Phantom440
Well-Known Member
Hello all, I hope you're doing well and keeping warm in your garages! 
I've *almost* finished replacing the 8.25 rear with an 8.75. Got new HD springs, pieces from Firm Feel, etc. I'm feeling really good about my progress.
However, I have a couple of questions:
The rubber brake line from body to axle was cut to get the 8.75 out of the car I was pulling from. I've seen multiple "rear brake hoses" for our cars, but I can't tell if they're the one I need from the body to the distribution block on the axle housing, or simply the ones that go to the drums. Is there a particular name for that specific body-to-axle hose? Also, I will probably need a new distribution block on the 8.75, new clips to keep the hose in place, etc. Can someone please suggest a good source for brake lines? I'd like to go full stainless for brake and fuel lines, if possible. I want to keep this thing reliable and safe for the rest of my life.
I've also seen woven stainless steel brake lines - anyone here use them? Are they worth it? My VW experience has told me "woven stainless fuel lines" just have the woven covering for a plain rubber hose, and the ethanol in the gas eats the rubber alive, clogging fuel filters, carbs, etc.
Finally, last question: The goal of this car is to be kind of a brute. Turning the wheel takes some force, a hard-shifting, hard clutch, hard seats kinda deal. I want to feel like I've gotten a workout after driving it! I don't know if you guys have read the '77 Car and Driver where they talk about the police Monaco. They say it's, more or less, a "real man's car," where you're using your muscles to make this stubborn sumbitch work with you. That appeals to me. The car originally came with non-power drums. When the rear is all buttoned up, I would like to upgrade to non-power discs, and bought a Master Cylinder off of ebay advertised for manual discs. The M/C itself is much taller than the original drum M/C (for the extra fluid, I'd assume...) but the bore is 1 and 1/8th inch, and everywhere I can find, people say that's far too big for a manual application. Its part number is for a '71 Coronet taxi with manual discs, so I wanted your opinions- do I need a smaller diameter bore? I'm trying to use as many period-specific parts as possible, so if the larger diameter bore in the M/C means I'm gonna have to really put my weight into hauling this sucker down from speed, that's great- I don't want some mushy pedal nonsense.
Sorry for the novel of a post, but you guys are the best and I wanted to make sure I was as clear as possible. The car is a '72 Coronet sedan. Now that the 8.75 is in, next plans are front discs, then 318 out and 440/4-speed in.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
(also, I really did try to search the forums for "brake hoses" and "body-to-axle brake line" and couldn't find info for later B's- I'm not much of a brake guy so I don't know if what works on a '68 Satellite still applies to a '72...)
And Merry Christmas all! I hope you have a great holiday!
I've *almost* finished replacing the 8.25 rear with an 8.75. Got new HD springs, pieces from Firm Feel, etc. I'm feeling really good about my progress.
However, I have a couple of questions:
The rubber brake line from body to axle was cut to get the 8.75 out of the car I was pulling from. I've seen multiple "rear brake hoses" for our cars, but I can't tell if they're the one I need from the body to the distribution block on the axle housing, or simply the ones that go to the drums. Is there a particular name for that specific body-to-axle hose? Also, I will probably need a new distribution block on the 8.75, new clips to keep the hose in place, etc. Can someone please suggest a good source for brake lines? I'd like to go full stainless for brake and fuel lines, if possible. I want to keep this thing reliable and safe for the rest of my life.
I've also seen woven stainless steel brake lines - anyone here use them? Are they worth it? My VW experience has told me "woven stainless fuel lines" just have the woven covering for a plain rubber hose, and the ethanol in the gas eats the rubber alive, clogging fuel filters, carbs, etc.
Finally, last question: The goal of this car is to be kind of a brute. Turning the wheel takes some force, a hard-shifting, hard clutch, hard seats kinda deal. I want to feel like I've gotten a workout after driving it! I don't know if you guys have read the '77 Car and Driver where they talk about the police Monaco. They say it's, more or less, a "real man's car," where you're using your muscles to make this stubborn sumbitch work with you. That appeals to me.
The car originally came with non-power drums. When the rear is all buttoned up, I would like to upgrade to non-power discs, and bought a Master Cylinder off of ebay advertised for manual discs. The M/C itself is much taller than the original drum M/C (for the extra fluid, I'd assume...) but the bore is 1 and 1/8th inch, and everywhere I can find, people say that's far too big for a manual application. Its part number is for a '71 Coronet taxi with manual discs, so I wanted your opinions- do I need a smaller diameter bore? I'm trying to use as many period-specific parts as possible, so if the larger diameter bore in the M/C means I'm gonna have to really put my weight into hauling this sucker down from speed, that's great- I don't want some mushy pedal nonsense. Sorry for the novel of a post, but you guys are the best and I wanted to make sure I was as clear as possible. The car is a '72 Coronet sedan. Now that the 8.75 is in, next plans are front discs, then 318 out and 440/4-speed in.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
(also, I really did try to search the forums for "brake hoses" and "body-to-axle brake line" and couldn't find info for later B's- I'm not much of a brake guy so I don't know if what works on a '68 Satellite still applies to a '72...)
And Merry Christmas all! I hope you have a great holiday!
