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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | May as well jump right in and show what I have going on with a 1957 Coronet. The car was or should say is a basket case when I hauled it home. She has had some restoration work done to her but no where close to being a functional vehicle. The Coronet was painted the wrong color so that will be changed or is the plan but first off I need to get some functioning brakes. This kit came from Summit brand is SSBC ssbrakes.com looks to be a complete conversion. First is to replace ball joints, control arm bushings, shocks and what ever else we need. I spent the last few days taking the front end apart and most of this morning getting the rusted stuck torsion bars loose and out to get to the lower control arms. I will also be replacing the steering gear with an OEM power unit from my parts car. I drove theparts car briefly and the power unit seems to be ok. Will see I guess I know nothing about this type power unit. I have built many 60's and new Mopars but these older ones are different but I do see how they evolved to the b-bodys I am used to Those are small upper control arm bushings?
Edited by WillieG 2015-12-14 4:35 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8443
Location: Perth Australia | Cool, I'll be watching
Did you get new spindles with it or are they you originals?
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | they are the originals
got the other torsion bar loose, now that I know how to do it the 2nd was much easier.
I clamped my tool on the bar and used a friction jack and pushed it to the rear and carefully knocked the rear adj. bracket forward on the T bar. trying to pound it out the way as I have done later B bodies was like hitting rubber it had nothing to hold it.. made some good progress and got the word to tare down the engine and freshen it up. Good deal! |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | How rude of me
Forgot to say welcome
WELCOME
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | Thanks
Australia! I shipped some 331 Hemi part there a few years ago. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8443
Location: Perth Australia | Hmmm
I didnt get them, would you like to re send them?
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | The master new cylinder bolts up to the original mounting holes perfectly. The brakes lines are supplied along with the proportioning valve and a plug to block off the port from the distribution to the rear wheels. |
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Expert
Posts: 3778
Location: NorCal |
Normally, I'm not a big fan of green but it looks good on that car. |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | We are planning on changing the color, the green just doesn't fit this car. Heather Green is the original color but the owner didn't like it so went with what is on the car now. after we got the car from where the Resto started many many many years ago the owner told me first off we have to do somethng with the color. I was very glad to here that. It is nice to get back to the brake suspension work. I had to hammer the old bushing sleaves out of the control arms after pressing the rubber parts out I then cleaned up the inner of the lower with a brake cyl. hone. I found an 8.00$ tool at the parts store which works great for the ball joints. after cleaning and never seize things are going back together. |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | Now that I have the ball joints and control arm bushings installed it is time to install the disc brakes I am very pleased how the brake upgrade is fitting up and the 14 inch rims fit as they advertised. next will be to replace the steel brake lines to the wheels and rear end and mount the supplied proprotioning valve. I am planning on welding a tab to the inside of the frame and mounting to that but will wait until I get the power steering unit installed. I am not looking forward to removing the steering unit from the parts car, I will be doing that outside and it is cold and wet here. |
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Member
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Location: Central Oregon | I replace all of the front brake lines and reused the original line shields where used. The lines were very rusty under the shields and needed replaced no question about it. after adding fluid to the master cyl. the brakes I opened the fron bleeder niples a 1/4 turn and went and got a cup of coffee. When I came back to the car the front calipers were dripping fluid so shut the nipples. pressed the peddle to find the Coronet now has brakes. Very nice this system was a great deal IMO. Now to take the rear drums off and see what is going on back there. |
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Posts: 5006
| no booster? those are real brakes, not a single piston kit. |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | no booster...yet
we will see how she stops without a booster.
yes four piston calipers
I spent this morning getting to the power steering unit I am removing from the parts car.
I see there is an access panel on the floor and around the column which allows the steering gear to come out the top.
Nice.
The 57 I am restoring had floor replaced and the access was not done. Yet. pretty sure I will cut the new floor and build an access to install the unit.
unless I can wrestle it in from the bottom. |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | The parts car had power steering so we decided to install the unit in the Coronet. After removing the inner fender and the access panel it was pretty easy to get the unit out through the top. The colum comes off after the wheel is removed like the manual. The power unit is aluminum so wasn't as heavy as I was expecting. The manual box bolts directly to the frame while the power unit uses a special washer on both sides of the box and a big shim on the rear bolt to allow for adjustment, I'd guess to allow the steering wheel to be aligned? not sure about that. this is a unique mounting system for sure. The wheels look identical with the execption of the signal cancel tab on the wheel. |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | You should also note the horn contact ring on the power steering wheel, manual horn wire goes up the centre of the actual steering tube, the power steering horn wire follows the flasher switch wiring, so you are going to have to get the horn wire from the engine bay and bring it inside the cab to connect under the dash
This also means there is a difference in the flasher switch that you need to be aware of, basically the horn contact
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Veteran
Posts: 131
| I put the SSBC kit on my '57 Saratoga this summer and I like it as well. |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | yes I haven't looked yet but am hoping the horn wire will be tucked under the dash? good to hear you like the the brakes I spent most of the afternoon stripping what seemed like house paint and getting the wheel ready for paint. need to fill a couple cracks with epoxy I am going to the paint store tomorrow and get an interior color that will work trying to match the green met. |
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Member
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Location: Central Oregon | 5wndwcpe - 2015-12-22 1:55 PM I put the SSBC kit on my '57 Saratoga this summer and I like it as well. did you use a power booster? |
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Veteran
Posts: 109
| Great write up! |
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | I think (but I am not a brake expert) that you will need a booster for the discs
Either that or a really strong leg?
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | We will see how the car stops without a booster and can upgrade it if need be. don't have a booster on my race car with 4 piston disc brakes and stops great at 125 mph in the 1/8. |
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Expert
Posts: 1740
Location: Alaska | Something is very wrong with that car!! Too much weight in the trunk! |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | or maybe 800 hp under the hood. |
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Member
Posts: 23
| That Polara looks familiar, mine also has manual disc brakes.
The Fury I'm working on now will a small booster.
Steve
(Blackie.JPG)
(61 fury brakes.JPG)
Attachments ---------------- Blackie.JPG (115KB - 219 downloads) 61 fury brakes.JPG (128KB - 213 downloads)
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Location: So. Cal | I don't like to use power brakes in general unless it is really necessary because if you have vacuum issues, you can lose all braking power and possibly lose control of the car (especially if a woman is driving). But, I really like the '50's power booster design because it really is just an assist. If it fails to work, you just have regular manual brakes with no other issues. There is really no downside to it except that it gets in the way of filling the master. I plan to convert all my '50's cars to power brakes! - with a remote brake reservoir. |
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Location: northern germany | ttotired - 2015-12-23 8:36 PM
I think (but I am not a brake expert) that you will need a booster for the discs
Either that or a really strong leg?
i have manual 4 wheel disks (4 piston calipers) no problems whatsoever.
(0000wilwood1.jpg)
Attachments ---------------- 0000wilwood1.jpg (28KB - 202 downloads)
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | There you go
Must be able to work then
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: Central Oregon | Nice looking 61 I also installed an Alterkation front end on the Dodge 440 the brace from the upper control arm to the frame on the Fury? is that something that was added? looks like a good idea. |
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Veteran
Posts: 131
| WillieG - 2015-12-22 11:10 PM
5wndwcpe - 2015-12-22 1:55 PM I put the SSBC kit on my '57 Saratoga this summer and I like it as well. did you use a power booster?
Nope, no booster here either. |
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Veteran
Posts: 109
| So for all of those that used the SSBC kit and went with the manual MC, how are the brakes? Do you wish you upgraded to a power MC? |
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