<VV> Can It Really Be That Simple?

[Louis Armer]

Jeffrey, No one has yet said it so I will, The very first thing you 
do in any older car including our Corvairs is rebuild the
brakes. You don't trouble shoot something as important as brakes. At 
the very least, rebuild or replace all four wheel
cylinders and do the same for the MC. Then do the hard-harder brake 
pedal test. What usually happens with a piecemeal
repair is one or more of the  wheel cylinders leak and you lose what 
"might" have been a perfectly good set of brake shoes on that
particular wheel. In addition you may want to have all four brake 
drums turned. You may also use a Corvair emergency brake
as a secondary brake system in the event of a catastrophic brake 
fluid/line failure. The EB on a Corvair acts mechanically
to apply the rear brakes.

Chuck Armer
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At 07:26 AM 5/20/2008, you wrote:
>Thanks for all the advice.
>
>I would appreciate clarification on the link between the brake pedal and
>the master cylinder. Do they come out as a unit? Are snap ring pliers
>needed to remove the pedal assembly from the master cylinder?
>
>The car has only been on the island for 3 days. Most of its life was
>spent in Connecticut where it was alternately driven as a fun car and
>stored as a low mileage original. When it came to the mainland of Maine,
>it was owned and used by a restorer/enthusiast; during the winters it
>was stored in a barn. The P.O. knew how to store a car properly; from
>beneath the car, the gas tank and lines look perfect. I do not know if
>the brake lines have be been replaced in the past.
>
>When I drove the car it was to answer their concerns about the brakes,
>too. My Monza came to me with a leak in one wheel cylinder; the car
>pulled to one side and the fluid level dropped as the brakes were used.
>After driving her EM and applying the brakes a lot deliberately, there
>was no fluid loss at all. The car always stopped true and straight,
>never swerving. And the pedal action mimicked the "hard-harder" test
>results.
>
>The current owner has not yet pulled the wheels and drums to look at the
>brakes. I don't know if she'll let me do that or will take it to a shop
>to do the same.
>
>As for the belt, if the pulleys have rust on them, I could not find any
>nor was there any evidence of rust stains on the belt. No, I think it
>was installed cold and the car was not run much with the new belt. It
>simply stretched a bit.
>
>Again, thanks to everyone.
>
>Jeff Aronson
>Vinalhaven, ME 04863
>'66 Monza 110/4
>'66 Land Rover Series II-A 88" [2]
>'80 Triumph TR-7 Spider
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CORSA Tri-membership Chairman
CORSA Member
Corvanatics Member
Corvair Atlanta Director
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1965 Corsa Coupe
1964 Greenbrier
1965 Corsa Autocross car 1/2 owner
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