<VV> Hydraulic/Mechanical Re: Corvair Research

[Bill Elliott]

British Rileys (up to '53) had front hydraulic brakes, but rear 
mechanical (the movement of the brake pedal both depressed and rotated 
the master cylinder, providing rear actuation).

Rolls Royce and Bentley (up until the Silver Shadow/Bentley T of 1965) 
also had front hydraulics and rear mechanicals, but with a twist.. the 
rear brakes were power assist via a clutch assembly mounted on the 
gearbox tailshaft... the faster you were going, the more the assist. The 
pedal moved a mechanical rod back which actuated the master cylinder 
under the drivers seat as well as feeding the mechanical movement 
rearwards past the power takeoff.

Both companies claimed "mechanical backup" as the reason for staying 
partially mechanical.

Bill

FrankCB at aol.com wrote:

> 
>Ned,
>    That reminds me that the first car I ever owned, a  1951 Hudson Hornet, 
>had hydraulic brakes, but with a mechanical brake  backup.  If the hydraulics 
>failed (only a single master cylinder) you  simply pushed down farther on the 
>brake pedal to engage the mechanical brakes on  the rear wheels.  So it wasn't 
>necessary to reach for a SEPARATE  emergency brake pedal or lever.  At the 
>time I thought it was an excellent  idea and I STILL think so.  I'm still 
>surprised that, as far as I  know, nobody besides Hudson used it,     
>    Regards,
>    Frank Burkhard 
> 
>In a message dated 5/1/2008 7:44:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  
>AeroNed at aol.com writes:
>
>That's  surprising since that article came from Machine Design a magazine  
>for  
>mechanical engineers. Just proves my theory that there are ignorant  idiots  
>branded as experts everywhere. When was the car with  mechanical brakes  
>built? 
>The 1930's?
>
>Ned
>
>
>  
>