Rear Brakes

[Kyle Smith]

Need a little help. I am trying to source some parts for 63 Avanti.

I am looking for:

Rear Shoes

Wheel Cylinders

And a front brake line.

I am trying to buy off the shelf. Can these parts be sourced from a local shop? I have checked a number of web sites but many part numbers are not consistent. Any success on E-bay? Does any one have confirmed part numbers.

Thanks

[Jim Olson]

Studebaker Intl should have everything you need. http://www.studebaker-intl.com Just click on the "shopping" tab and away you go.

[Gunslinger]

You won't find the rear wheel cylinders from a local parts shop. NAPA lists them and maybe others might but they're the wrong one. Parts houses have consolidated parts numbers to eliminate old applications that move slowly. The NAPA book shows wheel cylinders for the rear of an Avanti to be the same as some Jeeps and they're far cheaper than going through the Studebaker vendors. The wheel cylinders look and fit identically but they're wrong...the correct Avanti wheel cylinders have a 3/4" bore...the Jeep cylinders have a 7/8" bore and allow far too much fluid to energize the Avanti brake shoes. As soon as you touch the brake pedal your rear brakes will lock up...I found that out the hard way.

You have two options...pony up the money to buy new and correct reproduction wheel cylinders from one of our vendors, or, if you cylinders aren't frozen, buy rebuild kits which are new springs and rubber boots and use them after honing out the cylinder. Before doing any of that, soak the bleeder valves with penetrating oil for a day or so and make sure you can open and close them. If you snap them off you might be able to drill them out and install a new bleeder or replace the entire thing.

If you can find industry part number B173, that's the correct rear brake shoes. If you can't, they're available through the normal vendors, but they ask a very high core price. They do that to make sure you return the old shoes for relining to go back into the parts food chain. One vendor told me when they charged a small core amount, people tended to just throw them out rather than pay to ship them for a core refund. For something like a $100 core charge, it gets people's attention and they send them back for the refund.

The front brake hoses, as far as I know, you need to get from the vendors. Even if you find one from a local parts house, it may be very old and the rubber suspect. The vendors maintain a pretty fresh stock of new production brake hoses.

Support our vendors as much as possible and you'll also get the correct parts.

Edited August 26, 2012 by Gunslinger

[R3truck]

Hello, Try Orange County Studebaker in placentia california. Their phone number is 714 572-3777

They are good with parts and service. www.studebakershop.com

Edited August 27, 2012 by R3truck