 1964 Bendix to Delco and vice versa with some mods. I think the rod length is the issue and has the be changed out but I have never done it, would be hard pressed to ever do it, and would instead try and find the right booster or master cylinder for your application or better yet buy a matched booster/mc pair.  There are placed that will rebuild these and if someone needs a core to farm out I have a few of these originals, but my stock is always changing.

For illustrations of the different original brake setups, see our Brake Illustrations and Pictures Help Page.   Here is one picture you will find there, the 1963 Bendix with the 4 bolts from master cylinder to booster.

[Jason Edge]

Well, the video example of using the vac pump to bleed brakes is on my Escalade which will be eligible to enter in touring class next year! LOL.

[Jason Edge]

I replaced the front brake rotors, calipers, and pads on my '02 Escalade EXT today, so I did a short video using the vacuum pump to bleed the brakes. It's not a 63 or 64 Cadillac, but same procedure. Check it out on our 63/64 YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/5VLwcVOLoFs

[Jason Edge]

Tony, your description is the 2- person brake bleeding I think most of us are familiar. The vacuum pump and cup allows for one person brake bleeding. It's probably been 10 years since I had to run in the house and grab Cheryl to help me bleed brakes! LOL

[Jason Edge]

You can get vacuum pump & brake bleed kits here in the US. I use this one available at Auto Zone for $35: http://www.autozone.com/test-scan-and-specialty-tools/vacuum-pump-b...

You are basically just pulling the fluid into a cup until it pulls just fluid and no air. Attached one end of hose to brake bleeder, the other to the pump, the other hose to the cup, loosen the bleeder and pump until fluid runs into the cup, tighten the bleeder. Here is a picture of the kit. I actually have 2, which is useful for testing check valves since  you need to make sure 2 nipples are holding vacuum. See my Check Valve Testing video on Help page for a visual.

[Jason Edge]

In 2013 when this was posted, Autozone was selling original rebuilt booster & master cylinders rebuilt for about $150 as I recall.  Their stock run dry about 2 years ago and while I have seen the master cylinder and booster listed on their parts page, they are still out of stock the last time I checked. Cardone in TX can rebuild your original. They are listed on our Parts Suppliers page.  

[Jason Edge]

A lot of discussion on brakes the last couple days and thought I would bump this back up.