The Resurrection of Vixen Contiues...

["Dave Stragand" <dave.stragand@xxxx>]

Okay,

So last time I said I'd talk about about the seven months it took to get
my rear brakes rebuilt... Here's the deal:

Although the rear calipers I received with the car looked brand new,
they must have been used at least briefly by the previous owner. They
leaked an orangish, rusty brake fluid when handled. Rather than just
flush them, I decided to rebuild them. I stopped in a local NAPA to get
a rebuild kit, and they offered to send them to their rebuilders for
only $50 each. Not bad, I thought. Should save time...

However, I dropped them off right before Thanksgiving, but heard nothing
from them for months. It turns out that they lost them. They
eventually turned up in their warehouse, on the shelf. Somehow they had
mistakenly restocked my used calipers as new. (?) Anyway, they sent
them to the rebuilders, who kept them for another three months or so,
only to return them saying they could not rebuild them, so I got them
back two weeks ago, got a rebuild kit from PJ Grady, and finished the
job.

I soaked each one in carburetor dip overnight, and then in brake cleaner
for another night. I then blew them all out with a high-pressure air
hose. The castings ended up looking like brand-new pieces. Adding the
seals and seating the pistons & dust covers took about 5 minutes, and I
was done. Should have done it myself in the first place.

On a related brake note, at the Pittsburgh World of Wheels show this
February, I happened to spot a hot rod with -would you believe it- what
appeared to be chromed DeLorean calipers. They were mounted inboard on
a Jaguar differential, which has the brake discs mounted on the axle,
almost in the center of the car. A little bit of research yielded (and
I love discovering these) A CROSS REFERENCE!!!

Here's the specs:

1974-79 XJS (Actually, pretty much any Jag from 74 - the 80's.) rears
calipers:
Check out the rear caliper pics for yourself at:
http://www.welshent.com/brakes.htm and you'll see that they do match.
The casting number is the same, too -- TYPE M14H. The required pads,
rebuild kits, pistons -- all the same. Oh, and this includes the
parking brake as well.

Raybestos: ($225 ea. lifetime warranty with pads and hardware)
Left: RC3856
Right: RC3855

Beck Arnley: ($175 ea. lifetime warranty with pads and hardware)
L: 079-0233
R: 079-0234

Pro Stop (Pep Boys): ($175 ea. lifetime warranty with pads and hardware)

L: 40-57517
R: 40-57516

Add this to the front caliper cross reference...

1976 Mercury Capri front calipers:

Raybestos: ($75 ea. lifetime warranty with pads and hardware @ Pep Boys)

L: RC3004
R: RC3003

... and you've got a complete set. Now, does anyone know a cross for
the booster? Since the brake M/C is from a Saab, I'm going to start by
looking there. I think mine leaks a bit...

Next message, I'll talk a bit about driving around in a bodyless
DeLorean. YES! She moves! (And stops, too). =)

-Dave Stragand
VIN#05927
http://www.ProjectVixen.com