two bolt master cylinder

[Valcuda]

My master cylinder on the Barracuda is a two bolt one, not four bolt like on USA Barracudas and contemporary Aussie Valiants. When I replaced the original cast iron one twenty years ago (it was on borrowed time, having already had a seal renewal ten years before), I used a new MC that I bought in South Africa while on holiday. However it seems I got one for a drum-drum combination, not disk-drum (whether my fault or the shop's fault, I cannot say!). The difference is that the reservoir for the front circuit should be larger than the one for the rear circuit for disk-drum and my two reservoirs are the same.

This explains mostly why my front circuit reservoir emptied over the years faster than expected as the disk pads wore.

I can clearly live with the existing MC, I just have to check the fluid levels more regularly. But it would be prudent to get the correct MC, surely?

I can't find any info whatsoever from South Africa about the correct MC for my car--all I know is (a) the Aussie Valiant VJ had a two bolt MC and (b) contemporary Ramblers had a two bolt MC

How do I determine which option to go for? Or is it cheaper/wiser to get the original reconditioned? (The latter route assumes that the recondition company can get the right seals, etc.)

[Dave999]

Just get the VJ one a nice new PBR manufactured version would do the trick

I can't see a problem with that

VJs had Girling Lockheed front sliding callipers. Calliper sits on a bracket and is held into its mount with spring plates. as opposed to the Kelsey hayes style that had pins for the clipper to slide on, used on earlier models some ford mustang many aussie falcons.

given the vintage of your car i'd suggest yours might have these or the 4 piston version used on UK RHD barracudas.

aussies swap between the two types regularly and have no MC problems

the Girlock callipers are near identical to US callipers used from 73 until about 1995 on Aspens Volares Vans ETC

they are all osensibly 1 piston sliding callipers for disk brakes in the 9.5 to 11 inch diameter. (disk size accommodated by the bracket dimension not the calliper)

hence the potential for a capacity or bore size mismatch between master cylinder and calliper is low.

the other option would be a 2 bolt to 4 bolt adaptor and an adjustable length pushrod.


if you use a US one the pipes will come out the wrong side.


Dave

[Valcuda]

You're a mine of useful information, Dave!

Thanks for that, I will pursue the VJ master cylinder route.

My calipers are Girling, by the way, but not sliding. They have two single pistons per caliper, one on each side. From the seal kit that fits them (SP2589), I deduce the calipers are the similar to those fitted to, say, Rover 2000 (69-77), Vauxhall Ventora (69-72), etc. The Valiant factory probably used what was around in South Africa at the time.

[Valcuda]

Just got back to consider this topic after six months away!!!

Following up on Dave's suggestion, I have looked up VJ master cylinders on the internet images and I see they have three outlets, not two like mine. Why?

I've discovered after consultation with somebody in South Africa that my master cylinder almost certainly fitted the 1969 Rambler. Of course I can get this MC from Rock Auto in the USA if I ever need to, for about £100 including shipping. Then there's the UK import duty to add on afterwards.

Would it be more economical to place an order with a UK importer like US Automotive Ltd or American Autoparts (I can collect from them as they're also in Surrey) because they might pay a bulk import duty?

For comparison, to get a remanufactured one from South Africa (Wingate Ltd) would cost me £225 including shipping (I got the quote yesterday). Again, I suppose I'd have to add on UK import duty to this.

Because I've never actually seen a Rambler master cylinder, only images, (it's the right bore of 1" and pipe unions of 1/2"X20), there's a slight risk here but at £100 versus £225, it's worth taking.....

So where to get it from?

[Rebel]

Ask Ron Fenton to bring it in for you, he's a member on here. You can order from Rock auto and have it delivered to Ron's place in Florida and he'll bring it over in his next container

[Dave999]

VJ is a 2 circuit cylinder (labelled front and rear outlets (the outer 2)) with a 3rd section in the middle for a brake failure dash light switch

i.e they should work provided you fit the switch
i can't say if it would work with just a blanking plug, but i'd suggest yes

the switch i can't find listed for a VJ i can find them for US and earlier VE-VH aussie cars but not for VJ/VK for some reason

obviously you don't need the switch to be connected up to wires if you don't want to.


i'd email sunbury brakes in Oz and ask if you can run a VJ master cylinder with the middle port blanked off. OR do they have a switch that fits?
if you current cylinder doesn't already have a switch in situ that could be swapped across

Dave

[68Roadrunner]

Valcuda, you have pm.