Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

I just bought my 53 Clipper Delux and was told that I could get Bendix brakes from Pep Boys. Is that true? Can any decent brake place do my brakes? He said the brakes are swollen due to moisture for 7 years. We can't get the gear shift out of park unless we start the car and it won't "rock" back and forth as he has done in the past to release the brakes on it...for some reason. The car shouldn't be started until all the fluids are changed as well as the gas drained and new fuel added. It is still gasoline, no lacquer. Someone said to use a cooling system pressure kit to force air into the radiator to see where the crack is. $100 at Harbor Freight. But need the money for repairs.

The car will be towed in 9 days to a mechanic. It has a cracked head and the seller said I could use "cylinder seal" to seal it, only about 2 inches or less.

I'd rather get it magnefluxed and repaired but this is his fix to save money for now. All the fluids will be changed, brakes done and hopefully it will start. He said he felt the car missing, pulled into his garage and looked and saw water on the head near the radiator hose that shorted out the 2 spark plugs. He turned it off and later got ill...it sat for 7 years in his garage. It just could be the radiator hose, maybe, hopefully.... though he thinks not. Any advise you could give me on waking up a beauty is most welcome. So far I will need the tow truck guy to put the back wheels on 2 dollys and not drag it because the brakes are locked. He can't even release the hand brake. Brenda

Aside from our vendors, Kanter or Max Merritt, others will better advise on local places to get new brake shoes but I kind of doubt it will be Pep Boys. Napa maybe but one thing to make sure of is to make sure the shop doing the work has a large 3 bolt style drum puller so they can pull the rear drums. Those rear drums are on tapered axles and require a special puller to get them off. The typical modern shop may not have one large enough or at all. Older shops or those dealing in trucks may have a large enough puller but if the drums have not been off in years, be aware that may be a project in itself.

There should be no need for the engine to be running to get the car out of park. It is just a mechanical pawl that is pulled out of mesh with a gear by the shift lever. Unless something is damaged in the trans or linkage it should require no rocking. One thing you might try with the rear brakes is to get a brake spoon and turn the adjuster wheel all the way in so the shoes can move away from the drums. I guess it is possible the linings have bonded to the drums and have stuck tight but I would give a try to moving them in via the adjust wheel and see if they will break loose.

HH56 Quote:

Howard: Amen! Double plus plus on the truck shop. Those big drum pullers are available from some u-rent-it kind of places, if you do it yourself. Even then, I've had to add extra leverage (thank you Archimedes) and use a BFH to get the drum off my 55 (same as 53 while 56 is different).

Craig

Good Morning Brenda...Since you are in Southern California, you might want to call Robert Escalante at Custom Auto at Third and French in Santa Ana. 714-543-2980. Robert has run a Packard only repair and restoration shop for over 30 years. He is a nice guy and trust worthy. Ernie

Thank you for this information. I got a $600 estimate and a $1400 estimate today for the brakes. Gulp! Ouch! I think I'll buy the parts at Kanter and have someone install them. Thanks for the info about the puller.

$1400 sounds rather steep unless the car need several new brake drums.
There is little appreciable difference between the brakes on this car & most 50's & early 60's cars. Most parts are fairly easy to find. If a shop does feel they can handle it, perhaps their employees are under 30 :)
Since this will be the foundation to a safe & reliable car, consider it money well spent.
Cheers!

A brake job is not a brake job. What do the prices include?

JWL